A website is not built in a day. It is a long-term investment, and choosing the right agency is a key element in getting the most out of that investment. While proposals can give you a sense of what an agency can do for you, they don’t tell you how good they are at doing it. Here are some pointers to help you make informed decisions when choosing developers and designers for your business.
What is a Web Designer?
Web designers are like the translators of the consumer-facing digital landscape. They take information and ideas and package them into a format easily consumable by website visitors. All the visual components of a website are their responsibility, including the layout, colour scheme, fonts, pictures, and multimedia.
A web designer’s primary goal is to make sure that the website is visually pleasing and easy to browse. They add that important ‘wow’ factor that draws people into a site and holds their attention long enough to garner conversions.
What is a Web Developer?
Web developers are the minds behind the digital interfaces we use every day. They are the backbone of any brand’s online presence. The roles and responsibilities of a web developer can vary, but they typically are adept at both front-end and back-end development.
Web developers (also known as software developers) are expert programmers, creative problem-solvers, and well-rounded business generalists. They use their technical skills to create the user experience which powers the internet by building tools for digital teams to deploy.
A web developer’s primary goal is to create clean and effective code that gives the platform they deliver the best performance and usability. Additionally, they play an important role in keeping websites current and relevant.
Why Choosing the Right Developer and Designer is Crucial?
Web designers and developers can make or break a business. A poor web design can turn off customers, leaving them with a bad impression of your company. On the other hand, a clean, well-designed layout can convey a positive image of a business to its customers.
Although your business may not need all the bells and whistles of the most cutting-edge sites, you still deserve a professional site that sells your products effectively. Your website is the foundation of your online presence. It’s the first thing that people see when they Google your business. So, it makes sense to have the best developer and designer on board. After all, your product is only as good as the team you put behind it.
What Are the Qualities of a Great Web Developer?
Entrepreneurs often make the mistake of working with a web developer or designer without doing proper research. This can be particularly problematic when you’re just starting and have limited funds. Web development is a vast field, but there are certain characteristics that separate the wheat from the chaff.
Know your business
A great developer understands how to move through the development process with ease and can always meet your deadlines.
Takes advantage of every detail
They know how to make the most of every element on a site, be it text or images. If you want to design an exceptional and functional web page, you’ve got to make sure every single detail is there for a reason.
Adaptable
The coding world is an unpredictable place where you have to know how to adapt to whatever demands are thrown at you. A great web developer can switch contexts quickly and efficiently while adapting to unexpected changes.
Has an Organised Process
They have a refined process for creating websites. So they can easily spot potential pitfalls or issues and take the necessary steps to avoid them.
Understand your consumers
Another quality that differentiates great developers from mediocre ones is their ability to analyse the product from the consumer’s perspective. The path to building a successful website isn’t always straightforward. You might spend weeks or months coming up with creative ideas or solving user problems. A great web developer will, however, comprehend exactly what users want.
Crucial Questions to Ask a Web Designer and Developer When Creating your Website
When developing a customised website, it is essential to confirm that the web developer you are bringing in is the right person for the job. Here are some crucial questions that you can ask them to gauge their suitability before doing business with them.
Have you ever worked in a similar industry? Do you have similar projects under your belt?
Finding a developer who is familiar with the intricacies of your industry or niche can be a big help. That’s why, when picking a web developer, choose someone who has worked with websites similar to yours in the past. If you’re a fashion label with a lot of international customers, for example. A web design firm that has worked exclusively in the healthcare field will have a steeper learning curve than a firm with a similar fashion label-sized clientele.
But if you’re planning to broaden your market reach, look for a developer who has experience in multiple industries. A developer that exclusively works with companies in your industry may provide you with valuable expertise, but they may miss out on the bigger picture that comes from working in other disciplines.
Do you provide custom or off-the-shelf website designs?
When you’re on the hunt for a unique design, don’t be afraid to ask your chosen agency where their web designs come from. You must understand how they work, and what resources they use when creating the sites.
Be wary of contractors that make claims of custom web design and offer a customised theme in return. One of the biggest blunders a company can make is ending up with a template site. It may seem cheap, but the long-term value of having a site that appears to be cloned from another company is worth little.
How do you manage website development projects?
The way an agency manages its project can be the difference between a flawless website and an incomplete one. Every developer has a different method of mapping out a plan and getting the job done. Some are more effective than others, so it’s important to find out which process is used for your project.
Spend some time getting to know how their unique process will work for you once you’re hitched. By understanding the timeline and workflow, you get a better sense of what it will take for the developer to complete your project.
Do you handle projects internally, or outsource them?
Before you hire an agency, ask about their workflow. If they tell you that they’ll be sending parts of your project to outside vendors, find out who they are using and why. Often, agencies that profess to offer web design and development services do not necessarily have the internal resources required to execute such a project. And when one or more aspects of a project get off-shored, it becomes an ordeal for both parties involved — especially when the original project plan needs to be changed.
When you partner with an agency, make sure that they inform you who will handle each element of your project. Otherwise, you run the risk of communication breakdowns and project delays, and additional costs. You should see to it that your chosen agency comes to the table with the right mix of designers and programmers.
What kind of testing do you perform?
When it’s time to get your website up and running, nothing will put a damper on your progress like an issue-filled customer journey. Browser compatibility errors can ruin your ranking on search engines, while glitches with the user interface can drive customers away. Thus, ensure that your web designer conducts the necessary testing both before and after launch.
How do you handle site security and hosting?
It is common for security and hosting questions to be overlooked when selecting a vendor. This is, nevertheless, a critical issue that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You should have a complete understanding of the hosting platform your agency is using and ensure that they have grade-A levels of security. It’s vital to check that your new website is running within a secure environment so that vulnerabilities can be patched seamlessly.
Don’t commit until you’ve understood
Creating a website is more than just code, aesthetics, and text. It’s about how it makes your customers feel. The tone of voice it sets. The way it conveys information. And most importantly, how it connects you with your customers. The best web developers are the ones who work hand-in-hand with you to build something original, engaging and satisfying for your customers.
But finding a reputable web design or website development agency can be a daunting task for any business owner. There are millions of companies out there providing website design services, yet very few manage to deliver the desired value for their clients. The best way to avoid being blindsided is to ask the right questions early on.
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