FAQ'S To Ask Before Hiring A Web Site Developer

When looking to launch a new website or seeking to overhaul an existing site, meeting with potential web developers can be an overwhelming process. As important as your website is to your business, you want to make sure that when you hire a website developer you can rest easy knowing you’ve made the best decision possible.

To ensure this, consider the following questions when having an initial meeting with potential web developers.

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What is your web design process?

The first and most important thing to understand about your potential web developer is their design process. How they work with potential clients to understand their needs, how they implement client ideas, and what their typical turn-around time is are all important factors to consider. You want to hire a web developer whose outlook on design meshes with your own and method for design is comparable to what you are looking for. For example, if you are looking for a customized CMS, but the designer only offers basic templates with little room for customization, they like won’t be a good fit.

What is your experience?

Before choosing to hire a web developer, get to know their history when it comes to web design. Not just in terms of how many sites they have created, but also regarding what industries they’ve worked with. Often businesses will find it’s easier to work with a development team who understands the ins and outs of a specific industry. For example, an energy company looking for a website with online enrollment capabilities will likely prefer to work with a developer who already knows the many details and requirements for that kind of project.

What is your cost?

Budget is, of course, an essential part of the conversation when looking at potential web developers. If you have a specific budget to stick with, ask if the developer can work within it. Either they will be flexible with what they can do in your price range or you will know off the bat that they’re not a good fit. If you don’t have a fixed budget, then get various quotes from developers and compare costs to what each offers you. Generally, though, when it comes to web developing – you get what you pay for. It is usually more advantageous to invest in a quality web developer rather than have to pay later to fix the mistakes of a low-quality developer.

What does your cost include long-term?

Because technology and the internet are ever evolving, building a website is typically not a one-time investment. You want your website to be scalable for the future, so it’s important to ask your potential web developers what their cost includes for long-term needs.

For example, will you be required to pay additional fees to fix aspects of your site in the event they break? Will you be able to add features and functionality later at an additional cost? Can you manage the website’s content yourself or do you have to use their team to make text and photo updates? Determining what is included in your web design packaging will help you reveal if a seemingly affordable initial quote is actually hiding an abundance of hidden, long-term costs.

What additional skills or services do you have?

Hopefully, your relationship with your web developer will be a long-term partnership that helps your business grow over time. It’s very helpful if your web developer has additional skills or services that may be of benefit for you. Some design-based skills such as logo design and mobile app design as well as additional services such as hosting, web copywriting, or other IT services may be helpful in the long run.

What e-commerce capabilities do your websites have?

For many businesses, e-commerce is essential for their website. Whether you sell physical items and need built-in shipping functionality or you are just looking to be able to process payments online, it’s important that your potential web developer be able to implement e-commerce tools such as shopping cart functionality, online payments, inventory tracking, and more.

What SEO services do you offer?

In today’s world, SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is as key to businesses as general advertising and marketing. Businesses who invest in SEO for their website see higher web traffic and, as a result, higher visitor to client/customer turnover. When meeting with potential web developers, be sure to determine what SEO services, if any, they offer in conjunction with their web packages. If SEO is a goal for your company, it is both a time and money saver to have the same developer who did your website handle your SEO. In addition, it is often more effective to set up SEO within your site following best practices than to fix incorrect SEO strategies later on.

Do you host the website? If so, what are your hosting options?

Before signing a contract, be sure to determine with your developer who will host the site. Not all web developers or designers host websites, so you’ll want to be sure that you factor in the cost of third-party hosting if its not included in your package.

If your developer does offer hosting services, ask them what their service agreements and pricing options are for hosting and what options they offer. Many businesses today choose for VPS (Virtual Private Servers) but larger businesses may prefer dedicated private hosting.

Are you a development company or a lone developer?

When first making contact with a developer, ask about their size. Web development companies who have been in the business for many years offer a wealth of knowledge and experience. For larger sized or custom projects, a development company is often a better choice than a lone developer with limited resources.

Questions To Ask When You Hire A Website Developer