Your website is the first interaction many clients will have with your company. It’s the first, and possibly, last impression they get. In a fast-paced, clickbait world, your site needs to be as appealing as possible to gain and maintain a potential client’s attention and keep it. A website developer is the team member who makes all of it possible. That said, the person you hire to develop your site is crucial to your business. Whether you’re the developer, or you outsource the job, you need to know the role of a website developer to determine whether that is a job for you or someone else.
Who is Involved in a Website’s Creation?
A website developer is a professional who specializes in creating and maintaining websites. They are responsible for designing, coding, testing, and launching sites that meet the needs of their clients or organization. The job of a website developer involves various skills, including programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript or web development frameworks and content management systems. They also need to have knowledge of web design principles, user experience (UX) design, and search engine optimization (SEO). Website developers may work as freelancers or as part of a team or IT department. They may also specialize in different areas of web development, such as front-end or back-end development, e-commerce, or mobile optimization. However, there a website designer and an application programmer may also be involved in this process.
What’s the Difference?
While the roles of a designer, developer, and application programmer overlap may somewhat overlap, there are some significant distinctions:
- A website designer is responsible for the visual appearance of a website and its usability. They work on the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, colors, and fonts to create visual appeal. They may also design wireframes, mockups, and prototypes to help clients visualize the website before development.
- A website developer is responsible for building the website based on the design and functionality requirements. They work on the coding and programming of the website using languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and various frameworks systems. They ensure the website is responsive, fast, and compatible with different devices and browsers.
- An application programmer, or a software developer, is responsible for building software applications run on various platforms. These include desktop, mobile, or web platforms. They work on the programming and coding of the application, designing the architecture, features, and functionalities. They use programming languages such as Java, Python, or C++. They may work on different stages of the software development lifecycle, including testing, debugging, and maintenance.
In summary, a website designer focuses on the visual and user experience design of a website. A website developer focuses on the coding and functionality of a website. An application programmer focuses on building software applications.
What Website Type Will Fit My Business?
With so many website options available, where would you even start? Take a look at these four types and determine which may best fit your business:
Drew states that ALL websites should have some way to generate leads. This is the lifeline of how your business will grow.
I’ve Picked a Website Type. What’s Next?
As the old saying goes “There’s more than one way to skin a cat,” It is the same way for website development. Once you have settled on the type of site you need, then you will need to determine the tool you will use to make it happen. The door is wide open when it comes to website options. Many people use sites such Do-It-Yourself tools like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify. Other business owners opt for utilizing a freelancer. WordPress has pres-designed template themes or you can opt for a customized design. Finally, there is the option to make a greater time and financial investment into an advanced program site.
When Should I Outsource Website Development?
It may be difficult to determine when to tackle website development yourself or when to hire outside of your company for this service. If you are starting out, or if your company is a side hustle, Drew has some great advice: make your own site. Put your company out there so you can get noticed. It will cost anywhere from $5000-$15000 to have a quality site made. You may not be able to put out that much money towards a website for a startup or side-gig. However, you will eventually get to the point where your company is growing and you will need to outsource your site. If you have a growing to mid-size business, you definitely need to outsource your marketing.
Why Should I Outsource?
Outsourcing your marketing can be a cost-saving move for you. Drew points out that you can expect to spend anywhere from $36,000-$100,000 when hiring his company, Escape Plan Marketing, to fulfill your marketing needs. While you may think that is a significant amount, you will actually spend more money to hire, train, and retain an employee than it will to outsource to a smaller, boutique marketing company. That doesn’t include all of the subscriptions and equipment you will purchase. You may also STILL need to outsource some services. 8% of your gross sales should be committed to the marketing portion of your budget. One part needs to go to outsourcing to a marketing agency. Another part needs to go towards other marketing expenses. If you are a company making over $1,000,000, you should have a large marketing firm or your own employee who solely does marketing.
Action Tip:
Go take a look at your own company website. Whether you built it, someone in your company manages it, or you got the kid next door to do it. Take a good, hard look at your website to make sure it communicates who you are, inspires trust, and gets conversions.
Is your website doing what you need to help your company be successful? If you don’t know what to look for, reach out to us. Click here to book a free Discovery Call and see how we can help.
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