Website change requests: how fast should updates happen?

Key takeaways

A website change request process sets how updates are asked for, prioritised and completed. Simple content changes, such as text, prices or opening hours, should usually take hours to a day or two, not weeks. Most delay comes from vague requests and unclear ownership. A short request form, agreed turnaround by change type and one approver keep updates moving.

• Simple content changes: hours to a day or two.
• Use one request form with page, change and reason.
• Agree turnaround by change type.
• One approver signs off before anything goes live.

Why do small website changes take so long?

Small changes take long because requests arrive by email or phone without the detail needed, the developer queues them behind larger work, and nobody is sure who approves the result. A one-line change can sit for weeks. Out-of-date prices, team members or opening hours then cost enquiries.

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What turnaround should you expect?

Agree turnaround by type of change. These are typical expectations, not fixed rules, and depend on your agreement with whoever maintains the site.

• Urgent fixes, such as a broken form: same day.
• Content edits, prices, hours, staff: one to two working days.
• New page from supplied content: a few working days.
• New features or layouts: scoped and quoted separately.

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What should a change request include?

A good request names the page, says exactly what should change, supplies the new text or images, explains why and gives a deadline. A screenshot with the area marked helps. The more complete the request, the faster and more accurately it is done.

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What does a better process change?

In an illustrative business, website changes are emailed to a freelancer and take an average of nine working days, mostly waiting for clarification. A request form, agreed turnaround by type and a weekly check of open requests bring simple edits down to about two days. Example figures only.

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How do you keep quality and safety?

Keep quality by having one approver check changes before or soon after they go live, and keep safety with named log-ins, multi-factor authentication and regular backups. Check that new content is accessible, for example that images have alt text and links make sense out of context.

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When is a formal process unnecessary?

If you edit the website yourself through an easy content system and change it rarely, a formal process is unnecessary. It helps once several people request changes, or once changes go through a developer or agency.

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What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a business's website shows last year's prices for months because the change request is in someone's inbox. A simple form and a weekly review of open requests ends the problem.

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Change request checklist

Set these up for your website.

• One request form.
• Turnaround agreed by change type.
• One named approver.
• Weekly review of open requests.
• Named log-ins and backups.

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Next step

Tell us how website changes are requested and made today. We will suggest a simple process and realistic turnaround times.