Many businesses are developing or enhancing their existing websites to digitize their operations and match user expectations. This creates a greater demand for website development services, which require skilled developers to deliver the job with results. To fully evaluate the best-suited web developer for your projects, here are 25 questions to ask a web developer before hiring.
1. How many websites/projects have you done?
Experience, as with so many other things, is everything. Consider the first time you attempted to swing a golf club or drive a stick shift car. Was everything perfect? Probably not. When it comes to custom website design and development, you’ll want to ensure your developer has experience matching your project’s requirements.
Yet, the experiences, in this case, should not be the “year.” Ask them about the number of projects and the percentage of which were delivered successfully.
2. What achievement did the projects get?
Development is only one piece of the puzzle, especially on the web, but a well-developed website or online project will undoubtedly produce impressive results. Inquire about the metrics associated with the developer’s portfolio projects. If they cannot provide them, you should look for someone who can.
3. Can you show some examples of your previous work?
A professional developer should have a portfolio or some collection of work to show you. Request examples of their work or links to websites on which they have worked. They should be delighted to provide you with this.
Sometimes, you can ask them for a review from their clients. However, most web projects require them to sign an NDA or information protection, so it might be uncomfortable for them to share contact or allow you to ask their clients directly. This method should be used with consideration.
4. How can you help me reach my goals?
This question to ask a website developer always elicits some intriguing responses. Finally, there is no correct answer, nor should you anticipate anything specific from the developer. However, you should have already discussed your project objectives with the developer, and what they propose to you should be based on those objectives.
Listen for a clear response that directly links what you want to accomplish and how they want to approach your project. If their answer is not goal-oriented, you should consider looking elsewhere.
5. What technology do you use?
There are many technologies to be used in web development, including tech stacks, frameworks, programming languages, and frontend/backend tools. It would be challenging to find someone that knows everything. And to be frank, that person can be a master of none whose skills might not match your needs.
Before hiring, point out all the expertise and skills you need and ask your web developers based on that. For example, if you are looking for a ReactJS Web Developer, ask him about ReactJS. It can be a plus if he also knows other technologies such as NodeJS, AngularJS or something related to ReactJS.
Technology knowledge and skill set are what to look for when hiring a web developer.
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6. What types of web/ web apps have you done for your clients?
It would be best if you collaborated with a website development agency or an individual who has worked on projects like the one you’re proposing.
For example, working with an agency that only builds business sites might not be a good fit if you need an eCommerce website. Alternatively, if you require a WordPress website, you should work with a developer who specializes in that CMS. You may require a full-stack developer or someone specializing solely in backend development.
Whether you’re looking for an API, a mobile app, an extranet, or a website built on a specific platform, try to work with an agency or developer whose previous projects and skills are relevant to your project and needs. This is one of the most important questions to ask a web developer before hiring and further discussion.
7. Before starting web development, what research would you do?
This question will truly separate amateurs from professionals. While many developers will dive in and start building what you request, the best developers will ensure they make the right site and give you consultation when needed.
This research should start with determining your distinct target market, brand image and then progress to represent your brand. What are your objectives? What appeals most to your target market or what distinguishes your brand? All these are necessary for creating a successful website that shows your brand/ business.
8. Can I freely edit my website or web application in the future?
Understanding how much control you’ll have over your website or application while it’s being built and afterward is critical.
If your contract with the agency or developer expires after the website or application goes live, you must be able to make changes and updates yourself. Otherwise, you’ll have to be prepared to pay them to keep the site running.
9. Do you provide maintenance, hosting, security and testing services?
It is critical to define the scope of the agency or developer. Is it just development, or do they also offer hosting, security, and maintenance?
One answer is not always superior to another. With a content management system, you may already have covered hosting, security, and maintenance and only need assistance building the website. Alternatively, you may want an agency to handle everything for you.
In that case, look for a full-cycle development agency or developer and ask them to define it, so you know exactly what to expect.
10. Who will prepare the content?
Typically, you will be responsible for providing the developer with content for your website. However, working with a web development agency with an in-house copywriter is extremely beneficial. The copywriter will be able to correct any spelling and grammatical errors and improve the readability of your website content for your target audience.
The most important reason for hiring a copywriter is to increase the likelihood of your website appearing in Google searches. Of course, it will be expensive, so consider before deciding.
11. Can you do SEO optimization during the development process?
We live in the age of social media and mobile-first indexing. Testing the design on mobile before the launch is critical for development firms to ensure that your content displays correctly on any device.
Websites that are not mobile-responsive risk losing potential customers who prefer to browse on smartphones and tablets.
When looking for a web developer, remember that mobile optimization is essential for success. You might want to ask them about this aspect of expertise.
12. How do you ensure my website responsiveness/ mobile-friendly?
We live in the age of social media and mobile-first indexing. Testing the design on mobile before the launch is critical for development firms to ensure that your content displays correctly on any device.
Websites that are not mobile-responsive risk losing potential customers who prefer to browse on smartphones and tablets.
When looking for a web developer, remember that mobile optimization is essential for success. You might want to ask them about this aspect of expertise
13. How do you make a high-performance website?
Speed and security are two of the most important factors influencing website performance. Slow websites result in a decrease in search engine ranking, a high bounce rate, and the loss of potential customers.
Will you return to an e-commerce site if it takes too long to load? Obviously not.
According to statistics, with an additional 1-3 seconds to load, the chances of bounce rate might increase 32%. This means that testing the speed and security of the site before and after launch is critical, as underperforming sites rarely produce the desired results.
