So, you are wondering whether or not to hire a web developer? Well as a professional web developer the answer is maybe. This question is a loaded question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. There are so many options on the market and the prices range significantly. How do you decide what to do or who to hire?
The first question you need to ask yourself is what is the purpose of having my own website?
This question may sound silly but it is actually a very important question that should not be taken lightly. Are you trying to reach new customers? Are you trying to send a message? Are you trying to sell a product or service? Or are you just simply doing it because everyone else has a website?
What goals are you trying to accomplish by having this website?
Sometimes companies just want a simple “business card” out on the web so if a current customer asks if they have a website the company has something to show. For these extremely rare circumstances a DIY website builder will probably do the job. The problem comes into play when you actually start to build that site. With the drag and drop functionality and easy to use platform a “business card” website can usually be created in a matter of hours but they typically lack options for customization. This can quickly leave the business owner or person tasked with building the site overwhelmed and ultimately lead to an unfinished site. If you site looks unfinished what is it saying about your business?
With technology rapidly improving and people holding computers in the palm of their hand, having a finished website that looks and functions appropriately is more valuable than most realize. What message is your site sending? A DIY website can often times send the wrong message, look unprofessional and leave visitors confused and questioning what your business provides. Hiring a professional web developer may cost you a lot less than you realize. The initial expense of a few thousand may seem steep however considering the return on investment it is more often than not worth every penny.
How do you know who to hire?
The first thing you should take into consideration is that not all developers are created equally. If you hired ten different developers and they all happened to create the same look there is still the code behind the look that matters just as much if not more. The more expensive developers are more than likely doing things behind the scenes to help get your site seen by the world. After all this is the goal isn’t it? You want to get seen, that’s why your spending the money. Spending money on a site for only a handful of family and friends to ever see it is not only a waste of money but also of time and effort. Make sure to choose a developer that will help you accomplish your goals and get your site ranking in organic traffic. There is always someone willing to build you a website for less. Just remember you are getting what you are paying for and hiring someone based on price instead of how they can help you is not a good business decision.
The developers at Dragonet Design, LLC have the EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, and are willing to do the RESEARCH to provide you with solutions to problems instead of building websites. After all anyone can build a website, but not anyone can solve a problem like how do I drive traffic to the website I just had built.
Do all web developers do SEO?
You may have heard the term SEO thrown around a lot and the more you read and the more you try and research the more confusing this term becomes. Developers spend years researching and trying different techniques and following best practices to get websites ranking. Hiring the kid next door or the guy from another country to build your site because they know what SEO is, probably isn’t the best idea either. Countless times, I have been contacted by customers who chose a less expensive developer, only to fix their websites and get them seen because the less expensive price tag didn’t deliver on their promises. The reality is most of these situations do not end well for the business owner as it is usually better to have the site rebuilt properly. Whatever money you think you saved by hiring the lowest priced guy, has now been wasted.
I also hear frequently, “I don’t think I need SEO”. The truth is EVERY website needs SEO work or the website will not be seen. The address bar on most browsers is a search engine and unless the URL is typed in exactly you are searching the internet for your site. If search engines don’t know you exist then that search will come up with your competition and you may be inadvertently sending your customers to your competition. Hiring a good web developer will take this burden off of your shoulders and allow you to focus on what actually matters, YOUR BUSINESS.
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