14 Questions to Ask a Web Developer

Choosing a web development team can be an unfamiliar process. This list was published to make the conversation more concrete for both sides. It is kept here as archive. Some of the tools and timelines reflect the year it was written.

1. Will I own my website?

The only answer you should look for is yes — completely. If you do not already have a domain and hosting, they should be able to set you up and turn the keys over to you.

2. Do you provide hosting services?

Some companies include a few months of hosting and then charge monthly or yearly. Others bundle it. Others will not host at all. Ask what they use, what it costs after launch, and who is responsible when something breaks.

3. Have you created a website like mine before?

Ask whether they have done work in your industry, and to show it.

4. Do you have a portfolio I can look at?

If they have not built something similar, look at the work they have built. Ask how they would approach yours.

5. Do you provide any other services?

Beyond domain and hosting, ask about search, paid search, and content — and get services and prices in a written proposal.

6. How much will I pay for a completed website?

Be wary of anyone who promises a full site and marketing stack for a few hundred dollars. Review pricing in writing.

7. What are the ongoing costs associated with my site?

Design and development are often a flat fee. Content, search, and advertising are ongoing. Ask how those have been handled for existing clients.

8. Which CMS do you utilize?

CMS means content management system. WordPress is the one most people have heard of. In 2013 Lucid recommended it for most brochure and publishing sites, while noting that some work needs another system.

9. Do you offer marketing services for my company?

If they offer SEO or SEM, ask for examples. Be careful with anyone who guarantees exact organic rankings. Search engines change.

10. What happens if I want to make changes to my site?

A proposal should define how many revisions are included, and what a revision means. Unlimited revisions stall projects. None, or too few, leave you stuck.

11. Will my site be responsive?

A responsive site has to work on phones, tablets, and computers. If a developer does not know what that means, look elsewhere.

12. How long will it take to complete my website?

Sites vary. In this article Lucid wrote that a small-business project often took three to six weeks, and that a one-week promise for a real site was not believable. Timeline and revisions belong in the proposal.

13. Will you be providing me with a detailed proposal?

A proposal should include pricing, timeline, contact information, and who will manage the work.

14. How will we communicate during the development of my site?

You should have a phone number and an email. In 2013 Lucid used Basecamp with clients so conversation and files lived in one place instead of a long email chain.