In the early days of the Internet, the development of websites was a long and arduous process, and as such, any company that wanted a website had to hire a professional in order to get the job done. However, in this day and age, today's website development platforms are much more user-friendly -- WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal all seem to be designed for the "Average Joe" to create his/her perfect website -- and, as an end result, the same Average Joe believes that s/he doesn't need a professional website developer. In this blog, however, we're going to discuss why that simply isn't so -- why, even in this user-friendly day and age, you WILL in fact need to hire a professional web development company.
In addition, we'll also go over what to look for in a proper web designer, and what to look out for when hiring a professional.
Why do you need a professional web developer?
Think of your website as your business's online store front. It's the first thing that people are going to see when they research your company. It, then, is your primary responsibility to make sure that you present the best possible impression of your company. You cannot do that with an amateur website design.
Here, then, is a complete list of reasons why you should hire a professional web developer:
- Hiring a professional saves you time, which will inevitably save you money. Though you will have to expend money in the first place to hire someone to design this website, in the long run, it will save you money because it was done right the first time.
- Hiring a professional will ensure that your design is unique. Any amateur can download a template from a "free template" web database, but only a professional can create a unique website from scratch, no matter the platform.
- Hiring a professional will ensure a user-friendly website. A professional website developer will know when a design is "clunky," has photos that are too large, or the site is non-responsive (especially on a mobile platform).
- Finally, but no less importantly, when your website is professionally designed, it gives your business credibility. In this world of "big box" stores and major corporations, you have to position yourself as a worthy competitor...and the only way to do that is to establish your online credibility.
What are some of the warning signs you should look for in a professional web designer?
Not all so-called professional web designers are as great as they advertise. With that in mind, we've come up with this list of warning signs to look for when hiring a web developer:
- S/he has no experience with developing websites similar to yours.
- S/he has no experience with branding (if, indeed, that's what you're hiring the developer to handle).
- S/he offers no testimonials for his/her work -- or, the ones that s/he offers aren't easy to get in touch with or won't vouch for their credentials.
- S/he is undercharging for the service -- though it's not always the case, you get what you pay for.
- S/he doesn't give you a status update at least once a week -- communication is essential for any relationship, and it's especially important in a business relationship. If s/he is unwilling to communicate with you, don't hire him/her.
- Finally, but no less importantly, if your developer doesn't know what project manager software is -- or won't implement it on your website -- that's a definite red flag.
Our strength is in our extremely talented team of engineers, analysts and designers. We practice an agile scrum development process that allows for total transparency (cost, time, development and review), in addition to complete life-cycle support. We want to be your online partner going forward. We stand behind our work with user support and training. For more information about us and our services, contact us today.
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