WebsiteDesignOutsource.com blog
The SEO Details to Include in an Outsourced Website Design Brief
Give a designer the SEO context needed to protect page meaning, links, headings, and search-facing metadata.
SEO is not a request to add more keywords to a layout. It is a set of content, structure, and route decisions that should be understood before an outsourced website design project changes pages.
Record the page's search purpose
Name the audience question, approved page topic, title, description, and primary heading. Keep the wording natural and useful to someone who arrives from search.
Protect routes and relationships
List URLs that must remain, pages that are being replaced, and links that need review. A redirect decision belongs in the brief before a design review makes an old route disappear.
Check structure in the design
Review heading order, descriptive link text, image alternative text, and the page's relationship to navigation. A visual mockup cannot prove every technical detail, but it can expose missing content decisions.
Separate evidence from preference
Mark search data, approved copy, and technical requirements distinctly from ideas. That helps the designer know which changes need confirmation.
Further reading
Review internal links in outsourced design
Source
Google Search Central, SEO starter guide
Frequently asked questions
Should the designer choose target keywords?
Agree on the page purpose and evidence first. Keyword research may belong to a separate content task.
Can design change affect SEO?
Yes. Route changes, headings, links, copy, and page structure can all change how a page is understood.