16 Questions to Ask Your Web Developer

Questions to ask your web developer

Ask potential website developers the following 16 questions to determine if they’re the right partner for you and your business. 

1. Has the web developer worked on projects with similar goals?

Describe in detail what you want from your website, and ask them to repeat it back to you. Ensure they genuinely understand what you’re looking for — and can deliver it.

Remember that e-commerce websites require different developer skills than standard brochure websites do. If a potential developer has little experience setting up an online store, that’s a problem. Their lack of practical knowledge could lead to long delays as they try to learn and master new skills.

2. What’s the web developer’s research process like?

Your developer should dig deeper into your business to ensure the website can support its needs. 

Ask the following questions about their research process: 

• Do they fully understand your business? 
• Have they identified your target audience?
• Do they understand your audience’s website expectations? For example, does your audience expect to purchase items, download information, or research product types? 
• Do they understand your brand, and can they help you tell your brand’s story? 
• Can they work within your brand guidelines?

If your developer doesn’t grasp what your business is about, visitors will arrive at a site inconsistent with your image, mission and goals. 

Remember that small business website design is just another form of marketing. You wouldn’t entrust your business to a marketing agency that didn’t understand your customers.

3. How long does one web development project take to complete from start to finish?

If a developer doesn’t understand why meeting deadlines is critical, work with someone who does. Developers take different lengths of time to complete their tasks, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, you must ensure your developer understands that your business will face consequences if agreed-upon deadlines aren’t met.

If your developer can’t offer you a firm completion date, have them commit to a maximum price they won’t exceed if they miss crucial deadlines.

4. What services does the web developer provide?

Many developers package web design with related services. It’s essential to be clear on what they’ll actually provide. Consider the following possible offerings: 

• Will they write website copy? 
• Will they set up Google Analytics and Search Console? 
• Can they provide social media marketing to promote the site? 
• Will the website be mobile-friendly?

List the services you need and determine the developer’s ability to deliver. 

5. What does the web developer’s SEO strategy look like?

Search engine optimization is a way of coding, writing and designing your website so it ranks as highly as possible on Google.

Ask your developer about their experience in SEO and what strategy they’ll use for your site. How will they increase your site’s visibility to search engines? If they don’t do keyword research and employ other proven technical SEO strategies, go with someone else.

A website should attract potential clients, grab their interest, and successfully convert leads. If no one can find your website, it will fail at all three goals.

6. Can I make edits without the web developer?

Websites should not be historical documents that capture an isolated moment in time. They must be dynamic, reflecting changes in the business, market and industry. 

Paying your developer for every new page or edit is impractical. If they enable easy access, you can add new information and update existing pages independently. 

Ask them what software or platform they’ll use to build your site. Have them demonstrate how to access and edit your site without their help. Ensure your developer’s chosen solution gives you the necessary access level.

7. Does the web developer have a content marketing package?

Ask potential developers if they provide content marketing as part of their package.

Content marketing is a successful search engine optimization technique that improves Google rankings and customer engagement levels. However, you may not need this service if you already have a content marketing strategy for your business or a social media manager who handles content marketing.

8. Can I contact the web developer’s other clients?

If you want an honest, unbiased opinion about what it’s like to work with your potential developer, talk to their references and previous clients. Additionally, check for positive customer reviews on Google or Yelp to gauge how clients view the developer. 

9. What is the web developer’s expectation of my involvement?

How much do you want to be involved in the web design process? Do you want veto power over every decision, or do you want to leave everything to the professional? 

Your developer also must know how involved you’ll be. If you’re not working in harmony from the start, you won’t get the results you want at the finish line.

10. What does the web developer charge for a project of this scope?

Developers charge various rates based on the job’s scope and their skills and experience. Determine your website budget and cap the maximum you’re willing to pay. 

Don’t always opt for the cheapest developer you can find. It’s better to spend more on a job well done than pay more later to bring the quality up to your standards.

11. Does the web developer outsource projects or complete them in-house?

Web developers often offer multiple services beyond design and e-commerce, including content and social media marketing packages. However, some developers outsource services to third parties because they lack the experience or staff to do the job correctly.

