How to Communicate Clearly, Avoid Pitfalls, and Get the Most Out of Your Web Project—Even If You’re New to the Process

Let’s be honest: diving into a website project can feel like stepping into a whole new world, especially if you’re not exactly “tech-savvy.” You might find yourself wondering, “Is my web designer just being difficult? Am I missing some crucial piece of knowledge here?” Rest assured, you’re not going crazy. The truth is, web design has a lot of moving parts—many of which aren’t obvious if you haven’t lived and breathed this stuff for years.

In this post, we’ll explore how to communicate your needs clearly, avoid common misunderstandings, and make sure you’re getting the most out of your designer’s expertise. You don’t need a degree in computer science to end up with a fantastic website. You just need some practical guidelines—and a little trust in the process.

The Reality of Web Design

One of the biggest surprises people encounter when they start a website project is how many behind-the-scenes elements are at play. Sure, you see a page layout and some pretty colors, but your designer sees:

• How that layout might shift on mobile screens
• Whether the color contrast meets accessibility standards
• How your site structure impacts SEO rankings
• The potential ripple effect of one “small” change across the entire site

If your designer seems hesitant about what you think should be a quick fix, it’s not because they don’t want to help. They’re just juggling multiple technical and design considerations behind the scenes. Think of it like an iceberg: you see about 10% above water, but there’s a whole lot more happening underneath.

Providing Clear, Actionable Feedback

One easy way to keep your project on track is to be specific with your feedback. Words like “I want it to pop more” or “This needs more personality” can be interpreted in countless ways. Does “pop” mean a brighter color? A bigger font? A new layout element? If you’re not sure how to describe what you want, try pointing to an example:

• Vague: “It feels too plain.”
• Specific: “Let’s change the subheading text to our brand’s official blue (#123456) for better contrast.”

Your designer will appreciate concrete direction and be able to turn your ideas into real, tangible results. And if you have multiple ideas or need to “think out loud” for a minute, no problem. Just make it clear which ideas are just brainstorming and which are actual requests. That way, you’re not accidentally sending your designer on a wild goose chase.

Recognizing When It’s Time to Bring in Reinforcements

Ever feel like your head is swimming with tech jargon and design principles? That might be a sign you need someone else on your team who’s more comfortable in this realm. There’s absolutely no shame in admitting, “Hey, I’m out of my depth here.”

Designate a Tech-Savvy Point Person

If you have a colleague or team member who’s better versed in websites or digital marketing, put them in charge of communicating with the designer. They’ll speak the “tech language” more fluently, which can streamline the entire process.

Hire a Consultant or Project Manager

For bigger projects, consider bringing in a dedicated consultant or project manager who understands the web development process inside and out. Let them handle the nitty-gritty details, while you focus on your organization’s broader goals.

Don’t Place the Entire Burden of Education on Your Designer

Remember, your designer’s job is to deliver an effective, compliant website that aligns with your brand and functions smoothly. It’s not necessarily their responsibility to provide you with a semester’s worth of tutorials on coding or design principles. If you really want that level of detail, or if your role requires you to know it, an additional resource might be the best solution.

The Truth About Timelines and Revisions

“Why can’t my designer just wait three days if I need more time?” You’d be surprised how often that question comes up. The reality is that professional web designers juggle multiple projects at once. If you ask for a delay—say, you need a few extra days to gather your content—they might temporarily move on to another client’s work. When you come back ready to roll, they could be knee-deep in someone else’s project timeline.

It’s not personal or punitive. It’s simply how scheduling works in a busy design agency or freelance environment. That’s why hiring an in-house designer is so dang expensive – it isn’t cheap to have a full-time, on-call developer, and so outsourcing to a freelance or agency team is saving you thousands in the long run. 

Consistent communication about possible delays will help everyone adjust expectations. But if you do request extra time and then expect immediate turnaround once you’re ready, you might be disappointed. Be prepared for a realistic shift in the schedule.

