As consumers continue to take to the internet to learn about products and services, having a strong web presence is more important than ever. And one of the best ways to develop this presence? The creation of a website. From your company’s history to its mission, values and available offerings, a good website tells audiences everything they need to know about your company. 

Creating such a site can be difficult on your own, and that is where professional web development services like those offered by LA Creative Marketing come in. From building and optimizing your site to boosting your social media presence, web developers help you to stand out from the crowd. But before you can start working on web development, you need to understand how to choose the best service for your business.

What are Web Development Services?

In general, professional web development services involve the creation, launch and maintenance of a business’ website. Of course, a simple definition cannot encompass everything that web development entails. Even if you use a template instead of creating a bespoke site, website creation is often far from a simple process. Depending on your needs and preferences, web development may include everything from design elements to page structure to coding to security implementation. Once complete, this site will, ideally, paint an informative and compelling picture of your company in order to attract new audiences and customers.

While web development can take many forms, there are three key types to consider:

• Front-end development: These web developers focus on the visual elements of your website, ensuring that it is readable by and attractive to audiences. 

• Back-end development: Also known as server-side development, back-end development focuses on creating a strong digital foundation for your website. 
• Full-stack development: A combination of front- and back-end development, these developers typically have the skills to work on both the customer facing- and server-sides of a website. 

Determining Your Business’ Digital Needs

Before you can begin the search for a web development provider, you must first consider your business’ needs. Some things to think about and define include:

1. Project requirements

In other words, what goals do you have for this project? Beginning the development of a company website without an understanding of what you’re looking for is a waste of both time and money. Instead, start by considering questions including:

• Do you need a new, bespoke website, or are you looking to update an existing site to improve its design and functionality? 
• What type of website are you looking for? Do you want to inform audiences, convert customers, sell products or achieve another purpose entirely? 
• Are you in need of front- or back-end development services, or both? In other words: What capabilities and design elements do you want your site to have? 

2. Target audience

Once you know what you want from your website, you need to know who you’ll be talking to. Discovering your target audience’s values, goals, challenges, motivations and more can help you to design a website that truly speaks to their needs. You should also develop an understanding of your audience’s demographics—such as ages, professions and locations—as well as their preferences and the platforms they frequent. This will allow you to determine which social media sites to utilize, as well as inform your content creation process. 

3. Level of support

The support you need is determined by the project goals you set. Outside of your website creation or update requirements, you should also consider what support you want post-launch. That is, are you looking for maintenance, security and other support services, or can you handle these things yourself?

Assessing Available Web Development Providers

Now that you know what you want from your website, it’s time to start looking for a web development provider who can give it to you. Steps to take during your search may include:

1. Research prospective companies

Use a variety of platforms and methods to search for reputable web developers. While search engines may be a useful tool, you can also take advantage of social platforms such as LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram. If you have friends or business contacts who have used web development services in the past, referrals may be an additional source of information. 

2. Assessing websites and past work

Take a deep dive into the websites of each web development service you are seriously considering. Details including their site design, company mission and values, process, previous projects and more can tell you whether each company will be a good fit. And if you aren’t entirely sure, you can always schedule a meeting to develop a more personal opinion. 

3. Looking at the services offered

Compare the services you’re looking for to the services provided by the web developers you’re considering. If they offer too little, or if they’re missing something you feel is crucial, think about moving on. 

4. Reading company reviews

Take a look at what past clients have to say about each prospective web development provider. Did they feel that the developers offered a high quality of work, competitive pricing, quick responses and an overall satisfactory experience? Or did they deal with miscommunication, high prices, lacking services and a poor experience overall? 

How to Form a Personal Opinion of Web Development Teams

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of prospective web development providers, it’s time to schedule meetings with your top choices. This will give you the chance to ask pointed questions in order to determine whether you’ll be a good fit for each other. Some things to discuss during this meeting include:

• The estimated cost of the project, as well as whether it can be completed within your budget
• How long the project may take, and what plans they have in place to ensure that the project stays on track
• How much experience they have, as well as how many projects they have successfully completed
• Whether they can show you samples of past work done for companies in your specific industry
• If their website design and development services are completed in-house, or if they outsource the work. If it’s the latter, make sure to discuss who they’re working with, as well as how much the outsourced team will be working on.
• What the company needs from you before they start designing your website. This may include visual assets and guidelines such as your branding sheet, logo and any photographs you want included. 
• How they manage site aspects including security, maintenance and search engine optimization
• What post-launch support they offer, if any, as well as how long these services will be provided for

Boost Your Online Presence with LA Creative Marketing

Web development services are an important tool for any business owner. Not only do they help build your digital presence, but they also ensure that your site will truly speak to your target audience. In order to gain these benefits, however, make sure that you’re working with a reputable web development provider who can meet your service needs. LA Creative Marketing is one such company. From web design to branding to marketing, we provide a wide range of personalized growth solutions perfect for any business. So if you’re looking to create a bespoke website or update an existing one, give us a call or send us a message today.