Best Practices for Requesting Site Content Updates

I maintain several websites for clients. I always make it clear to prospective clients they are the last word in content. The client is the subject-matter expert. Always.

Over time I’ve learned updates to site contents can turn into a very frustrating process if the work order pertaining to any update isn’t crystal clear. Nobody enjoys spending half a day updating a few words on a page or replacing an old photo / graphic with a new one.

This is my shortlist of best practices I share with content owners / subject-matter experts who need to periodically update content on their website. I share this as a document with each client as soon as possible in the development and deployment process.

Best Practices for Requesting Website Page Updates

• Target One Page per Email Thread: Focus on modifying only one page per email thread to maintain clarity and organization.

• Set a Clear Subject Line: Use the title of the page as the email subject to ensure it’s immediately recognizable.

• Include a Link: Start the email with a link to the page being discussed for easy reference.

• Photo Updates:

  • Replacing a Photo: Paste the current photo and write, “replace the photo above with the photo below,” followed by the new photo.
  • Adding a Photo: Paste the new photo and write, “place the photo above right before (or after) the paragraph beginning with this text [quoted text here].”
  • Deleting a Photo: Paste the photo to be removed and write, “delete the photo above."

• Referencing Pages and Photos:

  • Page Links: Always refer to a page by its link.
  • Photo Placement: Refer to photos by their position relative to the text (above or below). Do not use descriptions based on content, such as names or details of the photo.

• Text Updates:

  • Minor Changes: For a few words, copy/paste the relevant text snippet and highlight the words to be changed. Indicate the change with instructions like, “replace the highlighted text with [quoted text]” or “delete the highlighted text.”
  • Major Changes: For significant edits, such as a sentence or paragraph, specify the change by writing, “replace [this paragraph] with [the new paragraph].”

Additional Recommendations

• Consistent Formatting: Maintain consistent formatting and structure in your update requests to avoid confusion and ensure efficiency.

• Clear Instructions: Provide clear and precise instructions for each change to minimize the risk of errors.

• Attach Relevant Files: If applicable, attach any relevant files (e.g., photos or documents) to the email to support your update request.

By following these guidelines, we can streamline the process of requesting website updates and ensure that changes are implemented accurately and efficiently.