Selecting a website development platform is something that directly impacts a brand’s image. Choosing a website design is really vital. If a website owner wants to hire a WordPress developer, then he must have many questions about the website’s future. The website owner is trusting on developer and outsourcing work to give what exactly the owner needs. There are tons of developers and agencies that would be happy to help but before choosing potential developer, be sure to ask following questions that would surely help you make the right decision:
1. Years of Experience Do They Have In Developing WordPress Solutions?
Your potential developer has to be experienced enough with different WordPress solutions especially the kind you need as experience is one thing that matters, even more than the knowledge and skills.
2. Expected Details From the Owner?
Your web developer will need to know the basic and detailed idea of the website, your requirements, and your vision or goal with the website. Your web developer will also need to know these specifics for your site
- Advance payment
- Website content, images, and other data.
- Domain and web hosting details
- Terms & conditions (or signing the contract agreement)
3. What Is The Cost Of Development?
After explaining your project, the main question should be the estimated cost of development. The developer will analyze theme creation/purchase, requirements, plugins, and integrations, etc., and give you an estimated cost of the project accordingly. As per your budget, you can then decide to continue with them or not.
4. Will A New Theme be Created or An Existing One Would be Used For My Website?
There are usually three options,
- You can use an existing theme
- Get one created from scratch
- Customize an open theme according to your requirements
Most WordPress firms and/or developers would be willing to create a new WordPress theme for your project from scratch and the cost of the project may vary accordingly. The developer can suggest the best option but the selection depends on owners.
5. Procedure Followed To Develop A WordPress Site?
All developers first analyze your requirements, then build a blueprint, show it to you, choose a theme, and get the development process started. Ask for a testing phase if they don’t provide, to analyze the quality of the final product. The development of a site is a multi-step process that requires multiple persons including a designer, developer, tester, content creator and others. Make sure what you are looking for.
6. Will My Website Be Responsive On All Platforms?
If you wish to utilize the traffic coming from mobile devices, mobile responsiveness is crucial. More and more users are performing basic searches and browsing tasks on their mobile devices. So, ask questions.
7. Complete Ownership Of My Website?
Pen down in contract for 100% ownership of the website once it is completed by developer and you’ve paid for it. You need to ask for all these accesses:
- FTP access
- WP Admin access
- Database access
- Domain and DNS settings access
8. What Kind Of Security Measures Will My Website Have?
WordPress has its own security mechanism that will enable security for your site to protect them against the hack, errors, bugs, content protection, etc, you still need to ask your developer about the added security measures of your website data and applications.
9. Will My Website be Optimize in terms of SEO or Search Results?
The final purpose of a website is to get traffic and generate leads that convert into consumers. If your website is not optimized for search engines this is not possible. Make sure that your WordPress developer knows proper techniques for the on-page optimization for improved search engine ranking results.
10. Can I Add More Functionalities/Features To Website In The Future?
You must confirm with your developer that your website will be adaptable in case if you want to add more features and functionalities to it. And if you may need an e-commerce website in the future, make sure to convey this to your developer.
11. How much Time would it Take to Develop the Website? Will Developer be Open to Make Updations in It for no charge?
Ask for estimated time in completing the work and convey a deadline accordingly. Your developer or development company must be willing to make the necessary changes or updations as and when required initially after the product is delivered to you. Also, confirm with your WordPress developer what kinds of changes are free and what is not. Ask if they would provide after-support, updates, and maintenance for the website which includes testing its code, refreshing the website content, testing for bugs and errors, updating plugins and WordPress to the latest version.
12. Would you Provide Domain and Web Hosting Services too?
Most development agencies also provide domain and hosting services along with their web development services. You require asking your WordPress developer if they provide such services and if it is included in the estimated cost. Or you have the choice to purchase on your own.
13. What if any disaster happens accidentally On My WordPress Site?
Ask the developer/ agency if there is any other way to guarantee data safety, backup and security. Backups are very essential for disaster situations when you inadvertently lose any important website data or delete your website or a database accidentally or if your website is hacked.
14. What Would be The Mode of Communication?
To work smoothly, you need to be able to communicate with the developer easily, so that you can reach them whenever necessary. To ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of the company/developer, you must know how and when to communicate.
Although WordPress is one of the simplest CMS, there still needs to be some basic knowledge of it in order to work properly. If you want a good and effective WordPress site you need to ask even more questions when hiring an apt WordPress developer or development company.