WordPress Tips

Stay current with the latest WordPress news, security updates, insider tips and tricks directly from our team of San Diego WordPress experts.

5 Considerations When Hiring a Web Developer

Building a website today can be pretty straightforward with custom themes, drag-and-drop features, and plug-and-play options. If you are simply building a site to share photos and stories with friends and family, that’s great. But if you are a business owner, your objective is to have a website that attracts customers and converts visitors to […]

Building a website today can be pretty straightforward with custom themes, drag-and-drop features, and plug-and-play options. If you are simply building a site to share photos and stories with friends and family, that’s great.

But if you are a business owner, your objective is to have a website that attracts customers and converts visitors to buyers. You will need a website far more sophisticated. You will need a website developer that offers SEO and marketing automation services, or a freelancer working from home.

Knowing how to choose a web developer can save you time and money. Here are five considerations to take on board when shopping for your web developer.

What Kind of Technical Skills Does the Website Developer Have?

The best website developers will have a wide range of technical skills. Not all websites are designed to do the same thing, so being able to build to a client’s specific needs makes any web dev guy stand out in the crowd. Skills your developer should have include:

  • Adobe Photoshop / Adobe Illustrator
  • HTML / HTML5
  • CSS / SCC3
  • PHP
  • jQuery
  • JavaScript

The ability to both code and design using these will make a developer a desired candidate. He would also have advanced knowledge of WordPress. If you need an eCommerce website, then WooCommerce, Magento, and BigCommerce should be at the top of your requirements.

How Experienced is the Developer?

In order to gauge a web developer’s level of experience, you will want to know what past projects they have done, and what previous clients say about them. If you are interviewing freelancers, check job portals like UpWork where past clients rate each freelancer in a true and honest fashion.

If you are interviewing creative digital agencies that build websites, go through their own website, and look for case studies and past projects. You can also ask for three current clients. Of course, the agency will offer you the three clients that are getting the best results, but if they can do this for three clients and each has a longer retention period, this is a good sign indicating they are successful.

Hire a Website Developer Whose Skills Pair With Your Needs

This begins with determining exactly what functions you want on your website. You want to avoid saying “I want a cool-looking modern website”, or “I want a site that will make me rank on page one of Google.” Pretty much everyone wants a website that will make tons of money and improve branding. So when you interview web developers ask them questions like these:

  • How does website architecture matter in sales conversions?
  • What design elements work specifically to attract buyers in my industry?
  • I want my interns to run a blog; can you design a site with features easy enough for them to publish their own content?
  • Do I need a website that performs well on mobile devices, and can you build one?

At first glance, a website can be beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. But, if it doesn’t function or deliver according to your business needs, you will have just a digital business card that doesn’t rank at all.

How Fast Does the Developer Respond?

If your website experiences problems, gets hacked, or some other issue, your developer needs to respond quickly. Offline means loss of earnings. Your web developer has other clients who also have needs that need to be handled diligently. Ask your candidates if they can comfortably take you on as a client and offer quick turnaround times on tasks. Ask him or the agency what their available hours are for handling any potential crisis, and an average ETA on standard design projects.

How does the Developer Bill Clients?

Both digital marketing companies and freelance web designers bill in various ways. Both can bill by the hour, while others have a monthly fee with additional billable projects that extend outside the scope of the contract. Make sure the web developer keeps a detailed tracking system that records the tasks and time to complete. This should all be recorded in a monthly report given to you at the end of each month. This way the developer is making himself accountable, and you know where you are spending your money.

Our Mission

Since being founded in 2009 our longevity in the web design industry and repeat business is positive proof of our commitment to delivering outstanding results over the years. We’re a dynamic team of problem solvers and critical thinkers who enjoy a challenge which you will quickly sense when speaking with any member of our team.

NOYO Web Development Inc. helps your business grow by providing exactly what you need, within budget, on time.