How to manage website revision rounds without endless tweaks
Revisions become endless when feedback trickles in one message at a time and nobody counts. Keep them finite with three habits: each round is one batch of feedback with a deadline, each item in it becomes a specific change you can describe in a sentence, and each round ends in a saved version you could go back to. Rounds past the agreed number are quoted, politely and in advance.
Define a round in the contract
Most disputes come from a missing definition, not a difficult client. Put these in the proposal before work starts:
- A round
- One consolidated set of feedback from the client's named approver, sent by a set date, covering the pages in that review.
- A revision
- A change to something already built: wording, order, an image, a colour, the size of a heading.
- New scope
- Something not in the agreed plan: a new page, a new form, a booking feature, a second language. Quoted separately, whenever it's asked for.
- How many
- Two rounds suits most small sites: one on structure and content, one on corrections.
- Extra rounds
- A fixed fee per additional round, stated up front, so asking for one is a business decision, not an argument.
Running one round
- Save a starting point. Saves are kept in version history (the most recent ones, up to your plan's number). Note the version you're sending for review in your round log.
- Send one review link. Create a client review link to the current preview; the client opens it without an account, and comments are tied to the section they're about. Say what's in scope for this round and when feedback is due.
- Wait for the batch. Politely decline to act on single comments as they arrive: "I'll pick these up together on Friday." Working piecemeal is how ten rounds happen inside one.
- Translate every comment into a change. Write each as one specific sentence. Vague comments get a question back, not a guess.
- Sort the list. Revisions in this round; new scope to quote; conflicting comments for the approver to resolve; comments you'll decline, with a reason.
- Make the changes. Each sentence-sized change can go to Anticode as a change request; quick wording fixes are faster in the visual editor, directly on the page.
- Save and log the end of the round. Note the version, the date, and the list of what was done. Revoke the old review link before sending the next.
Turning feedback into changes
| The client says | You ask or write |
|---|---|
| "It needs more pop" | "Do you mean stronger colour on buttons, bigger headings, or more photos?" |
| "Can the top be more like our brochure?" | "Use the brochure's main photo in the opening section and its tagline as the headline" |
| "Move the prices" | "Move the pricing section above the FAQ on the home page" |
| "The about page is too long" | "Cut the about page to three paragraphs: founding, team, approach" |
| "Add a shop" | New scope: quote it, or note what payment links can do |
The sentence form helps twice. It forces a decision you can carry out, and it's exactly the shape a change request takes, so the request you write for the client's approval is also the instruction you give the builder.
When a round is reopened
Sometimes a client wants to undo a change from a previous round. Because each round ended in a saved version, you can preview the earlier one, show them, and restore it if they decide to; a restore is added as a new version, so the later work stays in the list too. History keeps only the most recent versions, so for a long project also keep your round log. Count it honestly: undoing something they asked for is a revision in the current round, not a free fix.
Charging for extra rounds
When the agreed rounds are used, say so before you start the next: "That completes our two rounds. Another round is the fee in our proposal; shall I go ahead?" Most clients will either batch their remaining thoughts into one tidy list or decide the site is ready. Both outcomes are good. Never absorb extra rounds silently; it resets expectations for every future project.
What goes wrong
- Feedback from five colleagues. Only the approver's consolidated list counts as the round. Others comment through them.
- Scope disguised as a revision. "Can we just add online booking?" is a new feature. Quote it.
- No record of what was agreed. Keep the round log: version, date, changes. It settles most disagreements in a minute.
- Rounds that never close. Set a feedback deadline and a rule that silence after it means approval of that round.
How you know it's working
Projects finish within the agreed rounds most of the time, extra rounds are paid for when they happen, and you can show any client which version each round produced. If most projects need extra rounds, the problem is earlier: a vague brief or a missing approver.
Limits
Anticode gives you the review link with section comments, change requests, the visual editor and version history. It doesn't count rounds, record approvals or invoice for extra work. Those live in your contract and your own tools. See client website sign-off for the final approval and client review links for how the links work.
Questions people ask
How many revision rounds should a website project include?
Two is common for a small site: one for structure and content, one for corrections. State the price of any extra round in the proposal.
What's the difference between a revision and new scope?
A revision changes something already built. New scope adds something that wasn't in the plan, such as a page or a feature.
Can I undo a round of changes?
Yes. Preview the version saved at the end of the earlier round in history and restore it.