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Hiring the right web development company is the most important decision you will make in developing a long-term Internet marketing strategy. With this in mind, Impend Technologies has created a free paper called "How to Hire the Right Web Development Company".
The guide leads you through the entire process of creating an Internet, Intranet or Extranet site, and the questions you should be asking potential web designers about each project. You'll also receive some great tips on the latest thinking in site navigation, design, search engine strategies and web technologies, so you can ensure your web designers are creating a winning website for you.
To view this free guide, simply select one of the options below.
1. PDF Version (31 K)
2. Online Version
By Impend Technologies
www.impend.com
It's not hard to believe that a lot of people set out on the road to building a website with the notion that since everybody else has one, they should too. But you'll get a lot more mileage out of your website if you first think carefully about why you want it and what you wish to achieve from it.
The main objectives should be to:
 Give information to visitors
Sell products/services
Create an efficient working environment
Make it easier to do business with suppliers/clients
To achieve the objectives above, you need to find a web developer who will take the time to learn everything possible about your company-your short- and long-term strategies, your products and services, your corporate culture, and your customer base. Get recommendations from people you trust, and then narrow down the list to two or three top candidates. Then, be sure to ask them the following questions:
Will you commit to us for the long-term?
Since you are going to be working closely with the people who design and produce your website, the relationship you build with this company is vital. As with any partner, it is of no benefit for a company to design your website and then walk away with your check. Be sure that the company is committed to working with you even after the initial project is completed.
It should be obvious from the onset that they have an eye on the future and that anything currently in your site can be expanded later on if you decide to add extra information or functionality. This means that you need a strong personal connection with your development company, as the relationship may well last years, instead of just months.
Do you have experience in our industry?
Everybody's market is different and holds specific challenges to any developer. If the developer has already produced sites with a given market sector, then it is likely that they already know a lot about your business and how your market operates. While it is not imperative, the proper experience can smooth the development process, generate better ideas and enhance the potential for a more robust final product.
Can we see your portfolio?
Do you look for references before hiring your employees? Of course you do. Well, for a development company these references are the portfolio of sites they have already executed. The company should provide you with several links to sites that they have already developed. They may not have an exhaustive list, but make sure that they show you actual work and that you are happy they can deliver the same for your company.
Can you provide us with references?
Apart from checking sample sites, contact the customers that the development company has worked for. Even if clients 'talk up' a supplier, that can be a good sign, for it certainly means that the client has enough trust in the developer to endorse them to you. Asking about any extra efforts that the company went to and about particular problems that they resolved will give you a more comprehensive picture than just looking for general comments.
Do you have the latest technological capabilities?
If you are intending to do more than have a 'brochure' presence on the web, it is important that the development company you select have a sufficiently large in-house development team to handle any extra requirements. If you think you may need technology such as HTML, Java and Flash, be sure that your development company has the proper programming skills and experience. And don't just take their word for it-ask to see examples.
What is your philosophy on branding?
Your brand and your message may already be well supported in your offline media publications, from brochures to business cards. Your web development partner should be able to deliver that same communication across the Internet media just as successfully. If you want just one company to deal with your entire Internet strategy, then experience in branding and corporate identity is essential.
Once you have hired your web developer, it is important that you know how to communicate your needs to them. Knowing the language of web strategy and design will help immensely with this effort. Whether your web strategy is to have a simple Internet presence or to eventually put your whole business process online, talk about the following issues with your developer before the project even starts.
Building to a Target Audience
The most successful corporate websites start with a thorough understanding of who the company's audience is and how and why they use its website.
If you do not already know, try to find out as much as possible about your target audience. To start, see if you can make assumptions about the type of computer they may be using. For instance, if your site serves as a resource for smaller businesses, you may need to allow for the fact that they use older monitors. In that case, your web developer would need to design your site to be optimized for smaller screens.
Your target audience will also give you a good idea as to the types of browsers you should design for. For example, the majority of consumers use Internet Explorer, while businesses often use a mix of Explorer and Netscape Navigator. These different browsers require distinct programming, so your developer should be made aware of what you expect. If you are not sure what type of browser your audience uses, consider buying a program like Web Trends, which will give you a detailed report of the types of browsers-including their versions-that your visitors are using.
