When it comes to creating a website for your business, there are business owners who prefer hiring a freelance web developer over hiring a design firm. One of the most daunting task with working with a freelancer is finding a person who can provide exceptional work at a fraction of the cost.
Communication is also a major factor, you need somebody who can provide the right answers should any questions arise. Here are some tips which I hope will help you find a freelance web developer.
1 - If all possible, try to find somebody who is local. It will give you piece of mind knowing you’re not working with some young kid working from his parent’s basement. Set up a face to face meeting and get to know your web developer, it doesn’t have to be long, just enough time to feel the vibe and see if this is the right person for the job.
2 - If you have no choice but to work with somebody from out of state, ask about their clients and don’t hesitate to contact them for reference. If the developer is unwilling to provide you with any kind of reference, it’s a sign that this person may not be the right one and you need to move on.
3 - Check out their website. Is it appealing to you? Their website represents the kind of work that they will be devoting to their clients. Browse around their site, is it user friendly? Are you able to navigate yourself around at ease?
4 - Check out their portfolio page. A good freelance web developer should have a portfolio page showcasing their past work. You should visit the websites listed on the portfolio page and see the type of work that you might come to expect from this developer.
5 - Contact the developer via email or phone. Ask about the services they offer. Ask for a design quote. Some developers charge by the hour and others charge a flat rate. I myself charge a flat rate, this makes it easy for both myself and the client, and I always ensure them that there aren’t any hidden charges somewhere down the line.
6 - Ask if the developer has a full time job or are they doing freelance work primarily? Ask what their availabilities are. Depending on your website, you may need someone who can update your site at any time of the day.
7 - When it comes down to prices, do your research online and find out what the going rate is for creating a website. Now this rate will depend on the type of website you want. Make sure you know the difference between a static website and a dynamic website. Typically, a dynamic website will cost more because it requires some type of programming.
8 - If the developer has a blog, take time to read it. Depending on what type of blog it is, this may give you some insight on the skills or personality of the developer. Here’s a tip, drop them a comment or a question on their blog and see how fast the response time is.
9 - Ask if they offer any type of package deals. Some developers will offer webhosting and site maintenance for an entire year. If they do, I’d recommend taking advantage of that offer, it may save you some cash in the long run.
10 - Lastly, do not settle. Be particular with who you want developing your website. Work with someone you feel comfortable with. Someone who has the knowledge and experience to perform the job you are looking for. If you do decide to hire a freelance web developer and 1 week into the project, you start noticing their poor work ethic, it’s a good sign that it’s probably not going to work out in the long run.
There you have it, 10 simple tips which I hope you’ll find useful in searching and working with a freelance web developer. Working with a freelancer doesn’t have to be hard if you follow these simple tips.
About the author:
My name is Jon and JBWEBDEV is my web design & development side project. I work full time as a web developer in Houston, TX and I also do many freelance web development work.
Interested in hiring me? Contact me today.
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Hi Jon,
Stephen Law, Freelance Telemarketing Expert here – I think you’re right.
A good freelancer will often be the best at their work, but a fraction of the price of an agency.
Kind regards,
Stephen SL-Freelance
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Awesome post,i have learn more than enough from this post, i can now hire most competent freelancer
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All these tips will be very effective for me to hire a web designer and developer for my new e commerce website soon.
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I’d take the young kid working out of the parents basement over the common breed of arrogant, self-absorbed web designers in their 20s-30s.
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Tim Replied:
June 28th, 2010 at 7:41 am
Kinda agree on that.
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Thank you for another fantastic blog. Where else could I get this kind of information written in such an incite full way? I have a project that I am just now working on, and I have been looking for such information… Regards…
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I need to know the uptime of a site. Also, before choosing a hosting I would like to know its uptime too. Is there any way of checking it independently?
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Freelance web developing is a great way to save money while still getting a quality job on your web development. Just make sure the developer will cater to your needs.
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When selecting a web designer/developer, you should also compare apples to apples. Does the designer understand SEO? What platform will the site run on? Does the designer understand your business goals, etc. Excellent list!
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Jon B Replied:
May 26th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Good points you point out there. Thanks!
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Thanks for the great tips! Checking out the portfolio not only allows you to check what type of work the designer has done, it gives a guage of his/her fees as well. Big clients could usually mean higher fees.
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There are many potential designers in Houston TX, I would love to see your other portfolio if you would please show me. Maybe it makes me interested. Thanks!
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Jon B Replied:
May 21st, 2010 at 6:53 am
Hi, you can see my most recent work at http://www.jbwebdev.com/portfolio
Thanks!
- JB
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nice post, i agree, we have had a few developers that we were not happy with and it is really important to find a trustworthy person to work with.
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