3 Things to Look For in a Web Developer
June 24, 2011
Choosing a San Antonio web developer is a crucial task. This person will need to design, program, and market your website. Many clients have a hard time when choosing a designer because they have no idea what to look for. Listed below are 3 crucial features for choosing a web developer.
Experience
Experience is the key to results. An experienced web developer is one with an extensive client or design portfolio, who demonstrates a depth of knowledge in certain programming languages. Look for developers who have solved multiple problems, ranging from ecommerce back-ends to content management systems to complex workflows. Experienced developers can also adapt more easily to unexpected circumstances and unique requests. Contact previous customers to ask about the developer’s work, and request their portfolio, if one is not immediately provided.
The ability to create original and professional websites is what separates the amateurs from the professionals. Almost anyone can create links and put words on a page, but it takes a trained person to have a proper sense of page layout and a tasteful knack for design and graphics. Keep an eye out for this kind of innate design sense when browsing through a potential web developer’s portfolio—look for unique and original designs, and pay attention to style. If the none of the samples seem to match your style, you may be looking at the wrong developer for your project.
Marketing
Having the most awesome website on the web won’t make a whit of difference if nobody ever sees it. Standard marketing tactics you might use for a brick-and-mortar store don’t apply here. You need to incorporate social media marketing, along with other online strategies to build a steady stream of visitors, allowing you to sell products and actually make money. If a web developer claims to be an expert in search engine optimization, do your own Google search to see whether they’ve utilized those techniques on their own website with good results.
Price
The cost of a professional website can range anywhere from $500 to tens of thousands of dollars. Before hiring, always get a written price estimate for the project. Some firms may request half of the fees to be paid upfront as a deposit, while others may charge a flat hourly rate. Aside from the initial production cost, you should also factor in the cost of maintenance once the site is online. If you plan to update your website regularly, you will need to pay an administrator a monthly/weekly fee, unless you plan to do the job yourself
