Top 10 Things to Look for When Hiring a Web Developer

In many ways, working with a web developer
can be likened to trying out a new hair
stylist. While at work, you notice that
your friend has a trendy new hairstyle.
Excited at the thought of a new look, you
ask them for the stylist's name. Trusting
your friend's recommendation implicitly, you
call Fi Fi's House of Style to book an
appointment.

Walking into the salon, you are impressed by
the fancy décor as you plop down into the
lush leather chair. As pieces of hair fly
left and right, you tenaciously watch as
Monique, a woman you hardly know, cuts and
shapes your hair.

She insists that this new style will reveal
the "new" you. Alas, you turn around to
look in the mirror and she says "How do you
like it?" Taking a deep breath, you force a
smile and say, "Hmmm, well uh...it's
different" and proceed drudgingly to the
counter to pay the $55 bill out of
obligation.

Unfortunately, that's how some people feel
when hiring a web developer to build their
web site. You approach the designer with
only a vision of your web site and entrust
the look, feel, and message to them. For
better or for worse, your fate is in their
hands. Hiring a web develop doesn't HAVE to
be a scary journey into the unknown. I'll
tell you WHAT to look for in a developer,
what to know BEFORE you look for a
developer, and WHERE to find a developer.

== Top 10 Things to Look for When
Choosing a Web Developer. ==

1) EXPERIENCE - An experienced designer will
have more skills to create a sophisticated
looking and functioning web site. They will
have more tools and tricks and knowledge to
help you accomplish your business goals.

Here's 101 questions (well almost) you can
ask your potential web developer.

- One way to check out their experience is
to ask to see their design portfolio. When
you look at other web sites that they have
created, do their sites look unique or are
they cookie cutter sites?

- Do you like the designer's own business
web site?
- How long have they doing web site design?
- What areas of web development they
specialize in?
- Do they know how to hand code HTML or do
they only use an HTML editor?
Hand coding can allow for an extra level
of precision that may be difficult to
achieve with various html editors.
- Do they know Javascript?
- Can they do database work?
- Do they have a professional graphic design
team or do they create the graphics
themselves?
- Will they help you market your web site?
- How many web sites have they developed?

The whole process of interviewing the
designer will not only give you the answers
to those questions, but gives you insight as
to who the designer is, their level of
expertise, and how well you can work
together.

2) TOP QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE
Equally important to experience is quality
customer service. After all, what good is
having a top designer if they are too busy
to answer your emails and jump in during an
emergency?

Ask for a list of references, and CALL them!
Don't be afraid to ask them if their web
developer is responsive to their needs and
assists them in a timely manner.

3) PROFESSIONAL, ORIGINAL WEB SITE GRAPHICS
The ability to create professional, original
web graphics will quickly distinguish the
Cousin-Jim-Bob-amateur-designer-wanna-bes
from the pros. Anyone can put words on a
page and create links. But, only a skilled
designer will have a good sense of page
layout, how to create a good color scheme,
and be able to create tasteful graphics that
will enhance the web site.

Also consider, if the designer able to
demonstrate a considerable range of "styles"
or if their sites look alike? Do they use
templates or create original web graphics?
Can they create "extras" such as flash,
animation, or mouseover effects?

If you want a one of a kind web site to
brand your business, you must insist on
original graphics for your web site.

4) MARKETING SAVVY
Having a crème-de-la-crème web site will do
you no good unless you can build a steady
stream of traffic to it. Here's some
questions to ask your designer to determine
what level of marketing assistance he will
provide you:

- Will they help you create meta tags for
your web site?

- Will they register you with the search
engines?

- What search engines do they submit to?

- Do they mass submit, or will they hand
submit your site to the important search
engines?

NOTE: If they claim to be experts in search
engine positioning, check first to see how
highly listed THEIR web site is, it's the
proof-the-pudding if their techniques work!

5) CREATIVENESS
One thing you'd better know up front is how
involved your web developer will be in the
creative process. Unless you are an
experienced marketer, you probably will need
at least a little help writing web copy and
planning the layout of your web site. Will
your web developer help you develop
content?

Writing for the web is a little different
than writing for a print marketing piece.
By using someone with experience in
writing web copy, you can ensure that the
message as well as the look of your site is
geared to sell.

Also, be aware of over-creative know-it-all
designers who won't listen to your input.
It's your web site, and you should
have creative input. The key is to finding
a developer that will listen to your
suggestions and work WITH you offering
ideas and advice when planning your site.

6) PRICING
The cost of a professionally designed small
business web site can run anywhere from $500
to $5000. To ensure you don't overspend
your budget, you need to get a written
estimate. Depending on the complexity or
your project, you may even have to pay to
get an estimate. To get a complete picture
of all costs involved, have them break out
costs for domain name, hosting services,
graphics, web development, and marketing
fees separately.

Will you be required to put down a deposit?
Some firms may ask for half of estimated
fees up front as a deposit. What methods of
payment do they accept? Will they accept
credit cards or do you have to pay by cash
or check?

Do they charge a flat rate or by the hour?
Typical hourly web development fees can
range from $30 to $200 per hour. But
beware: cheaper is not always better!
Whatever the hourly rate; make sure it is
justified by the amount of experience and
skill set they bring to the plate. While a
designer who charges $30 an hour might seems
like a deal at first, it might take them
twice as long to accomplish a task.

What items will cost you "extra"? If there
are items that will NOT be included in the
estimate which will be additional, make sure
to get the ala carte pricing. And finally,
find out what the costs for web site
maintenance will be when the site is
complete. If you will be updating your site
frequently, this ongoing cost is an
important one to keep in mind.

