Looking for a WordPress website designer and don’t know where to start? Trying to solve a problem should not bring you a myriad of new challenges; this is why we have prepared today 10 tips for choosing the right web development Gold Coast company, with the best results and completely stress-free:
1. Know what you are looking for
Before asking a WordPress website designer to provide services for your business, you need to ascertain yourself what you are looking for. Understand your own needs before you start looking for a developer.
One of the first questions you need to ask yourself is – do I already have a design or do I need someone who will work on my front end, too? This will make the difference between a back-end developer and a full-stack developer, who can create a website from scratch or handle a complete redesign.
Next, establish the overall goal of your website, as this will enable you to determine the features and functionality you need. Some websites contain just a few pages, such as home page, about us page, contact page and blog, and have a passive website structure, while others are centred around community interaction and will require different functionalities.
When you need to freshen up the layout, look for someone with front-end design experience. On the other hand, if you are looking to include a large number of features, collaborate with a back-end technical developer.
2. Know the person
Would you trust anyone to build a house for you?
Your website is your business’s virtual home, so you need someone reliable to create it.
Find a real person instead of handing your project to an unknown online service. Although it is a good practice to meet face-to-face with your website designer Gold Coast, it can be perfectly okay if you are having a phone call or a Skype chat to introduce yourselves. Many developers work remotely and even WordPress as a company does not a physical office and its employees are distributed everywhere across the globe.
Make sure the developer is able to answer all your answers and demonstrate he or she is experienced, in person or online, before proceeding further.
3. Check company portfolio
A web development Gold Coast company’s portfolio is a great way to gain access to the type of projects their team can deliver. A reliable developer will give you access to their past work, such as links to live websites or a section on the company’s website with details of past projects and a gallery of screenshots. The second type of portfolio is preferred by many developers because it allows them to present their projects exactly as they delivered them. Live sites can be subject to changes made by customers, and these changes can put the developer in a bad light.
4. Choose someone with relevant expertise
No two websites are alike. One of the easiest types of websites is the business brochure website, which does not require any expertise beside general experience with WordPress development.
However, if your business needs a project narrower in focus, look for a WordPress developer Brisbane with experience in your project’s area. Even if any quality company should be able to figure how to create a niche website, choose an agency or developer with specific expertise that will have deeper insights into your specific activity. For instance, one of the niches that Visual Marketing Australia is specialised in is medical websites – and our approach consists of combining web development with marketing packages to attract high-value patients.
5. Understand developer’s approach
Have you just interviewed a WordPress website designer? You should be able to tell the company’s or contractor’s modus operandi when working on a client project.
Clients who have no clue on where to get started prefer a brainstorming session first. If you are this type of customer, make sure your developer of choice handles strategy and design as well as the engineering part.
Others have an exact idea of what they want and just need someone to make their vision a reality, so they will prefer a different process. They will expect a web development company to understand exactly what they need, follow instructions, and deliver.
6. Check the size of the team
The world of WordPress development companies is a diverse place.
On the one hand, you have freelancers working solo or giving some of the extra work to a friend or a sub-contractor. On the other hand, there are those massive agencies with dozens of employees that handle a large number of projects.
In terms of customer-company interaction, a solopreneur or a smaller development agency offers the benefit of developing a personal relationship between the customer and the team. In larger agencies you’ll almost certainly work through an account manager.
A solution in-between is often preferred by most businesses, as a medium-sized team has the set of skills and time resources for delivering a complex project in a relatively short amount of time. At the same time, they will manage to ensure that personal touch that some customers search for.
7. Ask for references
How do you identify a suitable WordPress development company?
We already know that the majority of people research products and services online, but they are reluctant to make a decision without also having a reference from a friend. A professional WordPress developer can easily provide real customer testimonials and references. If you are not able to talk to a satisfied customer directly, you can also check online reviews on Facebook and Google – forging online reviews on these two major websites is very difficult and you can count on their authenticity.
8. Ask about other skills besides WordPress
Just having someone to create a website for you does not ensure a strong online presence. Soon after your website is live, you will find yourself searching for website marketing Gold Coast services.
Ideally, you should find a developer than can also assist with complementary services aside from making sure your website is always up to date and uses responsive web design. A well-established and experienced digital marketing agency such as VMA can provide a variety of services aside from web development: online video advertising, email marketing solutions, search engine optimisation, digital marketing, mobile app development, CRM systems integration, social media marketing, graphic design and branding, web hosting, and promotional products. Determine what additional services are vital for your business and choose a WordPress website designer or agency that can provide them to you.
9. Ask about maintenance
Having your website designed on WordPress or any other platform is more than just a one-time project. Development companies should provide ongoing service plans and updates in case you want to improve your website content or add new functionality. And you will definitely want to do this! Customers can immediately sniff a website that looks years old and dismiss it as old stuff. Without constant improvement and upgrades on your website, your business will not be credible and potential customers will run away from you the minute they see your outdated designs.
What you need to avoid too is companies that are only interested in building your website and not offering an ongoing support. A reliable and professional web developer will be available to provide continuous support because this ensures complete customer satisfaction and gives them repeat business.
10. Understand your responsibility
No expert WordPress website designer is able to create that stunning website of your dreams without your help. The last piece of advice takes us to the first one, “know what you are looking for”, and closes the circle. Our last tip refers to the fact that you should know exactly what you are responsible for and what the development company is responsible for. In other words, what information do you need to provide to move the project forward? You may be responsible for supplying content or materials for the copywriter, submitting photos, and providing certain details on your expectations from the final result.
Hiring the right WordPress website designer is a big decision because you are choosing your partner in creating your virtual home. Our tips can help you choose a partner that will set you up for success. Whether it’s us or a different agency/developer, we wish you the best of luck!
