Questions to ask your next potential web developer before hiring them

Social media vs Web

When meeting the people that will potentially be in charge of creating the most important aspect of your brand’s online presence- your website, it is important to be equipped with the right kind of questions to ensure you get the most from your website.

We’ve put together important questions you must ask in every web developer interview.

1. What kind of research will you do on our business?

Partnering with a website developer that understands your business, your market, and your customers is important to the success of your website.

If you have an existing site you’d like to revamp, it’s always a good idea for your developer to review your current metrics, and understand its strengths and weaknesses before making any changes.

2. What is your design process?

A web developer with a solid design process is a good sign that they are well experienced and will lead you through the entire web design and development process from start to finish like a pro. It’s also important to know who will be involved in the project and what each person’s role will be.

3. How will you handle hosting, security and maintenance?

Hosting, security and maintenance are critical factors in your website’s performance and success. It’s important for you to fully understand what kind of security measures will be taken to prevent intrusions. You should know how updates will be handled and whether or not full-site backups are being performed to ensure optimal ongoing performance

4. How will you optimize my website for page speed and search engines?

Optimization of your website affects how highly it ranks in search engines; it also affects how many new sales or leads you get from it. You should understand how your web developers ensure your website has both the right content and the right technical optimizations.

MediaForce optimizes website speed by reducing the page sizes through optimization of graphic content and website scripts. Our development process is SEO Focused in order to help your website rank higher than content from other sites that target the same search terms.

5. How long will the project take (realistically)?

The time it takes to complete a website varies from project to project, your web developer should be able to give you a clear time frame of how long it will take to complete your website based on the scope and complexity of your project.

We recommend coming up with a project timeline depending on the scope of the project to track progress of each deliverable from start to final product.

6. Will I be able to see the website as you’re creating it?

A good web developer will provide progress updates during each phase of project development. They will also encourage you to give feedback or make suggestions often to ensure full transparency and communication.

7. Do you custom design websites or use pre-made templates?

Your web developer can offer template websites, complete custom coded websites, or a mix in between depending on your needs. Do you have a specific design or tech feature in mind? Make sure to ask about features and limitations on what can and cannot be done.

8. Will my website be mobile-friendly?

Absolutely! Website users are dynamic in terms of what device they use to access your website. Therefore, having a mobile-friendly website is more important than ever! We work hard to ensure your website looks great on a variety of devices.

9. What training/support do you offer when the site is launched?

If you want to update a page, add a new visual element, or even redesign your website, will they be able to help you? Ask your web developer if they offer maintenance services and if they are provided on a needs basis, on-going, or retainer arrangement. It’s also good to find out about any training they can provide to you and your team to on basic website use and maintenance.

At MediaForce we recommend subscription to our maintenance packages for easier and faster processing of change requests on the go.

10. Can you provide examples of websites that your company designed?

Take note of the look and feel; see whether their designs stand out in the related industry, and if the user experience aligns with what you’re looking for in your website.

11. Do you offer other services apart from web design?

If your web designer has graphic design, copy writing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and other digital marketing skill s that means they will be able to build a high-performing website that will generate leads and sales