Anticode Open builder

How to share a website preview with a client

The best preview link needs no account, shows the current draft exactly as it will look, and lets the client comment next to the part they mean. Just as important is what you ask: a few specific questions get usable feedback, while "what do you think?" invites a redesign.

Updated · By the Anticode team

Before you send anything

  • Replace placeholder text and photos you know are wrong. Clients fixate on whatever looks unfinished, even if you've told them it's temporary.
  • Check it on a phone yourself. Many clients will open the link on theirs first.
  • Decide what's open for discussion. If the structure was agreed at the brief stage, say so, and ask about the words and photos instead.
  • Agree how many rounds are included, if you haven't already. Feedback without a limit has no end.

Send the preview, step by step

  1. In Anticode, open the project and go to Client review in the console.
  2. Note who it's for, then choose Create link. The link shows the project as it previews now. Nothing is published.
  3. Copy the link and send it with your questions (below) and a date for replies.
  4. The client opens it with no account, sees the page with a list of its sections, and leaves comments tied to a section.
  5. Comments appear in Client review in your workspace, grouped by section. Resolve each as you deal with it.
  6. When the round is done, revoke the link, or let it expire. Links last 14 days by default.

A team workspace member can create links too, which helps when one person builds and another manages the client.

The message that goes with the link

Ask specific questions, one per concern. A message that works for most small sites:

Asking first about facts gets you the most valuable corrections early. Asking about the headline in terms of customers keeps the conversation on whether it works, not on taste.

Turning comments into changes

  1. Sort comments into facts, wording and design. Facts are non-negotiable fixes. Wording is usually quick. Design comments need a conversation.
  2. Translate vague comments into requests. "It feels a bit flat" might mean the photos are weak, or the headline is generic. Ask one follow-up question rather than guessing.
  3. Make text changes in place with the visual editor, or describe the change in a sentence ("swap the team and prices sections, and shorten the intro to two lines") and let the build update.
  4. Resolve each comment as you go, so the client sees which ones are done.
  5. Send a fresh link for the next round, with a short note of what changed.

Recent saves are kept in version history, up to a number set by your plan. If a client changes their mind about a change from the last round, restore the earlier version instead of redoing the work.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Sending a link to the live site for review. Changes made during the review are then public. Use a preview link until sign-off.
  • Collecting feedback over email, chat and phone at once. You'll miss some. Ask for comments in one place.
  • Leaving links open indefinitely. Old links keep showing the current preview, which may include work for the next phase. Revoke them when a round ends.
  • Making every suggestion. Explain why you're not doing something that would hurt the site, such as removing the booking button from the top.

Check it worked

Before sending, open the link in a private browser window to see exactly what the client will see. After the round, every comment should be resolved or answered, and the client should be able to say which version they approved. For the sign-off step itself, see getting client sign-off on a website.

Limits

A review link shows the page and collects comments; clients can't edit the site or approve it formally through the link. The preview is of the current project, so if you keep working while the client reviews, they'll see your changes. It doesn't replace a written agreement on scope, rounds or payment; website revision rounds covers how to set those.

Questions people ask

Does my client need an Anticode account?

No. The review link works without an account or sign-in.

How long does a review link last?

Fourteen days by default. You can revoke it at any time, and it stops working at once. Comments already left stay in your workspace.

Can several people review with one link?

Anyone with the link can open it and comment, so you can share it with a client's colleagues. Ask them to sign comments with their names.