Want to get your web requests done quickly and accurately? Make them in a way that will help your web team understand exactly what you’re asking for. Here are some helpful tips to ensure you’re getting your vision and ideas communicated and executed online, on time and on budget!
- Write a clear email subject line
It’s so easy for emails to get lost and pushed down in the sea of messages that web-based workers receive on a daily basis (I know, ego shattering, you are not the only person making requests!), especially when the subject line is unclear or doesn’t sound specific. When subject lines are straightforward, they tend to demand attention in a more urgent way. For example, if I needed a paragraph of text to be changed on a web page, my subject line would be “(Website Name) Update About Page Copy” or “Change needed for (Client Name) About page”. Having a clear subject line will get your email seen and interpreted faster and give you your results sooner!
- Provide page links
It’s common for people to ask for changes to be made on specific pages of a website, but they usually refer to the page just by the title. Providing a direct page link will not only help your designer get to the page faster, but will also give them no room for accidentally going to the wrong page. Whenever I update pages on a website, I always provide the link for the client so they can quickly review the page and get back to me with any corrections. This will save both the client and web designer time and minimize the possibility for errors.
- Highlight specific copy to change
The best way to make sure the right content is tended to is to show in your email (or with a screen shot) exactly what you’re wanting to have changed. Copying and pasting text is usually the go-to when asking for changes to be made, or if the edits are small, highlight the words you want changed so we can see it and do it easily. With highlighting or spelling out the text (or say third paragraph, second sentence, you get the idea) we can quickly find where the text is on the page and know exactly what text will be updated.
- Pay attention to image dimensions
Displaying images on a web page can make or break the look and functionality of the page. Web designers will own proper dimensions and guidelines that will best fit the space on the page so that it will look great and resize properly when it’s scaled down (think laptop screen to tablet to mobile). If you want to add or edit an image and it’s a horizontal image, providing a small square may not fit. Good web teams will collaborate with you to get you what you envision, but it helps to be mindful of dimensions so you ask for things that will fit.
- Ask questions and expert opinions!
Don’t be afraid to ask your designer any questions you may have regarding your website. Our CEO always says “Sure, I could cut my own hair, but why mess around when you can have a pro do it?” Same goes with web. Ask for expert advice or to idea-ate! Our clients have so many fun ideas that they want to implement on their website, but what they ask for initially might not work well or could slow down load times. We collaborate to get the vision executed but also so it is functional. Pro web designers know what works best and what doesn’t, and can help you find a way to still cater to your ideas while avoiding any roadblocks and without having to risk creating future problems.
Great web teams want the best for you and your customers! We want to make sure that your mission and style is conveyed on your web spaces without sacrificing usability and functionality. When you provide web teams with clear and concise instruction as to how you want something to read or look, they are able to deliver your requests faster and without any confusion. Be sure to follow the tips above to make sure your wants and needs are met and your designer is well-equipped to help!