There’s nothing wrong with a developer outsourcing tasks — you can still get excellent results. But be aware that outsourcing may lead to project delays and extra costs if your developer and their subcontractors don’t communicate well. 

When working with a web developer that outsources projects, research their partners to determine their qualifications as well.

12. What assets must I provide to the web developer?

At the very least, you’ll need to provide your company branding assets and guidelines, including logo files, fonts and colors. Determine with your developer who will deliver additional content, photos, brand images and graphics for the website.

Some web developers and agencies will create or provide these website elements, but you’ll see this work reflected in your bill.

13. What is the project timeline?

Project timelines often change amid work alterations or mid-project course changes. Remember, the longer it takes to develop a website, the more it will cost. Additionally, repeated delays will push back the launch date. And without a live website, you won’t be attracting and converting new customers online.

Before you sign with a developer, agree on the significant milestones they must achieve. Next, agree on milestone timelines and the actual launch date. Additionally, before the project gets underway, set up communication tools or create a communication framework with the developer so you can communicate easily and freely during the process.

14. Does the web developer offer custom and template websites?

Your web developer may offer the choice between a custom website and a template website.

• Template websites. Template websites are cheap. Because they’re designed to be generic, they often contain extra, clunky code that can negatively impact page load speed. If a template requires multiple plug-ins to operate, you risk your site not working if one or more plug-ins malfunction. Also, many template websites have a cookie-cutter feel that visitors may notice.
• Custom websites. In contrast, custom websites are purpose-built for your needs and should only include necessary code. Talented web developers deliver custom sites with clean, efficient coding, which leads to better performance. However, custom websites cost more and take longer to build. 

Whichever option you choose, ensure your web developer is comfortable creating both template and custom websites.

15. How many design revisions does the web developer allow?

A developer’s job is to interpret your input and turn it into a design. Often, their first version won’t quite match yours. It’s no one’s fault — conveying these ideas is hard.

Many web developers and design agencies allow a set number of revisions during the approval process. Before signing an agreement, ensure you agree on how many changes you’re entitled to and the cost of subsequent revisions.

16. Does the web developer charge by milestone, hourly, or a fixed fee?

Without a firm fee agreement, a reasonable initial quote could turn into an eye-wateringly massive invoice if the project is managed poorly.

• Charging hourly. You have greater flexibility if you work with someone who charges by the hour. However, hourly changes increase the likelihood of cost overruns, particularly if you change your mind frequently.
• Fixed fees. Working with a web developer who charges a fixed price can help you stay on budget and ensure a fast turnaround. However, because the developer is watching the clock, they may spend less time on specific aspects of your website to ensure they hit their time and budget targets. They may have scheduled another project to start right after yours.
• Charging by milestone. Charging by milestone is a happy medium between hourly and fixed fees. You can be a little more flexible with the project’s scope while keeping an eye on your budget.

The pros and cons of hiring a web developer

Web developers create stunning websites that add genuine value to your business. However, there are risks whenever you outsource work to another person or company. Here’s a look at the advantages and disadvantages of working with a web developer.

Pros

• Developers know more than you. Web developers may have years of experience creating top-quality interactive websites that customers appreciate.
• Developers take less time. Compared with the time it would take to learn website development yourself — let alone the complementary skills of copywriting and SEO — a developer could complete your website in a few weeks or months.
• Developers handle technical problems. If something goes wrong with your site, as happens with nearly every website, web developers can diagnose and fix the problem quickly. Less downtime means fewer missed opportunities to convert visitors.
• You can focus on running your business. From concept to launch and beyond, you can spend your time more productively building the business instead of building your website.

Cons

• Developers cost more. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) drag-and-drop editors can help you design and create your own websites for a fraction of the cost of a web developer. The best website-building platforms are also intuitive, even if you have no experience building sites.
• You’re just one client for a developer. You may not even be your web developer’s most valuable client. Just because you want something done quickly doesn’t mean you’re the developer’s top priority. You may have to wait days or weeks for them to make relatively minor changes to your website.
• Your developer could go out of business. It may be hard to retrieve your website files if your developer goes out of business. Your site may experience excessive downtime as you try to rebuild. 

Thomas Griffin contributed to this article.