The demographics and psychographics of your audience should also play a part in both the navigation and content of your site. For example, IT professionals will want to quickly locate your product information. In this case you should try to meet those expectations by providing simple, easy navigation along with short paragraphs to help them get to the immediate information they need.
Alternatively, if you run a very trendy online clothing outlet for twenty-something's, their expectations may well run toward flashy graphics with animation and navigation which would not make sense to people outside their peer group. The younger web visitor will probably put up with less meaningful navigation if the general experience of visiting the site reflects current trends in graphics and style.
In short, knowing your audience, their needs and expectations and designing your site accordingly will make your site that much more successful.
Architecture and Navigation
Website architecture is important when considering the usability of a site. The architecture of any website should be likened to a bicycle wheel structure where there is a central hub (opening page) connecting all the spokes (site branches). The site should be laid out smartly for use in either general browsing or for a user looking for something specific.
Clear navigation is critical. A good web developer will not start designing without a clear site map and a good plan as to how the content will be delivered through the site. Many sites suffer from poor use of links from start to finish. The result is a 'hidden treasures' syndrome, with many useful and interesting sections buried in the site and obviously inaccessible. Some sites fall into the trap of having ever-changing index bars on each page aggravating this problem further.
So before a single page is designed, make sure you've got a clear, easy-to-use site that your visitors will find logical and helpful. All the pretty colors in the world will not mask a badly navigated site.
Web Technology
Before you meet with your web developer, you should be armed with basic web terminology to ensure the key technical elements of your site are being produced properly. Below is a list of some key technologies that you may hear of during the development of your website.
Flash
This program allows designers to create and produce animations and multimedia (e.g. audio and video) items on Internet. Its use is gaining huge momentum, but make sure your developer understands the pros and cons of using this technology. For a target audience mostly using dial-up connections, instead of high-speed cable modems or DSL, Flash can be a deterrent.
JavaScript
JavaScript is a programming language. In general, script languages are easier and faster to code in than the more structured and compiled languages such as HTML. Script languages are very useful for shorter programs, such as:
Automatically changing a formatted date on a Web page
Generating a linked-to page in a popup window
Causing text or a graphic image to change when it is rolled over by your cursor
Security
If you are an e-commerce business, you must deliver the highest levels of trust and security so your customers can be certain that your site is genuine, and that the information they send you via Web browsers, and other devices stays private and confidential.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)
This is the leading security protocol on the Internet used for online transactions, such as e-commerce. You will know that a transaction is secure by the 'lock and key' icon displayed at the bottom of your web browser. With this type of security, personal and financial information is prevented from being stolen by unauthorized individuals during an online transaction.
Search Engines and Directories
Most people using the web take advantage of search engines to look for information they requested. If your website is going to be noticed, it has to be found by these search engines. To do this, your web developer has to make sure that your site is registered with the leading search engines and directories available, such as Yahoo, MSN, Alta Vista and Google. There a quite a few ways for a good web developer to get your website noticed. A few of these are listed below.
Meta Tags
These are used to place key words and descriptive phrases into your web pages to help encourage search engines to index your site more effectively. Try to think of words and phrases which people would be likely to type into the search box of a web search engine or directory to find your kind of business (e.g., for the hotel industry you might include "hotels," "hotels in San Francisco" or "San Francisco hotels" among the meta tags).
ALT Tags
These are descriptions you can attach to images on a web page. When a visitor hovers over an image with their mouse, a descriptive line pops up automatically with either the name or description of the image. Some search engines use these when they are indexing your pages for inclusion.
Above the Fold
Use your company name in the 'above the fold' information on the page. Some search engines will read in the first part of your web page to look for words that will give you extra relevance on the search listings. Keep these words and phrases towards the top half of your page to help increase your site's relevance.
We hope that use of this guide has served to remove a lot of the mystery surrounding website development. Arming yourself with this knowledge will help to ensure that you hire the right developer, and that your web development project runs smoothly.
Impend Technologies is very interested in being your web developer. If you would like to learn more about how Impend can leverage the web to improve your business, we would be happy to provide you with a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Impend Technologies
226 E. Canon Perdido, Suite H
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: 805.966.2649
Email: inform@impend.com
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