Printer-friendly version These days, a company just isn't a company unless it has a home on the Internet. But creating (or refurbishing) a Web site is a challenging task, and unless you have a team of Internet-savvy designers on your staff, you probably don't have the in-house resources necessary to create an eye-catching site. If that's the case, you're going to have to find a Web developer to design and create your site -- and that's a mission that sounds much easier than it actually is. There are literally thousands of Web developers in today's marketplace. So how do you find one that's right for you? Armed with specific questions to ask and particular items to look for, your search can be much less painful and is more likely to yield positive results -- and an effective, well-designed Web site. Finding the Right Web Developer Before starting the search for the perfect Web developer, you need to assess your company's needs. Perhaps the easiest way to achieve this is to ask yourself what you are looking to accomplish through your Web site. Does your company plan to use its Web site as little more than an online brochure, or will it be a comprehensive e-commerce system with ever-changing content and built-in inventory tracking? "As a client, you should forecast your short- and long-term needs," says Jason Yim, the president and creative director of Media Revolution, a design firm that creates multimedia projects and Web sites. "Examples of potential needs are branding, strategy, research, design, front-end development, back-end development, testing and maintenance. First, decide what immediate requests you'll have for a developer. Then have in mind what the vendor could be delivering the next quarter, year, five years, etc. Finally, determine what services you will never need from a vendor. Knowing what you don't want from a vendor can be as useful as knowing what you do want." Bruce Carlisle, the president and CEO of SF Interactive, a company that provides interactive marketing services ranging from online advertising to full-service Web site development, agrees, adding that many companies haven't thoroughly considered what they want to accomplish through their site. "There's a significant phase of a project -- as much as 20 to 30 percent -- that involves scoping out what the project is supposed to do," says Carlisle. "There's a lot of education involved, and people don't precisely understand what they're paying for." It's integral that a company understands not only what it wants to do now, but also what it plans to do with its Web site six to 12 months down the road. "Startup companies can ramp up quickly; if they aren't prepared, there will be problems," says Michelle Alt, marketing communications manager at Synapta, which specializes in helping Internet startup companies get up and running. "Many companies don't invest enough in front-end technology. They don't take the time to spend money on the front end, so in the end they need to start from scratch because they've chosen a technology that is not scalable. Many companies are not willing to invest in tech early on." Expert advice: Understand your company's strategy. "The first thing that we recommend is that you have an established brand that you believe in," says Dennis Bajec, creative director of interactive services for Resource Marketing, Inc., a technology marketing and communications firm. "That's a big sticking point with us. Many startups haven't thought through their strategy yet. Make sure you have a few primary things that you believe in before you have your site." Once you've determined what you want to accomplish through your Internet presence and the range of services you'll likely require, it's time to start searching for someone to handle the process. Because of the overabundance of Web developers in the marketplace, a good way to start is to visit Web sites that you already like. If a particular site catches your eye while surfing the Internet, check to see if the designer is listed anywhere on the site. Also, ask around -- referrals are a wonderful way to uncover qualified Web developers. When evaluating a Web-development company, a good first step is to check out their own site. (It's safe to assume that if the developer's site is poorly designed, you probably should take your business elsewhere.) Browse their online portfolio, paying close attention to the following factors: Design. Is the design pleasing to the eye, or is it an overwhelming mish mash of flashing graphics, unattractive fonts, and gratuitous animations? "A lot of people are trying to overload the front page with too much information -- because they're afraid they're going to lose users -- instead of establishing a visual hierarchy of info," says Bajec, pointing to the familiar Web-portal model as an example. "We suggest picking one or two things out that key on the products or businesses, and let them lead you into the site." Keep in mind that an unprofessional Web design will make your whole company appear unprofessional. Also, when viewing a developer's portfolio, does each site have its own unique theme, or does it appear as if they've been built using a pre-formatted template? Companies that crank out cookie-cutter sites usually have limited expertise in overall Web development. Navigation. Users who know nothing about your business should be able to make their way throughout your site with relative ease, so make sure your developer has a knack for navigation. Is it easy to get to different sections of the site, or does it seem like you have to jump through hoops to find information? As a general rule, it should take no more than three clicks for you to find what you're looking for. "Tailor the design experience with the audience in mind," advises Bajec, "and set up a plan where users come in and test the site." Speed. Not everybody has a high-speed DSL connection, so be wary of companies that use several large graphics on a page. Internet surfers are not the most patient lot -- if a page takes too long to load, they're liable to visit another site instead of waiting around for yours to load. You may want to browse sites in the developer's portfolio using a standard dial-up connection to see how quickly -- or slowly -- the pages load. Browser Compatibility. When you visit the Web site, are you asked to choose another browser, or does the site look bad on the browser you're using? Look at the site using multiple Web browsers. A good developer will be able to construct a Web site that is compatible with all browsers and operating systems. With your needs identified and your list of prospective Web designers in hand, you're ready to meet with them in person to begin the screening process. This is an important step, because it will provide you with a first-hand look at how their team will interact with yours. Look for developers who show a genuine interest in your needs, your customers' needs, your goals, and your overall vision of your future site. Be wary of developers itching to sell you some sort of Web "package" from the outset; they will probably be more interested in customizing your project to meet their specifications instead of the other way around. Carlisle also suggests that startup companies in search of Web designers and developers look for partners with special characteristics. "Startups should be looking for raw talent and a willingness for partners that roll with the punches and can be flexible," says Carlisle. "If you're in a startup environment, things change