A lot goes into creating a perfect website. Starting from the basic inputs like colors and layout, to more complex parts like functionality and behind the scenes inputs (read: coding)- there is a lot of hard work and brainwork that goes in building even a simple static website. Not to forget the initial budget and strategy mapping on the client’s end.

In the last few years, there has been a huge shift towards professional web development. More and more companies are opting for website development experts who would assist them in creating something attractive that works out of the box. Reasons vary - from previous time engagements to lack of backend development abilities; not a lot of us are coding geniuses.

In short, we all want a beautiful and functional website; after all, it’s going to represent our brand; our hard work. You need to work closely with the web developers to ensure credibility, functionality and later on, conversions. But, that’s all for later.

Seeing how you are going through this article, it’s safe to say that you have decided to jump the professional assistance ship. (Good choice!! Investing on a good website is always the best bet). But, before you go ahead and actually invest, we would like you to ponder over these points (after all, website development is doesn’t come cheap!):

1. Have you prepared a personal investment roadmap?

Actually, this should be the first step before you make any investment decision - share market, education, web development or anywhere else.

Do a market research. Sit down and sort out your priorities. Be honest with yourself and your partners. If this investment can wait, you can always postpone it. Jumping headlessly into an engagement without prior financial plannings is definitely not required. Life happens, we all know that.

No, we didn’t tell you this to scare you off. It’s actually a part of business. There are good days, there are bad ones. But for your investment to luck out, you need a proper roadmap. After all, Luck never gives; it only lends.

If you are planning your investment roadmap for the first time, fret not! Sketch out your end-term goals and risk tolerance, balance them with your personal investment plans and then, if it seems feasible enough, go on with the development plans.

2. What features are you looking for?

Second on the checklist is the features that you want on your website. Many of you would like to have a content-based platform, while others might like something dynamic; requirements differ with each organization. Website development is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ type of arena. Add in the ever-changing technology scenario and the need to stay up-to-date to ensure customer engagements, and taking a professional help looks like a more saner option.

Knowing what’s right for you and your customers is something every organization requires. Learn to distinguish between ‘need’ and ‘want’. You may want an animated website with numerous sliders when all you need is a functional website with easy navigation and product portfolio. The former could always be applied after you have established your brand, honestly.

If you already own a website and are looking to enhance its functionality, ask yourself questions like: What are you focusing on? Do you need your website to bring in more traffic or do you want to focus on speed? Do you need to change your Content Management System for an improved performance?

3. Now calculate your costs.

Next step is calculating the overall costs.

Buying a domain name and hosting services will cost you a fixed amount, that’s assuming it’s a fresh start for you. Additionally, your investment in a complex website suiting your needs will, of course, be much greater than a simple content-based website. Such websites require a plethora of coding to enable interactive features like multi-tier login systems, database management systems and more.

Then comes the ongoing costs- we just can’t expect a website to run smoothly without any updations and maintenance. Even a Bugatti Chiron requires yearly maintenance sessions.

4. The RIGHT Developer

The last but not least on the list is choosing the RIGHT developer. Yup, not just a web developer, the correct one. Now, we are not talking about someone with extraordinary skills and a 40 years experience (which would be like finding a duck in the deserts, impossible). You need to look for a developer that would suit your requirements perfectly; give you a beautiful looking static website if the requirement says so.

So, how do you know that this particular developer or web development company is the one?

Let’s be of help. We have tackled several requirements in the span of 15+ years of our existence and that too with absolute perfection. Here’s the list of questions you could ask your potential developer:

• Are they willing to do remote work? (considering you require dedicated work and this company is located offshore)
• What is the list of clients they have worked with? (Then, sort out the clients that had similar requirements to yours and assess the work)
• What are the developer’s skills? (A resume could help you tackle this part)

While we can’t help you in the ultimate decision making, hope these points would guide you through the initial phase of website development. After all, we want you to make an informed decision!

If you have any other queries, you can drop us a line below- we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!!