How to Choose a Website Developer

How to choose a website developer

A key question every business owner faces is whether to build a website themselves using DIY tools or hire a professional web developer.

It is a fantastic question, and obviously I am biased. I believe you should choose a developer to build your website, you can see how I approach website development in Derby, and here is why.

Customise your website

While platforms offer drag-and-drop functionality, true flexibility often comes with a price tag. Added plugins and monthly fees mount up quickly. I am not saying these platforms are inherently too expensive; I am just highlighting that costs climb as you look for more functionality and design control. If you want an element placed in a specific spot and the builder won't let you, you end up having to settle.

That is where I come in. You can be specific down to the pixel if that is what you want. I will build your website your exact way. I work with clients who need that level of granularity, and that is precisely what I offer. When talking to a web developer, make sure this level of customisation is available. If it is not, look elsewhere. You are paying for a service, and you should be entitled to it.

A cost-comparison study by WP Troubleshoot tracking two real client builds over 12 months found that a WordPress site's true first-year cost reached $502 once hosting, a premium page builder, a caching plugin, a premium theme, and a one-off developer fee to fix a plugin conflict were all included. That total nearly matches two years of the equivalent Squarespace subscription, providing a concrete figure to back up the point about hidden fees rather than leaving it as a vague assertion.

Content management system

A content management system is simply a tool that lets you add or edit text and images on your website without needing to ask a developer to do it for you. A web developer should always offer this. Once the build is finished, you should be able to go in and update pages yourself without waiting for someone else to reply to an email. Of course, this is optional. If you prefer someone else to handle ongoing copy and image updates, that is completely fine, but the option to take control should always be there.

At Hempsall Digital, we built a custom content management system for Lapsed Leads, a UK lead generation agency. Because they adjust their offering and products multiple times a month to keep up with demand, this CMS allows them to update their text instantly without needing me to step in, ensuring maximum speed when it counts most.

Choose someone who knows SEO

It is great having a website that looks professional, but if it is not set up to adhere to SEO best practices, it won't do much for your business internally. I build sites that work from both a functional standpoint and a backend search engine standpoint. When choosing a developer, ask how they plan to help your site appear on Google. Ensuring they understand SEO best practices is vital to having a site that actively works for your business.

As noted in Google's own developer documentation, making content search-friendly is what brings in relevant users, and if search engines struggle to understand a page, you are likely missing out on a critical source of traffic.

What should I do about this?

This article is designed to give you the tools and questions you need when vetting a developer. There are many other factors to consider, but these are the ones I rarely hear clients asking about.

If you are looking for a local web developer, please feel free to email me at ollie@hempsalldigital.co.uk or fill out the contact form below.