Hiring A Web Developer

hiring_a_web_developer

Web Design Companies & Internet Agencies Can be found everywhere you turn in Vancouver’s downtown core.

Look throughout the lower mainland and you’ll find even more! Now the key, is finding an honest & good web designer that won’t take advantage of you 😉 .

We’ve been building websites and creating marketing plans for businesses in Vancouver, and surrounding areas, since early 2009. One thing we found in common with most business owners was the lack of trust they had in web developers and other ‘sales reps’ telling them they could get them on the first page of google. I don’t blame them either.

We’ve heard every nightmare story you could think of, from businesses losing their domain to a disgruntle web designer in Vancouver, to businesses owners across Canada being charged monthly for a website that they don’t even own not to mention having to wait over 2 months for the smallest changes.

If you own a small to medium sized business, I recommend avoiding companies that charge you monthly to build and manage your website. Most of these companies won’t tell you that they actually own your website and its content. Once you cancel with them, you lose everything. These companies will also try selling you a ‘bundle’ of Internet Marketing products and offer their sales reps up to 50% commissions on what they sell. Think about it for a second, if the rep receives 50%, the company, owners and shareholders need to make money too… How much of your advertising dollars is actually going towards your businesses needs?

If you’re in the market and looking to have a website built, please consider the following and get a second opinion.

For most websites, we recommend building on WordPress. If you ever have a fall-out with the developer, you won’t have any problem finding another developer who can work on your website.

Another great reason for using WordPress is that search engines love it. The code is very clean and its easy for search engines to read.

Related article: The Benefits of using WordPress when building your website.

Here are some questions we feel you should ask when hiring a web developer or internet marketing agency.

Questions to ask when hiring a web developer or internet marketing agency:

      • Could I contact some of your clients?
      • Could I see examples of your work?
      • What is the process of building a website?
      • Will my website be responsive or mobile friendly?
      • Is content included in pricing?
      • Where will my website be hosted?
      • Who will manage my website build?
      • Do you outsource the work overseas?
      • How much do I have to pay upfront?
      • How much will future changes cost?
      • How long will future changes take to implement (depending on the size of change).
      • How long will the entire website development process take?
      • What platform will you be building it on?
      • Will you send me Admin access to my FTP/Cpanel & Website?

Before agreeing to anything or sending payment, always get a second & third opinion, and if you’re still unsure keep looking.

There are several great web development agencies in and around Vancouver that can make this process very easy for you.

Feel free to contact us for a long list of satisfied clients!