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How To choose a web developer.

A good web developer will suggest and initiate ideas, and guide you towards what works best for you and your business.

Choosing a web developer is very similar to choosing a web designer.  Again, bear in mind, ‘You get what you pay for!’  These days everybody is a web development expert, from friends and cousins to a mate’s mate that you met in a pub.  If you just want a page up on the internet for the sake of it, then a budget price of £200 - £300 may be sufficient. But for a professional business appearance and a website that functions properly, you will need to pay more.

What does a web developer do?

A web developer uses special languages that involve writing code to develop a website.  Web development is the developing of a website for the internet. It can include anything from a static 1 page website or e-commerce, to web design and complex social networking services.

Experienced web developers:

• Have years of experience using various technologies.
• Will be able to suggest and initiate ideas.
• Have a business background.
• Will be able to guide you towards what works best.

In the long run, it will be more cost efficient. With the peace of mind that you have a website that does what it is meant to do in the best possible way.  After all, it is your business and its reputation that is on the line.

Check list for choosing a web developer:

• Have they got good financial stability, i.e. will they be around for the duration of building your website and long after?
• Look at their portfolio, have they worked with larger companies and/or sole traders and small businesses, how good were their previous projects?
• What is their own website like?
• Are you allowed to communicate directly with the developers?
• Do they produce sites which comply with the latest legal requirements?
• How do they ensure good usability?
• Will you own your website or will you be tied in?

Factors to consider when developing your website:

• What your budget is, based on how important it is for your business to have a website.
• What you want your website to do – a simple site or one that is more complex (in terms or products and visitors)
• How much control you want over your website upon completion
• Are you willing to compromise quality over cost?

This could help you decide whether to approach a freelancer, a small company or a large company.

What if I want to make changes to my website?

• Ask your web developer to make the changes for you.  You may be charged each time you make a change, alternatively you may take out a maintenance agreement with them, where you pay a fixed amount each month or year.
• When your website is being built, ensure you have asked for content management (CMS). A content management system will allow you to make changes to text, photos and images yourself.

What is a Content Management (CMS)?

If you want to make regular updates or changes to your website, a good Content Management System (CMS) may be the best and most cost effective solution. Good Content Management (CMS) can make it much easier for non-technical staff to make changes to a website, without needing a high level of website programming and design skills.

What makes good content management (CMS)?

Good Content Management (CMS) will allow you to:

• Manage web pages (editing/deleting content, creating/organise web pages), using a simple editor for fonts, sizes, colours, tables etc.
• Access and maintain product catalogues, information archives, documents etc.
• Manage media i.e. to upload images/videos with ease.
• Apply user roles i.e. take full control of who can access what areas on the CMS and what they can do.
• Import and export data.
• Manage newsletters - e-mail marketing.
• Edit articles, news events, press releases.
• Create search engine friendly pages and urls (see SEO).