Why all WordPress websites are not alike
Deciding to embark on a website project can be a big deal. A good website is an investment in your time and money. You might be tempted to take a shortcut by hiring someone who presents a lowball price and says they can be done in a couple weeks. I’m here to tell you that you get what you pay for.
My 10 years of building websites has shown me that the art of building websites has only gotten more complicated as technology grows and expands. While building a WordPress website might feel like a “shortcut”, it requires knowledge and skill to ensure the security, search engine optimization and professional design of any website. Anyone who builds you a WordPress website for $500 in a few weeks probably has not paid attention to the finer details and the depth and longevity of your website needs.
Design
It’s helpful to hire someone to build your WordPress website who knows how to program in PHP. This is the language WordPress is built upon. Someone who doesn’t know PHP, HTML and CSS can only provide limited customization to your site. With the knowledge of these languages, you can expect pinpoint customization to the way your site looks and acts. Without this ability, it’s easy for your website to end up looking generic.
Always look closely at the portfolio of anyone you consider hiring. If they’ve never produced a website that appeals to you visually, then chances are they will be unable to design a website to your liking.
Always look closely at the portfolio of anyone you consider hiring. If they’ve never produced a website that appeals to you visually, then chances are they will be unable to design a website to your liking.
Elsie Gilmore, Owner – Solid Red Studios
Security
A good web developer knows about all the dangers that reside out in the world wide web. There are excellent plugins that can protect you from various intruders who might try to disrupt your website and your business. If your web developer tells you your WordPress website is “done” with only the Akismet plugin installed (and not even configured), she has done you a disservice.
Search Engine Optimization
If someone builds you a website that contains little to no search engine optimization, they’ve basically just handed you an invisible web presence. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve investigated someone’s website only to find that it doesn’t contain even the basic markers to tell search engines that it exists.
It’s also helpful to be able to see your website traffic in the back-end of WordPress. This helps you see the effects of your marketing efforts, including spikes in traffic on days you post new blog entries or promote the site on social media.
Theme and Plugin Updates
Most purchased themes will need updating periodically. Your developer should reach out to you when critical updates are available. (You may need to pay them a nominal fee to perform this update.) If you purchased a theme as part of your website project and have not heard from your developer in years, you might reach out to her to inquire if there have been any critical security updates. The same goes for purchased plugins. Free plugins need updating, too, and your developer should let you know how to handle those in the back-end of WordPress.
Experience
Buying a website from someone with no marketing or business experience will result in a website that doesn’t work well to market your business. A web developer needs to have an eye for design, good judgement about functionality and the ability to solve problems to make the site work right for your needs.
Every website provides unique design and functionality challenges. Your developer needs to have the ability to suggest solutions and not just rely on you to tell them what to do. They should also empower you with the knowledge to use your website as the marketing tool it should be.
Price
As a small business owner or solopreneur, you probably can’t afford to hire a marketing company to build your website. But you also can’t afford to pay $500 for a sub par website solution. Expect to pay $2000-5000 for a professional website that works as hard for your business as you do. A website is a marketing investment that should last you for years. It is as important to your image as a physical storefront.
Use the above information as a guide to ask questions of web developers you are interviewing about your project. Be sure they are providing you with a complete solution.
