People who design web pages professionally are typically referred to as Web Developers. Finding a good web developer is much the same as finding any good service, you must shop around and compare prices. Inspecting samples of work can help you to choose the right developer for your web site.

What does a Web Developer do?

• Web Server Hosting & Domain Registration

Your web pages need to have an Internet address and somewhere to reside. If you haven't researched these possibilities, your web developer will assist you in making the right decisions.

• Requirements Analysis

Your web developer will need to know what kind of information you would like to display on your web site and how you would like it to be displayed. You don't need to know anything about web development to discuss these topics, you simply need to know what advertising function your web pages will perform for your particular business.

• Design & Coding

Once your web developer has an idea of what kind of information you would like to display on your web site, they can begin the design phase. Generally, an outline of the design will be presented for your inspection, showing the layout, colours, text fonts and graphics that will be used in the final design.

The design and code phases of web development are cyclic. This means you may have to inspect the design a number of times before the development project is completed. Between inspections, additional coding will be written to reflect the changes you desire.

• Progress Reports

A proficient web developer will provide you with either visual or written progress reports on a regular basis. Progress reports are used to both update you with the development of your web site and to keep you informed of any changes. They can also be of benefit when calculating the cost of a development project.

• SSL or Email Ordering

If your business has a service or product you may wish to offer on-line, some type of ordering system will be required. Your web developer can assist you in making an informed decision about which will suit your particular needs and budget. 

SSL (or more simply - Secure Ordering) is by far the more expensive approach to on-line ordering, while Email Orders are generally more effective and inexpensive by comparison.

• Marketing Strategies

Once your web site has been developed and uploaded to the Internet, you may wish to discuss idea's on how to market it. There are a number of ways to market a web site and research will be required in order to ascertain the best possible solution for your business. Your web developer can also assist you in this area.

What are the costs and how are they paid?

Each web developer will have their own costing structure and payment technique. Some will require a deposit before commencing work on your web site, while others may happy to receive a payment per page (or per group of pages). Larger web development businesses may require a total payment at the commencement of work.

Paying per page is most likely the most beneficial for small to medium sized businesses. This technique allows you to go ahead with web development in stages, rather than having to pay for it in one lump sum. It also allows you to monitor the progress of the site and the freedom to change web developers early in the project if you aren't happy with the work.

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