7) COMMUNICATION SKILLS
How easy is your designer to talk to? Do
you trust them? Can you understand what
they are explaining to you or do they use
techno-babble. Do they take time to listen
to your needs? If you are going to have a
good long term working relationship, it's
crucial that you feel comfortable with one
another and can communicate clearly.

8) TIME FRAME TO COMPLETION
Ask how long the web development process
will take. And then you may want to ask
their references how close they came to
completing the project on target. A simple
web site could be developed in one or two
weeks, while a larger more intense site
could take several weeks or months. Knowing
what to expect can help you manage your
expectations.

9) FULL RANGE OF SERVICES?
Does the developer offer a full range of web
site services? Will your web developer help
you: acquire a domain name, set up a web
hosting account, market your web site, write
copy, and/or provide cgi and database
programming?

Working with a developer who can handle all
these details will save you time, money, and
frustration. You can rely on their
expertise to handle some of the more
technical questions that may arise. If they
don't provide these services, then ask if
they can companies they recommend.
Be sure to get prices from those vendors too
so you can add that to your personal web
site budget.

10) AVAILABILITY:
Are they a full time web developer or is web
design a moonlighting job for them? A full
time developer will probably be able to
complete your site in a shorter time
frame than someone who is squeezing you into
his or her spare time.

What are their hours? Are they open to you
calling with questions? Can they start your
project right away? If you need maintenance
down the road, how soon can you expect
changes after you submit them?

== DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU
GO TO A WEB DEVELOPER ==

If you want an accurate assessment of what
your web site will cost, you must have a
clear idea about what you need.
Take some time to answer these questions
BEFORE you talk to a developer.

1) How will my web site function?
a) As an online store where actual
product is sold?

b) As an online brochure to inform the
consumer about your company or services

c) As an online community

2) What will web site look and feel like?
What will the corporate culture of my site
be? Will it be light and fun, or hi-tech
looking, or business-like and professional?

3) How many pages and what specific pages do
you need for your web site? Here are some
typical pages to think about for starters:
- Home
- About
- Products/Services
- Order
- Contact
- Resources
- Free Newsletter.

4) What is my budget? Be reasonable, if you
only have $500 you won't get too much out of
your web site. There are affordable
designers who can design a small business
web site ranging from $700 to $2500 in
price.

5) What is your deadline for project
completion? Are you pressed for time or do
you have several weeks to play with?
If you need your site in a hurry, you may be
able to get it sooner by paying a "rush"
fee.

6) Will you require any specialized
programming such as a shopping cart, a
database or a contact form? If you need
these items, make sure your web developer
has the skill set to meet these
requirements.

7) What level of assistance do you need in
development? By knowing in advance how much
and what kind of help your project requires,
you can confirm that the developer your are
considering can (and will) provide the level
of service you need.

- Do you need full site design & concepting?

- Do you have the concept and just need it
created into html pages?

- Do you just need some new graphics and a
web site makeover?

- Do you have an existing logo or will they
need to create a new one?

8) Find samples of web sites you like!
Create a listing URLs for sites that you
like and note what you like and why it
appeals to you. By showing this to the
designer, it gives them a better idea about
what you are looking for. This can
better assist them in providing a quote and
in concepting a graphic design to match your
vision.

== WHERE TO LOOK FOR A WEB DEVELOPER ==

Once you know your project needs, you can
start your search for the ideal candidate to
develop your web site. Here are a few
places where you can look to find a web
developer who meet your specific needs.

1) Web Developer Directories:
A web developer directory offers searchable
listings of web developers. By just typing
in your project specs, price range, and
technical needs you will be matched with
some developers who meet the criteria you
provide.

http://www.econstructors.com/
http://www.comparewebdesigners.com/
http://www.webprosnow.com/
http://www.codecranker.com/
http://www.aaadesignlist.com/
http://www.web-design.com

2) Authors of Web Development Articles in
Web Developer Communities:

If you go to these web developer ommunities,
you'll find articles written by designers
who are some of the most savvy state-of-the-
art designers in their field. By reading
their articles, you'll get insight into who
they are and their level of experience.
Just check the author bio at the end of
the article to see how to contact them.

http://www.sitepoint.com/
http://www.webdeveloper.com
http://www.webresource.net

3) Get a Referral - If you see a web site
you like or have know someone with an online
business, ask them who their developer was

4) Go Local - Let your fingers do the
walking thru the yellow
pages or search in Yahoo local web
directories for your major metropolitan
area. This will allow you to find a
developer who is located in your local
geographic area.

5) Search in the Search Engines - Search
your favorite search engine and look under
web developer, web site design, web
designers, web development firms etc.

== READY, SET, LET'S GO!!!! ==

Since your web site will serve as your
online business, it's crucial to find the
right developer to help you create it.
Having a customer friendly web site with
attractive graphics, a clear marketing
appeal, and easy navigation is key to
online success! With a little luck and
searching, I hope you can find a web
designer whom can work with you to make
your online dreams a profitable reality!
Who knows, maybe customers will be checking
out YOUR web site to see who the savvy
designer is that created it!

Article by:

Article by: Kristie Tamsevicius, is the author of "I Love My Life: A Mom's Guide to Working from Home"! Thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs have used her step-by-step home business system to earn money working from home. Get a free ecourse Home Business Success Secrets at www.Webmomz.com

This article is available for reprint with author's resource box intact and all links live and clickable. Copyright is reserved by author.

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