What to look for in a Website Developer

Integrity

The first and most important trait to look for in a web designer is the thing you would look for in anyone you do business with.

That’s integrity.

Does the designer do what they say they’re going to do?

And even better, do they go that extra mile, putting in unexpected bonuses that you didn’t even know you can use or need?

It’s one thing to do the job. It’s quite another to do the job to the very best of your ability.

Honesty

Closely linked with integrity is honesty.

Does the designer do what they say they’re going to do in the time frame they promised?

You might say, that’s all well and good, but how do I know? How would I know about integrity and honesty if I haven’t dealt with this designer before or don’t know anybody personally that has?

Testimonials and Proof

I don’t know about you , but I want to see testimonials from customers and proof that the designer does good work. Where would you find that proof? In real, live, honest sites that they have built for real customers. If you don’t see that, how do you know what they’re like? Their site may be the slickest, prettiest, most well-designed ever, but what about real customers?

Skills

What is the designer’s skillset?

Not so much where did they get their diploma, but what kind of work do they do? Only front-end (design)? What about back-end (coding)?

You might say “All I need is someone who can quickly put a site together with a template”. That may be so, but what if you don’t like the colors in that template? What if you want to change the font or layout? In these instances, coding may be in order, so you want to work with a designer who can code or with an agency that has a programmer on staff.

What you don’t want is the “deer in the headlights” look from your designer when you want a slight change.

Design

And lastly, you want someone who knows how design works and how it communicates to a client. For instance, this font I’m using is a pretty standard one that’s easy to read, and the color stands out from the background. You don’t want something hard to read like this.

Colors and color combinations give a subconscious, almost subliminal message. The color of this page, for example, is a shade of grey. That gives a message of being business-like and professional. Bright orange on pink definitely gives another message.

Do you like what you see?

Do you like what they’ve done so far?

Take a look at a few examples of their work. Do you like what you see? Or would you like more flair and cutting-edge as opposed to straight-laced and business-like? What image do you want to portray for your company, and is it reflected in any of their work?

Clarity

When it comes to actually dealing with the designer, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Are they clear in critical things like time lines, pricing, expectations of you and them?

SEO

What do they know and do for you regarding Search Engine Optimization? It’s great to have a beautiful, well-structured site - but how are people going to find it?