Ever notice how a website project can go from “smooth sailing” to “why is everything on fire?” in the span of one email thread? Many of those blow-ups start when clients don’t know the unspoken rules devs live by: content comes first, lock the scope early, and so on.
But, if you don’t build sites for a living, how would you know? That’s why I pulled together this list of 11 things your developer wishes you understood before the web design/development phase kicks off.
#1 We Need More Than a Logo File
Web designers and web developers can’t go in blind. So, sending over minimal information simply won’t work.
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Be prepared for a thorough discovery phase, where we’ll ask about brand colors, font preferences, sample imagery, business goals, your target audience, and those “someday” features you’ve been thinking about.
With that context in mind, we can choose the right tech stack, the solution that fits it, and set realistic performance goals.
#2 Shoving Content in Toward the End Is a Big NOPE
When we start the website development process with the final (or at least close-to-final) copy, we size grids correctly, write better code, and avoid last-minute layout tweaks that might not work on mobile.
Waiting to drop content in at the end forces re-flow, fresh quality assurance, and added hours – which may increase your total cost. Draft the core pages early (by yourself or with the help of a professional copywriter), share them in Google Docs, and we can shape design and development around the actual text.
#3 Your Reply Time Sets the Pace of Your Web Development Project
We can build fast, but we can’t build at all while waiting for a missing logo or late approval. When your dev says the build will take 2-3 weeks, that’s assuming feedback arrives within hours, not days.
Block calendar slots for reviews within 24 hours and the website development process stays on-track. A week-long email silence stalls sprints, piles on context-switching overhead, and pushes delivery dates out. Not what you want!
#4 Specific Feedback Beats “Make It Punchier”
“Make it punchier” or “I want it to feel more sleek” could end up translating to 12 different tasks, none of which fix the part you dislike.
“The hero font feels heavy on mobile” or “This paragraph needs stronger contrast against the background” – now that’s the kind of actionable feedback we can fix in minutes.
Providing time-stamped Loom videos, adding comments on the design platform (like Figma), or even an email with numbered edit requests keep project management easier for everyone.
The more precise and constructive your feedback is, the less revision rounds you’ll go through. Meaning? You won’t waste paid hours on changes that could’ve been avoided. Instead, your developer can spend that time pushing your project forward.
#5 “It’s Just One Little Change” Usually Isn’t
Every “one quick change” snowballs. Swapping a static banner for an autoplay video? Simple – until you want custom motion graphics, a new hosting tier, and 3 extra review rounds.
Stack a handful of “quick tweaks” together and you’ve eaten an entire sprint. Collect small edits, share them in one batch, and your developer can update everything in a single, efficient pass.
#6 Big-Ticket Add-Ons Blow Up Budgets
Scope creep isn’t an extra headline here or a color swap there. It’s when “let’s add a booking system” pops up after the site’s architecture and user interface is already locked in.
Adding on a customer portal, an interactive map, or live-chat integration late in the game means tearing into finished code, integrating new software, and retesting the whole stack. This can massively drag your project out and add extra $$$’s to your project.
Try to nail down the must-have features at kickoff and save the “wouldn’t-it-be-cool-ifs” for Phase Two.
#7 Search Engine Optimization Isn’t an “Add-On”
Some folks still bolt SEO on at the end. Your developer wants you to know it belongs on the website development checklist from day one.
That means setting up the page with proper semantic HTML (using tags like ‘header’ or ‘footer’ so the page makes sense to search engines), compressing images so your site loads fast, setting up auto-redirects so old links don’t break if you rename a page later, meeting Google’s Core Web Vitals, and more.
Skip that groundwork and fixing rankings later costs double.
#8 Simple Design Doesn’t Mean You Got Short Changed
We know you want your web pages to stand out and feel super interactive, but there’s a limit to how far we can and should go. So, if you’re requesting extra animations, blinking buttons, and rainbow gradients “to make it pop” – prepare to be met with resistance.
Every one of those effects bulk up your site, slow it down, and distract visitors. Trust your dev when they pare back gradients or swap 10 animations for 2 tasteful interactive elements. Simpler pages will load faster, read easier, and convert better.
#9 You Don’t Want to Skimp on Hosting
Shared hosting on the cheapest plan might keep costs low, but it also limits speed, security, and scalability.
Developers spend extra hours adding work-arounds for slow servers, outdated PHP, or restrictive firewalls. So, invest in quality hosting up front (preferably one your dev recommends,) and we won’t have to fight the infrastructure every time your site sporadically goes down.
#10 Launch Isn’t the End of the Web Development Life Cycle
Keeping a site healthy isn’t an “optional extra” tacked on to the invoice.
Code, plugins, and even browsers need regular updating. Skip the check-ups and you’ll end up with slow pages, broken features, and search rankings that disappear overnight – and then pay a premium to rescue them.
A modest maintenance plan costs a fraction of one emergency clean-up and saves you the stress of explaining why your site is down to customers.
Check out my other blog, “What Is Web Support & the Real Cost of Opting Out” for more.
#11 Web Developers Are Partners. Loop Us in Like One.
A solid developer isn’t a one-time hire. They’re the person who’ll keep your site healthy long-term. They flag risks, suggest better ways to reach users, and stay on call when updates roll out.
Treat them as part of the team: be clear about priorities, give honest feedback, and pay on time, and you’ll gain a trusted tech voice who’s as invested in growth as you are.
Keep the Web Development Process Rolling with AWD
Hope this cleared up a few things and gave you a better feel for how the web development process actually works behind the scenes.
Need a partner who can design your site and write the code? I’m Adam – web designer, developer, and your one-stop guide from kickoff to launch (and beyond). Tell me what you’re planning, and I’ll help you map it all out. Reach out today, and let’s make your next site the one that finally works the way it should.
