Working email support for a popular WordPress theme developer, I’ve come across a lot of inexperienced design firms that promote themselves as “experts”. With advances in technology, the entry into the web development industry has never been easier. A reality that has created many opportunists trying to make a quick buck. Although it is easier to become a “web developer”, it is now much harder to be a good web developer.
This being the case, not all young web developers are bad. There are a lot of quality web developers that can provide you a great service at a great price. Naturally, everyone must start somewhere and we can’t condemn all newcomers as scam artists. But, how do you determine whether someone is a quality developer or an opportunist looking for a quick buck?
A Couple Things to Keep in Mind
A single person can NOT be an “expert” at everything needed for your web strategy.
If you are reviewing a freelancer that claims to be an “expert” at web development, web design, branding, social media, inbound marketing, and analytics… RUN AWAY! It is a full-time job just staying up to date on one of these topics, this means that anyone claiming to be an expert at them all is most likely a hack at them all.
But this is where the trade off of cost and reward come into play. To truly have experts in all of these areas manage your web strategy you will be spending a minimum of $20,000. So, knowing that you only have a $2,000 – $5,000 budget for your web presence, you must determine what will get you the most bang for your buck. Just keep in mind, people that promise everything will most likely leave you with nothing.
Note: LimeCuda has a team of experts, each well-qualified in their particular niche. Each person also understands the big picture and how the different niches must work together.
Why not get some referrals?
No matter how new someone is to the industry, if they are charging you, they should have some referrals. It is a common thing for people to request referrals from someone providing them with a service. This is a big step for your business, don’t hesitate to find out about the experience others have had with a certain developer.
Review their portfolio
Take a look at the websites in their portfolio and keep a couple of things in mind:
- What kind of businesses do they serve?
- Imagine yourself as that business’s customer, is the site simple and intuitive? Does it draw you in and make you want to do business with them?
If the answer to these questions is no, you might want to look at other developers.
Are you currently looking for a web developer?
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