I wrote this article to clear up some misconceptions about what a website developer is, and how to find one suitable for your project.

What is a website developer?

A website developer is someone that provides web services for anything on the internet. The term is a very broad because there is so much that a web developer can do, depending on their specialization. Recently, the term website developer has come to be characterized as someone that provides services related to the popular fields of E-Commerce, business development, content management development, scripting and website server configuring.

How is web development different from website design?

Many non-web professionals do not understand the difference between a web designer and a web developer. Web development is usually characterized by non-design aspects of creating websites, such as writing code that allows individuals to add an item to a shopping cart, or implementing a payment gateway so that users can provide credit-card information to be processed by a companies bank.

How do I choose a website developer?

No matter where you live, be it Miami, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauder, or beyond, finding a website developer willing to take on your project won’t be hard. What is hard is making sure this individual has both the technical skills and business sense to make the project successful. First off, you should view some of the individuals past work. Their portfolio will give you an idea of there experiences and understanding of web development. Make sure to request an updated list of their portfolio, because many individuals are not able to post their work directly on their personal sites due to copyright considerations. Next, ask for a professional reference. The web developer should have no problem providing a reference or two if their work was satisfactory on the project.

How much do I need to spend?

No one can answer this question without specifics based on your project. Be very cautious when you see advertisements for $400 websites or $1000 for a content management system. Each project is different an requires careful examination of the project guidelines and requirements. Without a specifications sheet, or even a description of the project, it is impossible for someone to estimate their time.

You do not want to be shoved into a cookie-cutter web solution, even if it seems very appealing. Depending on your project, you can expect to spend anywhere between $20 and $50 an hour for website development services. Any less and you will not be receiving quality services, any more and you probably don’t need to be reading this article because your project is so advanced that you most likely have an advanced knowledge of website project management.

Are you looking for a website developer in Miami or South Florida? I have over 4 years developing complex websites and web solutions for the internet. Please contact me and I’ll give you an honest opinion related to your project.