How to choose a web development firm

To help you avoid some of the more common pitfalls of this industry, we have assembled some questions to ask a prospective web developer when shopping your project. Their answers will tell you right away - whether they have the knowledge and skills required to make your project a success. If they can't understand a question, you should assume that may not be a good fit. If their answers leave doubts in your mind, trust your instincts: move on.

Questions to ask a prospective web development firm

Q: What do you do to help clients create their online brand and marketing strategy?
A: The response should include the need to understand; your target audience, your product and/or service, and your competition. The prospective firm should also ask about your goals and offer ways to measure your growth and success. It is important that they acknowledge marketing strategy.

Q: How do you help clients prepare copy?
A: This reply should reflect the understanding that copywriting is a specialized skill and that writing for online audiences and search engines is different than writing for other types of media.

Q: What do you do to promote search engine rank and drive traffic?
A: A good answer will point out the importance of determining which keywords/phrases are most relevant to your target audience. There is no magic bullet for SEO, if a firm starts making outlandish claims; they are probably not being truthful. Check out our SEO guidelines for more information.

Q: Can you tell me about the technologies you plan to use? Are they proven and reliable?
A: This is a question with numerous possible replies. The important thing to note here is that the firm should speak about their technologies intelligently without hesitation. They should be able to explain how reliable and well tested each specific technology is; and even mention platform, maintainability and scalability.

Q: Are your sites in compliance with web standards?
A: The answer should yes, they follow the guidelines provided by the W3C, the organization that creates the web standards. Make them prove it.

Q: What do you do to ensure good usability and accessibility?
A: The answer should indicate that they have knowledge of section 508. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.

Q: Do you use tables for layout?
A: The answers should be "not very often" - tables are useful for presenting some types of data. However, tables tend to be "clunky" when compared to the fluid capabilities of CSS styling.

Q: Ask the prospective firm to provide some ideas on how you may automate some of your routine business operations.
A: If they don't come up with several relevant ideas, find someone more knowledgeable.

By now, you may be asking yourself, "Why do I need to understand all of this? I'm hiring professionals to take care of these details." Shouldn't my web development firm know all of this?

The answer is :Yes, they should.

Unfortunately, most web development firms do not posses expertise in all the essential fields to make your site a success. Your developer may know graphic design and basic coding. But they may not have the knowledge and experience in internet marketing, copywriting for the web, accessibility, usability, web application programming, and web standards.

It is a known fact that the vast majority of web sites are not successful. Many of these failed sites were created by professionals who only know a fraction of what is needed to develop successful web sites. To have a successful web site, you need to find a web developer who has ALL the necessary knowledge and experience.

New Client Referral Program

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How to choose a web development firm

Questions to ask a prospective web development firm

New Client Referral Program