Make sure your developers know what technology to use and how to use it to make a fast-load website. Of course, many factors contribute to this, not just code quality. However, someone with knowledge can consult you on the way.
14. How much will the project cost?
This is one of the most important questions to ask a web developer before hiring. Finding an agency or developer whose pricing is published on their website can be difficult. You should contact the company for an exact cost estimation.
It’s a good idea to revisit the cost after you’ve gone over the project scope and requirements in greater detail. The best agencies and developers will not be the “best” for you if they do not fit within your budget. Pricing is also essential for evaluating and comparing agencies and developers.
15. What are your payment terms?
You want to collaborate with an agency or developer who can work within your budget and timeframe. If they tick all your boxes but need more time to finish the project in the best time frame for your company, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Discussing the timeline of a project before beginning is also important for accountability. It holds you and the agency or developer accountable for scheduling meetings and calls, supplying necessary resources, and meeting deadlines.
16. What is the estimated timeline for this project?
You want to collaborate with an agency or developer who can work within your budget and timeframe. If they tick all of your boxes but can’t finish the project in the time frame that works best for your company, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Discussing the timeline of a project before beginning is also important for accountability. It holds you and the agency or developer both accountable for scheduling meetings and calls, supplying any necessary resources, and meeting deadlines.
17. How will I be involved in the projects? What are my tasks?
Just because you aren’t writing the code doesn’t mean you aren’t involved in the process. After all, this website or application is supposed to represent your brand.
As a result, look for an agency or developer that will hold regular status meetings and provide progress reports and allow you to review wireframes and prototypes throughout the process.
Collaboration software tools can make it simple to provide feedback on the actual website or application, track overall progress, and communicate directly with the agency.
If you are only looking for help in certain parts (design, frontend, backend development, or testing), you need to sort out all the tasks for which each team is responsible. This is to prevent multiple people on the same steps or even forgotten tasks.
18. How do we communicate during the development process?
In any partnership, determining how you will communicate is critical. When working with a web development agency or developer, ensure you’ll communicate throughout the process so you can check in, ask questions, and be aware of any challenges that may affect the timeline or budget.
A red flag is if the agency or developer appears unwilling to establish open lines of communication.
They should also be open to communicating in the ways that you prefer. For example, if you prefer phone calls and meetings and the developer prefers text messages, you two may find it hard to work together for a long time. You’ll probably be better off working with an agency or individual whose communication preferences match your own
19. How will we measure the project’s performance?
In the world of website development, success can be measured using a variety of website metrics, such as:
- Average time on page – The number of time visitors spend on a website.
- Bounce rate – The percentage of website visitors who load one page and then leave without interacting with it or visiting any other pages.
- Conversion rate – The percentage of website visitors who complete the desired action.
If the agency or developer says they measure success by meeting project deadlines and budgets, that’s a red flag. You want them to be able to meet your deadlines and budget and assist you in meeting your objectives, whether they are attracting, engaging, or converting visitors.
20. What monthly deliverables do you offer?
Deliverables are critical for setting client expectations and staying on track regarding scope, timeline, and budget. Deliverables may include the following:
- Project summaries
- Budget statements
- Personas for users
- Audits and competitive analysis
- Wireframes
- Prototypes
No agency or developer should expect to end an introductory call and hand over the finished product the following time you speak. Instead, they should plan to provide monthly deliverables (or whatever cadence you agree upon) throughout the process to ensure everyone is satisfied with the result.
21. What steps are included in your web development process?
Web design and development is a custom-made process that necessitates a distinct approach, expertise, and tailor-made solutions that vary depending on the business. It is not just writing code or placing your logo on the page.
UI/UX web designers effectively highlight your brand identity on your website, attract your target audience, and convert visitors to leads through extensive market research and competitor analysis.
Web developers can be classified as frontend developers, backend developers, or full-stack developers. While some focus on React, others are proficient in Java or C#. The development process should start with planning, creating a wireframe, then testing for bugs.
Ensure that the developer you hire offers custom web development services that inspire your target audience and improve user experience.
22. How many revisions are you willing to do?
Keep in mind this interview question to ask a developer before hiring. The ideal answer to this question is “as many as you need.” Nothing is perfect on the first try, and your developer should be willing to work with you to get things where they need to be, regardless of how long and how many drafts it takes.
23. How many people on your team will work on my website?
If you need help with a specific part, hire someone specializing in that area only. This is easy. But if you need a team with many developers and designers to build your website, remember to ask how many people are in the team.
There is no correct answer for this. It should depend on your project’s complexity. However, there are 6 typical roles in a web development team: project manager, project architect, UX/UI designer, tester, frontend, and backend developer. Learn each role’s responsibilities and skill set in a web development team.
24. Who will have the source code’s ownership?
Precisely, you will own the source code after the project is delivered. However, it still needs to be shared during the development process and in some cases, the maintenance also. Keep in mind this criterion when discussing or making contracts with your developers.
25. What would happen if I wasn’t satisfied with the results?
Remember to ask this interview question to a web developer. You should expect an honest answer, something like: “I’m happy and willing to start the project until all your requirements match.”
Of course, this seems ideal and imaginary. Many things can happen in the process. It’s not always the developer’s fault that the results are not expected. So, it’s best to expect an answer that allows discussion and planning for the next steps other than one that declines all responsibility and ditches your projects.
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Wrapping Up
Choosing a web development agency or developer can be time-consuming and stressful. However, if you know what questions to ask a web developer and web designer before hiring, it can ease the process and ensure that you find the right development partner for your project.