What to Ask your Developer

What you should ask your developer.

Getting a website designed doesn’t have to be a harrowing task. If you have the right questions, you can make it really easy to work with a developer who will give you exactly what you need.

“Can I see your portfolio” is always a good place to start. If you like the looks of the projects your developer has made in the past, it will be more likely that you’ll like what they’re going to do for your site.

Make sure your developer understands your needs. If you need specific applications or if you have specific needs, communicate those with your developer before you sign on. Make sure they have the capabilities and know-how to built a website or mobile application for you.

Make sure your developer is updated on the latest Google analytics. Google frequently adjusts their algorithms, so you want to be sure that your developer is aware and knowledgeable about these changes and how they affect your rankings.

Ask your developer how they support you after they launch your site. Will they create your site and then leave you on your own? Are they willing to fix any mistakes for free? Do they make it easy for you to update your site yourself? Will your developer help you improve your mobile rankings even after the site is launched? Make sure you fully understand what type of support your developer provides.

Before you begin, you should be sure you understand what your developer needs from you. Will they need your existing domain information? Will they need logos? Web content? If you know what you need to provide before you go into it, you can be sure that you give your developer everything they need to create a custom site or app.

Ask your developer whether your website will function properly on cell phones or iPads. It’s important that your site can be easily adapted for different platforms.

Figure out how your developer measures success. Will your developer track your analytics? Will your developer hire a third party?

Do you know which platforms your website or application will work on? Ask your designer whether he or she is designing for Android, iPhone, Blackberry, and Windows. The more adaptive your site is, the better.

Ask your developer how they communicate with their clients. Some prefer email, some prefer face-to-face meetings, some prefer Skype; figuring this out early will help ensure that your professional relationship goes smoothly. You want to find a developer who will update you on their progress and who will communicate any errors with you.

Does your developer have a preferred CMS? Getting to know which CMS your developer works with will help you make sure you feel comfortable with what they do.

Ask your developer how long this project will take. Most developers won’t be able to give you a firm date that it will be completed because developing comes with a lot of trial-and-error, but they should be able to give you a timeline of sorts.

What’s your developer’s decision-making process like? Do they make all the decisions themselves? Do they follow a specific chain of command? How many eyes will be on your design? Once you understand this process, it will be easier to communicate with your developer and their team.

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