really fast. Frequently, you have to break the rules." When meeting with your prospective Web-development partners, be sure that you walk away with the answers to the following questions: How Much Is This Going to Cost? You may find that pricing structures differ significantly from company to company, because individual developers often use different pricing structures. "There's an awful lot of sticker shock in the industry," admits Carlisle. Hourly rates for Web design could run as low to $25 to well over $150, depending on experience level and reputation of the developer. There will likely also be separate rates for HTML coding, Java programming, and back-end architecture. "The cost of a project can literally range from virtually nothing to $3 million to $4 million," says Carlisle. "Having a general idea of a budget will help eliminate potential vendors quickly," adds Yim. "Many developers have minimum project sizes or some may not have worked on so large a project. Both situations can be good reasons to eliminate a vendor." Expert advice: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. As tempting as it may be, don't be swayed by developers who promise everything under the sun for a lower price. "A company that says they'll do [your site] for cheaper and faster and it'll still look as good? That's probably not going to happen," advises Yim. Adds Carlisle: "In this industry, you do get what you pay for." Will You Be Able to Meet Our Deadline? Missed deadlines can cost your company thousands of dollars in failed opportunities. If you need to have your site completed by a certain date, be sure that is discussed right away. "Create a deadline for the final delivery based around a real need," advises Yim. "If the date is arbitrary, note it as such, as time constraints significantly affect the development process and the end product. You cannot reduce the time allotted and still keep the same level of quality and expect the budget to remain the same" "If you're a startup company with strict time-to-market goals, you'll have a tougher time finding the right partner," adds Alt. "It isn't an easy implementation that just takes a couple of days." Spell out the deadline in the contract, and arrange for the developer's fee to be reduced every day the project is late. While development of the average site takes about three months, it is not necessarily unrealistic to have your site up and running in as few as four weeks, as long as you're willing to pay a premium -- and sacrifice some bells and whistles -- in exchange for rapid deployment. Expert advice: If at all possible, don't rush things. It is strongly advised that you not rush the development of your Web site. "Creating an effective and successful Web site is a serious undertaking, and you should allow plenty of time for each step in the process," says Yim. "Even though the world seems like it works at Internet speed, you're building a business, and building a business takes time. Building a Web site is the same thing, and you should look at building a Web site with real-world parameters in mind. You can't expect that you can build something great in just a month to a month-and-a-half." How Can I Make Sure We're On The Same Page? In addition to strategic brainstorming sessions and project planning, your Web developer should keep you involved throughout the development process. "We have review cycles throughout the whole process," says Bajec. "There are typically modules that you're designing, and we have client signoff at each one of those points." Bajec also suggests that clients should observe user-testing sessions to make sure that visitors are using the site properly. Of course, in order to determine whether your designers understand your needs, you're going to need to know who your designers actually are. It is advised that you meet the team that will be working on your project, not just the team that closed the deal. "It is important to assess the people who will actually work on your project as opposed to just the sales team," says Yim. "Be aware of the 'bait and switch,' where high-level personnel are used to close a deal but end up not working on your project. Make sure their process and schedule at least incorporates the input from those personnel. "Once the job begins, the teams will be in constant contact -- often through stressful times," adds Yim, "so look out for clashing personalities." Can I Talk To Some Of Your Past Clients? Regardless of how intently you've reviewed your developer's online portfolio, ask for additional samples of their work, and contact some of their former clients for information. It is extremely important that the developer provide you with references, and you should check them thoroughly. Make sure the developer kept former clients in the loop during the entire process, and find out if they paid close attention to past customers' desires. "For the first three years, we were growing based on referrals only," says Yim, underscoring the value of checking references. "We didn't do any proactive sales." Yim also says that in addition to references, vendors should be willing to provide creative samples of past work, technology samples, and an explanation of their production process. Who Manages The Site Once It Goes Live? Unless you have an in-house person to take care of such details, someone will have to handle site updates, such as managing the back end, adding new pages, and revising content. "One common problem is that the appropriate team to manage the site is not often selected. They get their brother-in-law who knows a little HTML to manage the site," says Alt. "It's much better to outsource and get experienced technologists. You don't have time to be screwing around to practice if something works. You'll either hire an awesome team on your own, or you outsource to someone who has the experience." Find out if your developer provides ongoing site maintenance, and see if their maintenance schedule meets your company's needs. Also, be sure to have ongoing maintenance charges spelled out in the contract. Tip: Explore your options. When looking to outsource Web-development assignments, many companies assume they need to find a single firm to handle all aspects of a project. While that solution may seem the most convenient, it may be more appropriate to hire multiple firms to fulfill multiple needs. "Specialized firms are built around a core service and are therefore much better at that service than a firm that offers everything," says Yim. However, keeping multiple firms on the same page can become a project-management nightmare. Therefore, Yim advises that one firm should be selected to lead the project. "The lead firm should be the single point of contact and accountability," he says. Originally published on Startups.com.  Back to top  Small Office Technology Technology has made it simpler than ever to manage mundane business tasks, and many affordable products and services can boost productivity for even small offices and home-based businesses.  Stern: Sound and Pictures Howard Stern has the most popular morning radio show in the nation, his books are best sellers, his autobiographical film played to packed houses, and his cable television show is the highest-rated program on the E! channel. Is it too much?  Network Design Basics Once found only in large organizations, networks have become so common in small- to mid-sized businesses that few can operate efficiently without one. 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