The same goes for reversing previously approved decisions. Maybe you decide you actually don’t like that color scheme you signed off on a month ago. It happens! Just keep in mind that backtracking can create a domino effect. Your designer may have built three or four pages based on that original choice, and changing it now could mean redoing a significant chunk of work. That’s not always a quick or cheap fix.

The Technical Stuff You Might Not See

Accessibility Requirements

If your designer warns you about color contrast or a fancy script font, they’re not trying to rain on your parade. They’re making sure your site is usable for the widest possible audience—including people with visual or motor impairments. What looks “cool” to some might be completely unreadable to others.

Mobile Responsiveness and SEO

Did you know Google pays attention to how well your site functions on mobile devices? If you push for a complex layout that looks stellar on desktop but breaks on phones, your search rankings could suffer. That’s why designers might discourage certain requests or ask to modify them for small screens.

“I Saw This Feature on Someone Else’s Site!”

Just because you saw it done somewhere else doesn’t mean it’s automatically a good fit for your platform or your goals. Maybe that site runs on a custom-coded solution that allows advanced animations, while yours uses a simpler configuration. Your designer will weigh the pros and cons of each requested feature to make sure it aligns with both your budget and your branding.

Know When to Focus on Outcomes, Not Process

One of the best ways to de-stress is to focus on your end goal rather than every step that gets you there. You hired a web designer for a reason—you trust them to handle all the technical details and best practices. If you find yourself constantly needing to understand every coding choice or backend integration, ask yourself: is this truly my role, or could someone else better manage those specifics?

Concentrate on Clarity

What do you want your website to accomplish? More sign-ups? Better brand visibility? Make sure your designer knows your core objectives, so they can tailor the design and functionality to meet those goals.

Let the Experts Be Experts

If your designer seems “difficult,” it might just be that they’re advocating for best practices. Ask them to explain, in plain language, why they’re making certain recommendations—then trust them to carry it out, as long as you’re comfortable with their rationale.

Balancing Budget and Boundaries

It’s totally understandable to feel a bit anxious about getting your money’s worth when investing in a website. Sometimes, though, saying something like, “For this price, I expect unlimited access and control,” can come across as more of a demand than a request—often without meaning to. Here’s how to navigate that tricky area:

Remember What You’re Paying For

You hired a professional to deliver a high-quality website within an agreed scope. That doesn’t necessarily include 24/7 availability or the ability to oversee every internal decision. If you do need more hands-on involvement, talk to your designer about adjusting the scope or timeline.

Focus on Collaboration, Not Control

Designers thrive on partnership. While it’s natural to want to provide input (it’s your website, after all), micromanaging or using the price tag as leverage can put a strain on the relationship. Instead, try framing requests around shared goals: “How can we make sure this detail aligns with our overall vision?”

Trust the Expertise You’re Paying For

You chose this designer because they’re skilled at what they do. Give them room to leverage their experience, and if you need more clarity on a choice they’ve made, simply ask. Nine times out of ten, there’s a solid strategic or technical reason behind it.

Ultimately, everyone wants a successful outcome. By keeping communication respectful and focused on the original scope—and being open to revisiting that scope if necessary—you’ll maintain a positive working relationship and end up with a website both sides feel proud of.

Final Thought: We’ve Got This—Together

Designing a website should be a collaboration built on mutual respect and trust. Your designer truly wants to bring your vision to life in a way that looks amazing, functions seamlessly, and meets all the necessary standards. You don’t have to know every detail about code or design to make that happen. You just need to:

• Provide clear, actionable feedback in one consistent place
• Communicate delays or changes in priorities as soon as possible
• Stay open to expert guidance
• Recognize when you might need a tech-savvy teammate or consultant to help
• Trust the process—even when it feels a little bit mysterious

If you keep these principles in mind, you’ll find that your designer isn’t actually being “difficult” at all—they’re just doing their best to create an outstanding website that meets (and hopefully exceeds) your expectations. And if you ever catch yourself thinking, “Am I going crazy?”—don’t worry. A bit of confusion is normal at first. Just remember: we’ve got this. Together.