January 26, 2017

Tips for an Effective Relationship with Your Web Developer

There are many steps that go into developing a successful website for your small business. One of the most crucial components of this process includes working effectively with a web designer. The expense of hiring a web designer can be astronomical if the working relationship between you and this person isn’t efficient. Fortunately, these helpful tips will make it easier for you and your web developer to effectively complete any project.

Hire Well

Just because you know a teenager who can build a website doesn’t make that person is a web developer. Sure, you have a budget to consider but attempting to save money by hiring a non-professional will cost you more in the long run. You’ll want to review a web designer’s portfolio and reach out to their references to help you make hiring decisions. Interview each candidate about how they complete projects to ascertain if your work styles will complement each other. You and your web developer will be working as a team so be thorough when hiring this person.

Communicate Goals

Once you’ve decided on the developer you want to hire, you have clearly outlined your business goals. This goal-oriented approach enables your web developer to plan and execute accordingly while coordinating lead generation efforts with your company’s sales and marketing teams. Yes, your web developer is the person actually coding your site, but your sales and marketing staff play a vital role in populating the website with the content it needs to be successful. If everyone involved in the project is clear about the goals, they can focus their efforts on accomplishing them.

Allot Time Wisely

A successful website takes time to properly build. You can have a site created for you in less than a day but if you want it done correctly, you have to give your web developer a fair amount of time to work effectively and thoroughly. Properly developing a website includes much more than creating a live site. There are a lot of moving pieces that have to be correctly connected for the website to successfully connect you with potential leads. Rushing this process will work against you and create unnecessary costs in the future.

Define Audience

The purpose of your website is to inspire your target audience to utilize your business. However, if your web designer is unclear about who the target audience is, it will be harder to develop a website that meets these users’ needs. Your target audience will define the parameters for the web developer’s work. The more information you can provide about your target audience, the better your web developer will be able to create a site that engages potential leads and existing customers.

Regular Checks-Ins

Set multiple check-in dates throughout the course of the project so problems and errors can be fixed as the web developer moves through the process. Trying to fix everything at the end is an enormous task. Smaller fixes done throughout the project will not only help you guide the direction of the site but correct issues that might have persisted if not checked early on.

Don’t Skip Testing

Every button, every link, colors, fonts, and so on should all be tested to see what works well. The point of this website is to capture potential leads and re-engage existing clients. Testing your site minimizes errors while informing your web designer of how to execute the final design.

Finding a top-level web designer for a fair price can be quite the challenge. Work with an agency that only hires the best, and rest assured that your website will successfully capture potential leads and increase sales. Discuss web development for your business with us today.