It takes a lot of skill to design and develop a website which is creative, fast-loading, optimized for search engines, and looks that same on all browsers. For these and other reasons, it is very important to choose a web developer who can deliver high quality results.
Here are some tips to help you choose a web developer.
View Their Portfolio
Most freelance web developers and trustworthy companies feature samples of their work in an online portfolio. By viewing these samples, you can get an idea of what skills a developer has as well as what kind of work you can expect from them. Be sure to verify that the site are fast-loading, that the design is professional and creative, and that the sites are easy to navigate. If you are satisfied with their portfolio, then you should start to ask more in depth questions.
Verify Basic Site-Building Knowledge
While you may have been impressed with a web developer’s portfolio, you should ask the following questions to verify that the site that they create will be developed in the most efficient way.
Is the developer familiar with web standards and does their HTML validate?
Does the developer make use of external CSS (cascading style sheets) files?
Are all images and graphics optimized?
Does the developer use unobtrusive JavaScript? Is all JavaScript placed in external files?
Learn About Any Advanced Functionality
Beyond the basic
HTML and JavaScript, you might be interested in having others features added to your site such as interactive flash components, secure payment gateways and shopping carts, a blog, or a contact form.
Have your web developer suggest which features can be added to your website.
Maintenance Options
After your website is built, you may still be in need of a web developer to help you update your site. So before you begin a job, you should keep this in mind. One question you may ask is if your website can be built around a content management system (
CMS). Such a system will enable you to update your website on your own, which over time, may be less expensive than paying a web developer every time you need an update. (Note: This will increase your initial costs, but will save you money in the long run.)
Website Performance and Search Engine Optimization
You should also inquire about what expectations you should have with regard to certain performance metrics such as how long it takes for pages to load, and how easily it will be able to be indexed by search engines.
In terms of load time, all pages should be able to load within 8 seconds on a 56kbps modem, which translates to well under 2 seconds on standard internet connections. If your site loads slower, then you might want to search for someone else. A good web developer will code your page and optimize your graphics to achieve this quick response.
As for search engine optimization, ask your web developer what steps they will take to make your site search engine friendly. Inquire about meta tags, use of heading tags, alt tags, and title tags.
As you can imagine, there are countless other factors which should be taken into consideration when looking for a web designer. However, the criteria listed above will help you in finding a trustworthy developer for your next project.
Good luck.