Selecting a Web Developer

Article by Steve Watkins

ServerGrade does do web development for companies and individuals needing a site - but this is not meant to be a promotion of our services.

The points below are general ones that should be looked into prior to commencing work with a web developer or web design team.

Key Factor 1 - Past Experience

This one is obvious. Making a website is incredibly easy these days - making a good web site is still incredibly hard.

Your web developer(s) should have past experience working on a number of different sites in a number of different industries. Your website is your message to the world about how you operate. There is simply no "cookie-cutter" solution that will do you justice.

Having a wide range of experience developing sites for different industries means that your web site will be personalilsed..

Experience also helps when the little problems occur (and they will). Paying slightly more for an experienced developer who can create your site and solve problems quickly, is much more effective than a slower, cheaper solution.

Key Factor 2 - Pricing

While you need a high-quality and effective site, let's get realistic - don't get ripped off. Most smaller companies and individuals are best provided for by similar sized web developer(s).

While you could go to IBM or another Fortune 500 company for your development, chances are that you would get better quality and value for money elsewhere.

As an experiment we asked IBM for a quote on a fairly common small business site. The site was to be approximately 20 pages long, and without eCommerce or advanced features. We would provide the text and images for the site. The $18,500 quote seemed more than a little excessive.

The same site should realistically have been done for $3,000-$4,000 by a small business with developers who have an equal amount of experience and after-sales support.

Always get a firm quote before work commences, and be sure you are getting what you pay for.

Key Factor 3 - Intellectual Property Rights

A major piece of the cost of development is the layout of the page. It is one of the harder pieces of the site to create, and where experienced developers really shine.

With this in mind, it would be rather silly to have paid for the development of a fantastic layout - only to have it used as a "template" for future sites that web developer(s) create.

The "edge" your layout has loses all its effect when your visitors have seen it before on other sites. Make sure that you clearly know who owns the layout and the code that is developed.

It may add a little to the quote to have this assurance, but this is an investment against losing the "sparkle" of your website.

ServerGrade has seen small businesses tapped by web development companies who refuse to release the source code for the site after development. This effectively means that companies either stay with the one development company for the duration of the site, or start from scratch with ethical developers.

Pretty nasty stuff from a business point of view.

Conclusion

Getting a website for your business or personal use is still an excellent long-term proposition, but as with any financial decision, you should balance the risk versus the potential reward.

Go into your development with your eyes open, but remember that in most cases your site is an investment and should be treated as such.

See further general website hosting FAQs or our FAQ categories for more information.

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