Communicating Effectively with Your Web Developer - Examples, Compromise, and Manipulation
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Show him examples of what you are talking about.
Web developers are people too, and people are visually stimulated. Show him physical examples of what you’ve done in the past, or things he’s done previously that you thought was a good idea. You could even show him graphs and statistics. This might be a good way to let the web developer feel like he is a part of your project, just like he is a part of yours.
Be willing to compromise.
From time to time, you are going to run into some issues. Some of these issues may be caused because your client wants their website to look or behave in a certain manner, some of which just cannot be accomplished with simple HTML. However, some of these issues may be presented simply because the web developer is trained in a particular web language, or isn’t used to using massive amounts of text, or just won’t budge in an area that you are having a hard time getting him to see your way. You may have to compromise, and relent on a few points. You could take the opportunity to bargain for what you want, as well. You could say, “Ok, Jack. I’ll back down on my position of your using JavaScript mouse-overs for links, as long as you use a Cascading Style Sheet to help eliminate those font tags.” You may find you are both in a win-win situation.
Be prepared with a comparable design that is search engine friendly.
If you choose to challenge the web developer’s design, you should have another suggestion to substitute in its place. There is nothing worse to a web developer than to have his design attacked and torn apart, then leaving him to pick up the pieces and just sort it all out. If you show him a section of the design that search engines may be resistant to, be sure to give an alternative suggestion that he could use in its place.
Let him believe he thought of it first.
This is almost childish in its simplicity, but it often times works. You might make a comment or two about how it would be great if this feature could be incorporated, and let the web developer tell you it can, and how he plans to do it. By letting the developer believe he came up with the idea will allow you to steer the web developer toward search engine friendly design without his feeling manipulated or coerced.
Keep him in the loop.
SEO’s are used to having to give reports, and it’s a good habit to get into. Letting the web developer know what you are doing is a good way to make the web developer feel like he is really part of your work, and an important aspect of the project to you. Email him an outline of your project, and ask for his input on the time frame of the outline. Checking with him regularly to see if there were any concerns he had, is a good idea. You never know, he might even reciprocate!
Next: Encourange or Go Over His Head When Necessary >>
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