Are you considering hiring someone to build your new website? If you are, it’s a good idea to have a list of questions to ask prospective web partners. How they answer these questions will help you determine if they are qualified for the project. It will also help you decide if they’ll be a good fit.
Web Designer/Developer Questions
1. What software do you use to build your websites?
This is the first question we recommend asking of your prospective web designer/developer. There are dozens of systems that can be used to build a website. When you hire a designer/developer, you are also buying into the system they have used to build the site. Regardless of whether or not you continue to have an on-going relationship with the person you hire (and we hope you do!), you will be stuck with the system they chose. Understand the pros and cons of the system and whether or not it is hosted or self-hosted?
2. How long have you been in the business of building websites?
To call one’s self a web professional does not require a license or any other degree or certificate. So how do you know if someone has the necessary skills and experience to carry out the job to the highest standards? Begin by asking how long they’ve been building websites professionally.
Ask for examples and references. While it isn’t necessary that they’ve worked on projects specific to your industry, it’s important that they’ve built sites of similar complexity. For example, if your website relies heavily on calendar functionality, be sure your designer/developer has experience building calendars. If you want to sell your products or services online, your developer must have sufficient knowledge on creating an e-commerce site.
3. How many people will I have to deal with?
Your web designer questions should also address the process of building a website. With a big web development company you may have to deal with a different specialist for each phase of the project. This is important to know going in. For that reason, don’t be afraid to ask this question of your prospective web developer.
4. Do you offer for tracking and analysis?
Don’t think of a website as a project with a start and end date. For the best results, you should constantly be updating and improving your site. By frequently evaluating and analyzing it, you will find areas for improvement. Therefore, it is important to ask your potential web designer/developer what tools they use to evaluate web traffic.
Moreover, once your site is up and running, you’ll want to have a system in place to track who is coming to your website, what pages they visit, how long they spend there, etc. Good statistical information will be the bedrock of your analysis. Given these points, confirm that your developer is in it for the long haul. What tracking software will they employ and will they continue to work with you on this project in the future?
5. Can you show me your portfolio?
Get a sense of a designer’s style by viewing past projects. While a good designer will be able to tailor the look of the site to your personality, you can get a general sense of what they find appealing.
6. Do you offer ongoing support/maintenance after the site is launched?
Software updates are an important part of securing a website. Who will be responsible for software updates? Does the prospective developer offer this service? If yes, what is the fee? When asking questions of your prospective web designer/developer, addressing post-development issues is important.
7. What is the arrangement for updating content?
At Trevellyan.biz, we offer our clients the ability to make many changes to the website on their own, without needing our assistance. We are also happy to make any changes the client would like us to make. Google likes sites that are current and up-to-date and site visitors do, too. Therefore, it’s important to ask the question of your web candidate, who will be responsible for making content changes? Equally important, ask how quickly changes will be made. Also, what is the fee for a change?
8. When can you get started?
If your project is urgent, you’ll want to know how many other projects are ahead of yours.
9. How many other projects will you be working on?
Few developers work on a single site at one time. However, you want to know that your project will get the attention it deserves. Yours is not a cookie-cutter business. Your website shouldn’t be either. Try to get a sense of how important your project is to the developer.
10. Can you provide references?
By speaking to a designer’s previous clients you’ll get a good idea of how they work. Additionally, it will help you evaluate what you’re getting into.
Why We Recommend You Ask Your Prospective Web Designer/Developer These Questions
We hope you have found these questions thoughtful and worthwhile. By taking this time before hiring, you’ll be in a better position to choose the right partner for your project. To learn more about how we can help you with your website, visit our website design and development services page, email us at [email protected] or call (518) 392-0846.