How to Choose a Good Web Developer

There are thousands of web developers and web development companies out there. How do you choose? If you don't know what questions to ask, you don't know what you're getting. Here are some key things to be aware of when choosing a Web Developer.

Obviously, you want to pick someone who's style you like and who will be able to capture the look you're after. However, even though what you see is the most immediate factor, most of the important stuff is behind the scenes.

Ask your designer if they know how to choose appropriate image formats. Graphics should be clean and should load quickly.

One of the very first questions a good Web Developer will ask with a new project is, "Who is your target audience?". Knowing your market is key.

The temptation is to think of your website as a one shot deal. Design it and forget it. The reality is that your website is going to be one of the most important advertising tools you have. It will need care and maintenance. This means that you will be building a relationship with your Developer, so make sure they are approachable, reliable and available if something goes wrong.

It's safe to say that any effective presence on the web is going to involve a Social Media campaign. Make sure your Developer can properly guide you in the social realm. Ask if they know how to effectively grow and leverage your social networks.

Once you have a website developed, you will highly appreciate it if the "back-end" is easy to learn and simple to use.

With so much fraud out there, internet security has become very important. Ask your Developer if they provide security certificates.

If a web page file is large, it will load slowly. Internet users are impatient and won't wait for your site to load, no matter how beautiful it is. Ask your Developer what they do to keep track of file size and load times.

Your Developer should either offer or be able to suggest a good web hosting service and help you through the registration process.

Writing for the web is a unique skill, different from other types of writing. It should be punchy and to the point. And please, oh please make sure your developer edits for spelling mistakes or missing words.

Personally, I am not specialized in SEO because it is such a fine-tuned skill that is constantly changing. And because I am of the believe that Social Media Networking is replacing SEO. However, basic knowledge of proper keyword use is a must.

Content Management Systems, (Drupal, WordPress) are good solutions for many Web Development projects because of their versatility and ease of use. Ask your Developer if they use a CMS and if it is the right solution for you.