A web developer builds your website and provides necessary maintenance to ensure the best performance. That is why for companies that do business in the digital market this is one of the most important hires. Since good web developers expect high salaries and good benefits packages, many smaller startups decide to outsource these tasks to a web development company instead of creating their team in-house.
Searching for a web development agency is not much different from searching for a talented web developer on the job market. In most cases, entrepreneurs need someone who has the adequate experience and at least a few complex web development projects in their portfolio.
Of course, the experience is not the only factor for hiring a good web developer. In this article, we will list some of the most important criteria you should take into consideration when choosing a web development agency or a freelance web developer for outsourcing parts of your business operation.
Apart from web developers, you can also hire web app and mobile app developers. We have already written several guides on this subject. The recent article that deals with web development project budgeting can also be very helpful, as well as the guide for creating websites from scratch, for entrepreneurs who want to save money and take over web development tasks by themselves.
Check the portfolio of the web development agency
Portfolio of the web development agency should be their best marketing tool. It is completely ok if you were attracted by the good-sounding slogan or an interesting banner, but if the agency doesn’t have at least a few big web development projects in their portfolio, you should avoid hiring them.
You should also have in mind that most web development companies and freelancers add only the most successful projects to their portfolio, so you also need to ask them about the other, less successful websites they have created.
Check the references from web development company ‘s portfolio
Every agency should offer at least a few references from previous clients in their portfolio. If they don’t provide you with the clients’ contacts, find them online and politely ask them about the project. In this case, you should never let the web development agency officials know that you contacted their previous clients.
Find online reviews
If you are in contact with the popular web development agency, you will be able to find at least some online reviews. Start from Google and then shift to niche-specific websites. If some review bashes the agency’s work, notify them and give them the chance to explain.
In the portfolio search for websites similar to yours
If you need a web developer for an e-commerce website, search their portfolio for other online stores they have made. If you don’t find them, ask developers about their previous projects in your niche. When choosing the web developer, you should always rely on agencies that have experience with projects that are similar to yours.
Check the employees of the web development company
Employees and entrepreneurs most valuable asset and if you want to make sure that the agency will provide you with the highest level of experience and expertise in the web development field, you will need to check their employees one by one.
Use LinkedeIn for checking each web developer
LinkedIn is the best source of information about individual developer’s experience and education. Since many developers also work as freelancers, you will also be able to find information on Uprwok and other freelance marketplaces. You can check designers on Behance and find niche specific developers’ information on GitHub or some other development community.
Don’t rely only on experience when choosing a web developer
Although the portfolio check took more than a half of our guide, there are also other very important factors you should consider when choosing web developers. You should choose a developer with whom you can form a strong relationship.
Think about it, if you were choosing an in-house employee, the company culture would be one of the most important criteria. In the same way, try to choose agencies and freelance developers who follow the same business philosophy and have a similar mission as your own company.
Check their knowledge with small project
Before hiring a web development agency, for some big project you should check their skills with a small-time project that won’t break your bank. That can be a one-page website for your product or a small update or maintenance task on your company’s web page.
After they finish the project, use it to assess their problem-solving skills, time management and of course the development knowledge. Also, check how creative was their solution, and if there were any problems or delays, assess their ability to communicate them.
Check whether a web development agency follows the latest trends
Web development markets require both companies and freelancers to be informed and to constantly follow the latest web development, design and SEO trends. You should check whether the developers follow the latest trends by reviewing their portfolio, LinkedIn profile, and company blog. If you notice any outdated solutions in their portfolio, give them the chance to explain and ask to show you their latest projects.
Hire slow, fire fast
This is one of the most basic rules of outsourcing. You should take your time when hiring new developers and fire the ones that don’t satisfy your requirements as fast as you can. Sometimes you might fire a good developer, but as an entrepreneur who needs to adapt to the fast-paced digital market, you don’t have time to wait for web development professionals to adapt to your schedule.
Choosing the best web development company for outsourcing your project is necessary for ensuring a smooth cash flow and stable business growth. Virtualspirit offers you elaborate portfolio, strong expertise, and competitive prices. The best way to start is to send us your website idea, and we will assess it and provide you with an ideal plan for conquering the digital market.
