14 Questions to ask your web developer

Your website is an important part of your marketing and branding strategy. It’s usually the first place a potential customer will go to find out who you are and what you have to offer. It’s the hub of your web presence.

While there are many free or low cost options to build your own website, as a longer term option you should consider hiring a web developer to produce a professional-looking website for you. Your cousin’s kid who is “good with computers” may do it for free, but you always get what you pay for. You could save yourself a lot of missed deadlines and operational/backend headaches down the line if you do a bit of research and find a great web developer in the beginning.

We come across a lot of clients who have either had bad experiences with their web developer or they simply don’t know the questions to ask. Sometimes bad experiences can’t be avoided, however if you do your due diligence at the beginning, you can avoid many difficult situations.

Here are 14 questions to ask your developer before you get started on your website project:

Question 1: What services are included? What other services do you offer?

OK, so we’re starting off with a two-part question… Often your web developer will offer many more services than just a website design. They may offer logo design, SEO, social media, hosting, etc. Before speaking to a developer, decide what you need and then have an open discussion. If you aren’t sure what you need, ask for advice – you don’t have to make any decisions right away. Take your time to go over all of the details.

Question 2: What is your process for web design and development?

Everyone does things a little differently based on how they like to work. Find out what the step by step process is for a website project. What is the chain of communication? Will they provide content layout/design previews and keep you involved throughout the process? Do they design custom websites or work from existing templates? Do they test for browser and platform compatibility?

Be wary of developers that don’t ask you detailed questions at the beginning of the project. Chances are you likely won’t get what you are expecting if they don’t ask what you want.

Question 3: Will the site be mobile-friendly?

If the answer is no, just walk away. Mobile is extremely important for your brand presence.

Question  4: Who provides the photos and other visual content?

Many designers have a library of royalty-free stock images to choose from, but it’s always good to find out if you have to provide images or if they will.

Question 5: How long will the whole process take from start to finish?

By the time you start work, you should have a detailed timeline in place with multiple check-ins/previews. Otherwise, the project could be drawn out over a longer period of time unnecessarily.

Question 6: How much will it cost?

Notice how this isn’t the first question you should ask. There are many important deciding factors and price is one of them, but it shouldn’t be your only focus.

Question 7: What task commitment do you need from me?

Clearing up your role in the project at the beginning will help you avoid confusion later on.

Question  8: Do I have the option of requesting design changes?

Having multiple previews will ensure you are on board with the design before the project is completed. However, it is good to know how many rounds of changes a designer is willing to make along the way.

Question 9: Will I be able to update the content/images/videos myself?

A user friendly back end to your website is important. Ask your developer what content management system they use to build websites and make sure you will be able to do any basic content and image updates on your own. Having to ask for text changes as you go can be tedious, especially because your website should be constantly evolving.

Question 10: Will you train me on how to use the website?

Once you know how much control you will have over the back end of the site, find out whether your developer will provide any training or tutorial guides on how to use the back end functions. Sometimes it is included in your service package and sometimes you may have to pay extra.

Question 11: Is there any maintenance service if something happens to the site?

We live in a digital world and human error or behaviour can affect your website. If there are any issues with the site or you are hacked, find out if your developer will look after this for you. Also, if there are software updates to be done, will they maintain the site?

Question 12: Who owns the domain name/hosting?

You want to make sure that you own the domain name and that the hosting is done in your name, that way if the developer’s company shuts down at any given point in time, you will still have access. You want to own your brand’s digital properties.

Question 13: Can I have the FTP access?

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access will allow you to have direct access to all of the website files used on the server where the website is housed. If the developer’s company shuts down, or you run into any issues with your current developer, the FTP access will allow you to work with someone else while maintaining control over your website and its contents.

Question 14: Can I see examples of websites you have done for other clients?

This should be a given! It’s always good to get a sense of the work they have done for other clients.

Educating yourself about the work to be done is just as important as hiring the right person for the job. If you are looking to build or redo your website, be sure to give us a call!