The other day I had a conversation with a friend who had purchased a website elsewhere and was having some frustrations over what he assumed he would get and the product that was actually delivered. With this conversation in mind, I think there are 7 questions (at least) you need to figure out before deciding on someone to build your online business.
Here are the 7 questions, in no particular order:
1. Will the site be build using static html code or a content management system? Static html means that the website is built page by page using html code. This is very search engine-friendly, but if you need to change a menu item or make a change in the global design of the site, you have to change it on every page. A content management system allows changes to be made over the whole site from a central location. Many content management systems also have add-on features that allow the system to perform specific tasks. Examples of content management systems are Wordpress, Drupal, Joomla, the Valitics Platform, or a custom system. The reason it is important to know what you are working with is that some systems allow site owners with limited background in the web to blog and update pages, and some are much more difficult to work with. It all really depends on what your goals are.
2. Is there any upfront planning included in the site? It is often always worthwhile to map out the site structure and content before starting on the build phase. This helps alleviate potential problems and cost down the road. The bigger and more complex the site, the more important this becomes.
3. Is the site search engine-friendly? Everyone will likely say yes, but make sure you are getting keywords and titles that are relevant and researched. Is the designer using the correct length of title tags, are they including meta data, is a sitemap being created and submitted? Is keyword research available? What are the anticipated range of results?
4. What features am I getting or can I upgrade to in the future? Does your site offer blogging, integrated newsletter functionality, forms, e-commerce, frequently-asked questions, etc.
5. Do you provide analytic data? You can't control what you can't monitor. At a minimum, Google analytics or something like it should be set up. But are goals being set up and monitored? Is reporting on analytic data available with actionable recommendations?
6. Can I see previous projects similar to my project? Talk is cheap, ask for something to back it up. Even if a design hasn't done something exactly like your project before, look at past projects to demonstrate the skill and resourcefulness of your potential developer.
7. Can you provide a detailed proposal? Never assume that anything not on the proposal is included and ask any questions before signing. Figuring out what you are paying for up front makes for a better result as the project is completed.
Hopefully these questions help make sense of what is it you are getting with a new website. As a client, it is a great idea to write down your specific requests and goals when meeting with the designer/developer. Be as specific as possible and think of the future of your website. If your business or organization grows, you want your site to grow with it.
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