Top 10 Tips for Choosing the Right Web Development Company

As a business owner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of web development. You likely understand the importance of having a strong digital presence and a website that is easy to navigate. But, beyond that? You probably didn’t start your business because you were a web expert. But, doing a Google search on “local web developers” might not always get you the best results.

Instead, it’s important to know what to look for in a web development company. Understanding how to hire a web development company will make the entire process easier on you. Plus, you can have peace of mind knowing you’re working with a company you can trust. As a result, you’re more likely to feel comfortable and enjoy the final product.

With that in mind, let’s look at ten tips to choose a web development company.

1. Know What Type of Website You Need

Not all websites are created equally. Chances are, you don’t need a giant infrastructure like Facebook or Amazon. But, it’s important to understand what your website does need in order to be functional. For example, are you going to be one of the 12-24 million eCommerce sites online?

You’ll want to work with a web development country that can get you up and running quickly. When you know what type of website you’ll need, you can talk to a developer that has done work on that type of site before.

2. Are You Comfortable With Them?

A web developer will work for your business for quite some time. It isn’t just about building a website and washing their hands of your company. Instead, they will be your technology partner whenever you need to make a change or update.

So, it’s very important to be compatible and comfortable with the web developer you choose. Have a few conversations with them before hiring them, and don’t be afraid to trust your gut.

3. How Much Help Do You Need?

Some web developing companies are better than others at staying up-to-date with support. A great development company will give you all of the tools and resources you need to take the wheel on your website while guiding you every step of the way.

Consider the amount of help and support you’ll need with your website, and go with a company that is willing to devote their time to give it to you.

4. What’s Your Budget?

It’s important to factor in all of the costs when you’re choosing a web developer. Not only will you have to make an initial investment for your site to actually be created, but it’s an investment that will be ongoing if you need support, need to make upgrades, etc.

Different development companies have different rates. Going with a cheaper company might save you money in the beginning, but if your website isn’t up to par, you might have to start from scratch or suffer the consequences of a poor digital presence.

5. Research Their Work

If you have a web development company (or several) in mind, one of the best things you can do is to research the work they have done for other businesses. Most web development company sites are eager to show off their work/portfolio. Do some browsing and research other things they have done to determine if they might be a good fit for your business.

Looking at a development company’s portfolio will not only show you what abilities they have in the world of development, but it will give you a better idea of their overall style and “look” to see if it meshes with yours.

6. Do They Have Social Media?

Once you’ve checked out a web development company’s website, be sure to scour their social media pages, too. If they are frequent posters and are always engaged with their followers, you’ll know they take their line of work very seriously. If they have a little-to-no social presence, it may not be a good idea to get involved. Additionally, social media is a great place to get honest reviews from people who may have used the company before.

7. Active Communication

One sign of a great web development company is how communicative they are. They should be more than willing to listen to your ideas and your point of view while offering up their own from a development perspective.

Communication in this type of relationship is crucial to making sure everyone is happy and content with every project. A developer can approach things with a specific state of mind, informing you of what’s realistic and what isn’t, while you can add your ideas and your “wish list”.

8. Ask for References

Even if you’ve done your research on potential web development companies, it never hurts to ask for references. This is especially helpful if they have worked for businesses in the same industry as yours. By contacting those businesses and asking about their experience, you can easily gain more insight into how working with a particular developer will be.

9. How Does Their Website Look?

Most web development companies will put their best foot forward when it comes to their own website. Even if they have a portfolio, it’s still important to look at the pride they take in their own. Is it up-to-date? When was the last time it was updated? Is the load time fast or slow?

Do they regularly add fresh content? If a web development agency isn’t taking care of their own website, it could be a red flag that they might not care for yours the way you want.

10. How Quickly Did They Respond?

If you reach out to a web development company, keep track of how quickly they respond. More often than not, you’ll send the company an email. Nowadays, there is really no excuse for a company not to get back to you within 24-48 hours.

If that doesn’t happen, it could be a sign that the company isn’t as communicative as you need them to be. While things do come up and something may be keeping them from getting back to you, that is often the exception, not the rule. An eager answerer will also give you confidence that the company you’re thinking about hiring is ready to put in the work right away.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to choosing the right web development country. But, by keeping these tips in mind and taking the time to do your research, you can hire a company to fulfill your needs with confidence, and enjoy the beauty of a brand new, functional, effective website.