Website update request form: a free template, and a process that stops the email ping-pong
A website update request form is a short set of questions a client answers when they want something changed on their site. A good one asks for six things: the page, what it says now, what it should say, any files, the deadline and who approves. Copy the template below. There is nothing to sign up for.
The template
Website update request 1. Your name and business: 2. Page address (paste the link): 3. What it says or shows now (copy the exact words, or attach a screenshot): 4. What it should say or show instead (the exact new words): 5. Files to use (attach images or documents, named clearly): 6. Needed by (date), and why if it is urgent: 7. Who approves the change before it goes live: 8. Anything else we should know:
Why these fields
- The page address removes the most common question, "which page do you mean?"
- What it says now lets you find the exact spot. "The phone number" appears in five places on most sites.
- The exact new words stops you guessing at wording and getting it wrong.
- Who approves matters when the person asking is not the person who signs off.
- A deadline with a reason tells you what is urgent and what only feels urgent.
Good and bad requests
| A request that causes three more emails | The same request, ready to do |
|---|---|
| "Can you update our hours?" | "On /contact, change 'Mon to Fri 9 to 5' to 'Mon to Sat 9 to 6'. Needed by Friday." |
| "The banner is out of date." | "Take down the 'Closed for Labor Day' popup on the home page." |
| "Swap the photo on the About page." | "On /about, replace the team photo with team-2026.jpg (attached). Alt text: 'The Example Co. team outside the shop'." |
A simple process for handling client change requests
- One way in. One email address or one form. Requests sent by text message or said on a call get lost.
- Confirm what you understood, in one line, before starting.
- Make the change on a staging copy, not the live site.
- Show before and after. Two screenshots side by side answer most questions before they are asked.
- Get a yes from the person who approves.
- Publish, check the live page, and send a short receipt: what changed, when, and who approved it.
Steps 3 to 6 are where most of the time goes, and they are the same every time.
If you would rather not run the process yourself
With SquareJuice your clients do not need a form. They email the request the way they already do. The change is made on the site's staging copy and checked, you get the before and after with an Approve link, and it is published and receipted when you approve. It works on WP Engine sites today.
Questions
What should a website change request form include?
The page address, what it says now, what it should say, any files, the deadline, and who approves the change.
How do I handle client website change requests without endless emails?
Take requests through one channel, confirm what you understood in one line, show a before and after before publishing, and send a short receipt when it is live.
Should clients have access to edit the site themselves?
For blog posts and simple text, often yes. For anything touching layout, forms or a store, a request and an approval step are safer than a login.
Send your first five requests free
Forward five real client requests and see each one come back with a receipt.