What should a web design client questionnaire include?

A useful web design client questionnaire should cover business goals, target audience, current website problems, must-have pages, content ownership, brand assets, budget, timeline, decision makers, technical access, and launch success criteria.

When should freelancers send a website questionnaire?

Send a short qualification version before booking a discovery call. Send the deeper project questionnaire after the client is qualified or after a deposit, so you do not perform unpaid strategy work for bad-fit leads.

How many questions should a web design intake form have?

Use 10 to 15 questions for pre-call qualification and 25 to 40 questions for paid onboarding. The pre-call form should identify fit, budget, urgency, and scope, not collect every implementation detail.

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Web Design Client Questionnaire for Freelancers

Use this questionnaire to qualify website leads before a discovery call, avoid vague “I need a new site” conversations, and spot scope risks early.

Best use: copy the first 15 questions into your inquiry form. Save the deeper implementation questions for paid onboarding or serious qualified leads.

Pre-call web design questionnaire

What business outcome should the new website create?
What is not working about your current website or online presence?
Who is the primary audience for the site?
What action should visitors take first: book, buy, call, subscribe, apply, or something else?
Which pages do you know you need?
Do you already have copy, images, brand assets, and testimonials?
Are you expecting strategy, copywriting, branding, SEO, development, or only design?
Do you have examples of websites you like and dislike?
What platform do you want to use, if any: Webflow, WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, custom, or undecided?
Do you need integrations such as payments, booking, CRM, analytics, email marketing, or member access?
Who will approve the design and final launch?
What is your target launch date, and what is driving that date?
What budget range is already approved for this project?
Have you worked with a designer or developer before? What went well or badly?
What would make this project a clear success 90 days after launch?

Questions that prevent scope creep

Content ownership: “Who is responsible for writing and approving the copy?”
Revision limits: “How many stakeholders need to review each round?”
Technical access: “Do you already control your domain, hosting, CMS, analytics, and brand files?”
Hidden deliverables: “Do you also need logo design, sales copy, photography, email setup, SEO migration, or ongoing maintenance?”
Launch blockers: “What could delay this project on your side?”

Simple lead scoring rule

Before booking a call, score the lead from 0 to 2 on each area:

Goal clarity: do they know why the site matters?
Budget fit: is the range realistic for the requested scope?
Timeline fit: is the deadline achievable?
Decision clarity: is the approver involved?
Content readiness: do they understand what they must provide?

8–10: book the call. 5–7: ask clarifying questions. 0–4: send a polite decline or a smaller paid audit offer.

Email to send with the questionnaire

Subject: Quick website project questions

Hi {{name}}, thanks for reaching out. Before we book a call, could you answer these quick questions? They help me understand whether I can genuinely help, what scope makes sense, and whether your budget/timeline match the outcome you want.

Once I have your answers, I’ll reply with either next steps for a call or a clearer recommendation if another route is better.

Want the complete intake system?

The Client Intake Autopilot Pack includes the full intake form, lead scorecard, discovery agenda, email scripts, scope boundary checklist, and automation recipes.

Get the pack — €9.50