Eight questions for your next web project.
Hiring someone to build a website for you is much like hiring someone to build an addition on your house. You probably have some idea of what you want, but you’re not a carpenter. How do you know you’re getting the best person for the job?
Before you even get to the question-asking, start with a little recon. Go look at a bunch of websites for businesses that are similar to yours. They don’t necessarily have to be your competitors — you really want sites for companies the same size as yours, whose calls to action are similar to the ones you think you want. This gives you a baseline for what’s possible and what people looking for businesses like yours are accustomed to seeing. It also gives you a framework for deciding whether a developer’s style matches yours. Once you’re ready to begin the hunt, here are the most important questions to ask.
1. Can I see your portfolio and testimonials?
Usually a developer’s portfolio is on their website. Don’t just casually gloss over it — look at their clients, go to their sites, get a feel for the developer’s go-to style. Does it match yours? If there isn’t a portfolio (because sometimes the cobbler’s children have no shoes), ask to see samples. If you don’t love the work they’ve already done, you probably want to look elsewhere. Reviews and testimonials are usually available too — if you can’t find any, ask.
2. What is your process?
You may not understand all the language web developers use, but that’s not what’s important here. What matters is that they can easily articulate their process. Experienced developers can do this because they’ve gone through it so many times it’s second nature. If someone can’t explain their process, move on to the next prospect.
3. What is included in the price?
- ·A set number of pages
- ·Domain registration and hosting
- ·Post-launch ongoing maintenance
- ·A certain number of rounds of revisions
- ·Training on how to add and update content
- ·Custom domain email addresses
- ·An SSL certificate (a must!)
You want to know exactly what’s included so you can budget accordingly. And with things like training and revisions, consider your process: if you know you’ll want several rounds of revisions, don’t choose someone who only includes two in the price. You’ll both end up frustrated, and the final product probably won’t be what you really want.
4. How will the site be optimized?
All sites should be built using search engine optimization best practices, optimized for mobile, and optimized for fast-loading pages. A developer should be able to offer specific strategies for how they’ll ensure your site ranks well.
5. How will the project be managed?
Find out how often you’ll get a progress report and who will provide it. Will you be talking directly to the developer or a project manager? Either is fine — you just want to know.
6. What involvement is expected of me?
Find out up front what the developer needs from you to get the job done on time and within budget. How much and what types of content will you need to provide? What file types are required for images? This is also the time to discuss decision-making latitude: do you want everything run by you first, or do you want them to have some autonomy? If you can’t get on the same page about that, look elsewhere.
7. What happens if my site breaks or is hacked?
This is when you talk about security. Find out what technology is being used to prevent hacks — choice of hosting plays a big part here. Find out how often incremental and full backups will be done, and be sure you know in advance what the developer will charge to get your site up and running again.
8. Have you seen any good movies lately?
Seriously — this is a big deal. Some clients call this the “compatibility interview.” This is a person or agency you may end up having several longish conversations with over the next 60–180 days. Take time to get to know each other. If you find it difficult to have a conversation, that could be a red flag that it’s not a good fit.
Need more advice on scoping your next web project? Get in touch and we’ll walk you through the other half of this topic — the questions we’ll ask you.