60 Discovery Call Questions Every Digital Agency Should Ask New Clients

What Is a Discovery Call and Why Does It Matter?

A discovery call is the structured conversation a digital agency holds with a prospective or newly signed client to gather the information needed to produce the right outcome. It is not a sales call and it is not a check-in -- it is a diagnostic session designed to surface the brief, the constraints, the goals, and the potential risks before any work begins.

The quality of a discovery call directly determines the quality of the brief, which determines the quality of the work. Agencies that skip discovery or treat it as a formality consistently produce work that misses the brief, generates excessive revisions, and leads to client dissatisfaction despite high-quality execution.

These 60 questions cover every dimension of a new client discovery. Not every question is relevant to every project -- use them as a bank from which to select the most relevant 20 to 30 for each engagement.

Section 1: Business and Organisation (Questions 1-10)

Understanding the business is the prerequisite for understanding what the project needs to achieve.

What does the business do, and who is the primary customer?
How long has the business been operating, and what stage of growth is it in?
What is the business's primary revenue model (product sales, services, subscriptions, advertising)?
What are the two or three most significant business goals for the next 12 months?
Who are the main competitors, and how does the business differentiate itself?
What is the business most proud of, and how is that currently communicated to customers?
What is the business's geographic focus -- local, national, or international?
Is the business in a regulated industry, and if so, what compliance requirements affect the website or marketing materials?
What is the current brand perception among existing customers, and what perception does the business want to build?
Are there any upcoming announcements, launches, or events that create a deadline for this project?

Section 2: The Project Brief (Questions 11-20)

These questions clarify the scope of the specific project.

What is the primary purpose of this project -- a new website, a redesign, a specific feature, or something else?
What is prompting this project now rather than six months ago or six months from now?
What does success look like for this project? How will you know it has worked?
Are there features, functions, or sections that are non-negotiable must-haves?
Are there things you want to avoid in this project -- design styles, functionalities, or directions you have already ruled out?
Are there existing assets, content, or functionality that must be carried over from any existing site or system?
Does the project need to integrate with any existing systems (CRM, booking platform, payment gateway, email marketing, ERP)?
Is there existing brand collateral -- logo, brand guide, marketing materials -- that must be adhered to?
What is the total budget for this project, and is it fixed or flexible?
What is the deadline, and is it fixed (tied to a specific event) or flexible?

Section 3: Audience and User Goals (Questions 21-28)

The website serves users, not the client. Understanding the audience is as important as understanding the business.

Who is the primary target audience -- describe them as specifically as possible (industry, role, age, location, level of technical sophistication)?
Are there secondary audiences who also need to be served?
What is the primary goal of a user visiting the website (to find contact details, to make a purchase, to book an appointment, to read content, to apply for a job)?
What are the top three questions a typical visitor to the site has when they arrive?
Are there audiences who should not be served by the site (e.g., applications restricted to UK customers)?
What devices do your customers primarily use -- desktop, mobile, tablet?
What is the typical user's level of digital literacy?
Are there accessibility requirements -- do any users have disabilities that require specific design considerations?

Section 4: Design and Brand Preferences (Questions 29-38)

Design questions should be framed around preference, not instruction. Clients who try to art-direct websites without design expertise produce poor outcomes; clients who express preferences allow designers to make the right creative decisions.

What feeling or emotion should the website create in visitors -- reassurance, excitement, authority, warmth, innovation?
Are there three to five websites (not necessarily in your industry) that you think are well designed? What specifically appeals to you about them?
Are there websites that you dislike or find ineffective? What is it about them that does not work for you?
Does the business have a formal brand guide? If not, are there existing materials (printed or digital) that should define the visual direction?
What colours are associated with the brand? Are there colours that should never be used?
Is the brand's tone of voice formal, conversational, technical, or aspirational? Give an example of on-brand language.
Are there photography or illustration styles that feel right for the brand?
Are there competitors' websites that you think are effective (not to copy, but as a benchmark of the market standard)?
Is there a brand positioning statement or tagline that should be prominent?
How important is being seen as cutting-edge versus established and traditional in your industry?

Section 5: Content (Questions 39-45)

Content is frequently the most underestimated element of a website project. Clients consistently underestimate how much content they need to provide and how long it takes to produce it.

Who is responsible for supplying website copy -- the client, the agency, or a third party?
If the client is supplying copy, what is a realistic deadline for having all copy ready?
How many pages does the site need at launch? Are there any that can be added post-launch?
Does the client have existing photography they are happy with, or is photography needed?
Is the client's existing content (on the current site, in documents, or in marketing materials) usable, or does it need to be rewritten from scratch?
Will there be a blog or news section? If so, who will maintain it?
Does the site require multilingual content?

Section 6: Technical Requirements (Questions 46-52)

Technical requirements affect scoping, pricing, and time estimates significantly. Surface them early.

What CMS should the site be built on? Is there an existing preference or platform in use?
Does the site require e-commerce functionality? If so, what is the expected product catalogue size?
Are there existing hosting arrangements, or will the agency manage hosting?
What forms or interactive elements are needed (contact form, calculator, booking system, quiz)?
Does the site need to comply with WCAG accessibility standards? To what level (A, AA)?
What analytics and tracking tools should be implemented?
Are there performance requirements -- target page load times, Google Core Web Vitals targets?

Section 7: Process and Decision-Making (Questions 53-60)

Understanding how the client makes decisions and who has authority prevents the most common source of project delays: feedback from the wrong person, or feedback that contradicts a previous decision.

Who is the primary point of contact for this project?
Who has final authority to approve design, copy, and go-live?
Are there other internal stakeholders who need to be consulted during the project? What are their roles and concerns?
How has the business worked with agencies or freelancers before? What worked well? What was frustrating?
How often would you like progress updates, and in what format (call, email, written report)?
What is a realistic turnaround time for feedback from the client side at each milestone?
Is there a particular concern or risk that keeps you up at night about this project?
Is there anything important about your business, your audience, or your project that we have not asked about yet?

How to Use These Questions Effectively

Before the call: Select 20 to 25 questions most relevant to the specific project and client. Not every question applies to every situation -- a sole trader needs different questions from a 200-person company.

During the call: Use questions as prompts, not scripts. Let answers lead to follow-up questions. The goal is understanding, not form-filling.

After the call: Send a written brief summary within 24 hours. Capture the answers to key questions, note anything that was unclear or needs follow-up, and confirm the next steps. This brief feeds directly into the 7-step website client onboarding process -- having it agreed in writing before the kickoff call prevents misalignment later.

Consider a pre-call questionnaire: For clients who like to be prepared, send a subset of questions (particularly Section 1 and Section 2) in advance via the client onboarding portal. This allows the call itself to focus on nuance and discussion rather than basic information gathering.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a discovery call be? Between 45 and 90 minutes for most projects. Complex or large-scale projects may warrant a two-hour session. Discovery for smaller projects (landing pages, minor redesigns) can often be completed in 30 minutes with the right questions.

Should discovery be free or charged? For most agencies, an initial discovery call is included in the project scope. For large, complex, or ambiguous briefs, a paid discovery phase (typically half a day to two days of structured research and brief development) is worth proposing and charging for separately.

What do you do with discovery answers? Consolidate them into a written brief document and send it to the client for approval before work begins. A signed-off brief is your reference document for the entire project and your protection if the client later changes their mind about the direction. For the framework on keeping those expectations aligned throughout delivery, see how to set clear client expectations from day one.