Did you know that, according to Forbes, great web development and web design are estimated to be more important in 2014 than ever before? As the source writes, if your website looks like it was designed by professional web design services, it was cast a favorable light on everything else you do online. From your product listings to your blog, great development and design will give your online presence that extra boost of credibility that customers look for.
Unfortunately, not every business has the resources, whether in capital or personnel, to implement professional website development for themselves. That’s where a professional web developer comes in. Even if you know professional web developers are waiting to help you build a great marketing website, knowing how to weed out the chaff from the best services can be difficult. After all, as statistics from IBIS World show, there are nearly 200,000 people employed in web design services across the country. How can you choose the best? Start by following these tips.
Four Simple Pointers for Finding a Great Web Developer
- Be Respectful When You Talk to Prospective Web Development Firms
- Choose a Web Developer Who Clearly Loves the Internet
- Fortify Any Personal Referrals You Receive
- Choose Someone with Knowledge of Google
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when looking at prospective developers is talking down to them. Like any other employee, your developer needs to be spoken to as a professional. Don’t ask questions like, “what’s so hard about that?” or say things like, “I could do that quicker myself.” The best developers don’t take kindly to rude clients and will have no qualms about turning you away.
For the Future Buzz, a popular online marketing community, choosing a developer who is a web geek can go a long way in ensuring you hire a great designer. Ask each professional you’re considering what they do in their downtime. If they’re online, surfing forums, watching Youtube vids, and playing games, you’ve found someone who knows what makes for a website people want to visit over and over again.
As Bloomberg BusinessWeek points out, personal referrals are a great way to find reputable web design services. Even so, you need to do a little extra leg work to ensure that those referrals are justified. A cursory Google search or even a background check can help you find out all you need to know about exactly who you’re getting into bed with.
With an estimated 70% of the search engine market share in its grasp, Google remains the most important player in the online world. Subsequently, any web developer you hire needs to have knowledge of Google’s standards and guidelines. Otherwise, you could wind up with a developer who uses outdated practices that run afoul of Google’s ethical rules.
Did you enlist a professional web developer to help improve your web development and design? What tips would you give to others looking for help? Sound off in the comments below! Read more like this.