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10 Things To Look For When Hiring A Web Development Company
Jun 30th
If you have ever shopped around for a web design company, you know it can be extremely difficult to narrow down the selection. There are so many design companies out there, and it can be difficult to understand what all the options are, or why some are better for you than others.
We have compiled a list of 10 things that we think make a web development company excel. In the interest of full disclosure, Amadeus Consulting does custom web development, and we do it pretty well. This is the process we take our customers through to ensure their needs are met. Nevertheless, we want people to know what they should look for in choosing a development company and a few simple things that you can look for that will nearly always ensure that you get what you want.
Feel free to contact us right now, and we can walk you through the process below.
Determine your needs
The first step is determining what you need. Now this is not anything technical and can be as generic as “a website.” But you should also be able to determine what you need your website to do. Is it selling something like an ecommerce site, is it a marketing tool, a user engagement tool, or does it help your improve or upgrade internal processes?
Determining your needs helps you determine which type of developer to hire, and lets you ask specific questions when talking to them. Some developers specialize in one area, such as database development or ecommerce, whereas other developers do not have the internal expertise to handle certain requests.
Also, try to determine what you want your website to help your company do. “Make money” is a fine answer, but narrowing it down to real results: increasing sales, providing information on clients, providing tools to engage customers, increasing efficiency, stability or usability will help you find a developer that can meet your exact need. The more specific you can be the better you will be able to narrow down your search.
Get References and Testimonials
When looking at a potential company, look at its portfolio. This can highlight some of its design skills and help you determine if it is the right kind of company for you. Has the company done something in your particular industry before?
Also, look for success stories. If you judge a website only by how it looks, you are only getting a very small part of the story. Find out if the websites were able to help increase sales, or efficiency, or customer service, or accomplish the business goal for which they were designed.
Take a peek at some of our client successes.
Communication
Without a degree in computer science, it can be hard to distinguish what the different acronyms mean and what they mean to you. It’s like talking to a car mechanic, where all you can do mimic the noises and hope the mechanic can tie that to an actual mechanical problem.
With a website, maybe all you can say is, “I want it to go ‘whoosh’ and ‘pooom,’” and that’s okay. A business development consultant and software developer should take the time to listen and understand what you want, and be able to translate your needs into a proposal and eventually into a final product.
Communication also means that they should be able to give you an update during each phase of the project, from conceptual design and wire framing to launching final site. You should know exactly what is happening and be able to provide feedback during each phase of the project.
We have extensive experience in the custom software development process, and communicate every step to our clients.
Software Skills
Many application developers tend to create a long list of skills (and skills that almost everyone offers) hoping that if their list is longer then they will be more appealing. However, most developers neglect to explain the actual benefits of each service, and they don’t always provide any evidence of actual proficiency – only capability.
Look for companies that can focus on the benefits of using certain technologies to solve your business problems. You will notice a difference as you talk to different companies as some will be focused only on what you want to create, whereas better developers will ask more questions about what the site is trying to accomplish. Focus on companies that are focused on using the right technology to solve your need, rather than one that just provides a list of potential services.
One of the benefits to hiring a design firm, rather than a small team or an individual, is that they will have experts in different areas of web design. Development teams are able to provide the best perspective on what you need because they are not biased by their own personal preferences or skill specialties.
Full Service
One of the benefits to full service shops is that they tend to naturally integrate each specialty into the overall design. Whereas some shops focus on one aspect of web design (usually the programming), larger design companies are able to divide the work into different specialties. For example, the interface designer will have more training on usability best practices, which leaves the programmers more time to focus on security and stability.
One of the most interesting things about working at Amadeus Consulting is it is a full service custom software development company. This means our specialties extend well outside of web development, which allows us to bring in people for special projects such as database integration or broader IT services.
Full service firms also are more likely use and integrate new technology. For example, many people can do Flash® development because it is an older technology, but few firms can develop in Silverlight™ which has distinct advantages over Flash in certain applications.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Many development companies offer search engine optimization (SEO) as a service as well. This is almost always an optional service; however you should always look for a company that is well versed in SEO best practices.
Part of the challenge of the Internet is making yourself visible among the crowds and above your competitors. Search engine optimization works with search engines, such as Yahoo and Google, to help your site rank as best as it can for particular searches.
Even though optimization is an ongoing process, not a onetime event, it needs to be integrated from the very beginning in order to have the greatest possible success. Otherwise you will have a site that is not performing as you hoped which costs you money and lost opportunities.
In addition to SEO, many larger firms also have marketing experts that can help launch your site and draw people in. This can even include help with advertising, managing pay-per-click campaigns, or social media marketing. It may not be a service you need initially, but having a good relationship with a web-savvy company can benefit you down the road, especially if they are already familiar with your business.
Content and Writing
Most small development firms focus on what they are best at: programming, because each employee is a trained (or self-trained) programmer and they are legitimately good at what they do. However, you might also consider looking at a firm that can provide copy writing and content for your site.
Copy writing is a technical skill that can be difficult to get right, especially as it varies between industries and audiences – not too much like a sales pitch, but still interesting and compelling. Like having an expert in SEO, the benefits to having a skilled copy writer can be tremendous, since they assist with all the text on your site.
Copy writers can also help you quickly develop content for your sites. Whether you want to start a blog or just create some informational pages about your company or industry, copy writers can save you time and help enhance the content on your site before it launches.
Graphics and the User Experience
Most users don’t know and don’t care how a site was built (sorry programmers), they just want it to work and be easy to use. A sad part of programming is that the better you do, the less people will notice it.
When shopping around for a developer, make sure that they have graphic design and user interface skills. In some cases developers can bring in contract designers, however having the ability in-house helps them work together and integrate a lot of the efforts. Usability affects page design and the flow from one page to another and ultimately to the “action page” where you close a sale, or gain a lead. It is important that the developer and designer can work together to make the site as efficient as possible.
It’s okay to bring examples of other sites that you like, or even areas of your current site that you still like. Some sites are very flashy and are fun to look at, like MountainDew.com, and other sites like Amazon.com, are very simple but extremely easy to use.
The difference depends on the purpose of your website. An experienced web development company can help you design a site that fits your business.
Support
One of the difficulties in hiring a web designer is that you want to know if they will be able to help you a few months or years down the road.
If there is one thing that is certain on the Internet, it is that things are always changing. As web standards evolve, compatibility issues arise, and smart phones invade the web, how will your site survive? Finding a trusted development company can be important for your site’s long term success and will help you adapt as the Internet changes.
Gut Feeling
Even if you send out an RFP (Request for Proposal) which helps you judge developers on a set list of questions, you still have to go on your gut feeling.
Meet with each of your favorite companies at least once, and get to know them and their culture. Your top few choices are probably all capable of doing what you need. Website projects are more likely to succeed if you get along with the team members.
So there you have it – 10 points to keep in mind when shopping for a web design company. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us.
As the Search Visibility Manager at Amadeus Consulting, Monica’s knowledge is extensive in search engine marketing and conversion optimization strategies. Monica is dedicated to helping both Amadeus Consulting and our clients succeed online and is passionate about all things search. The Search Visibility Insights blog offers knowledge and market-related information for readers interested in the ever-changing world of online marketing trends.
Twitter.com Hiring Front End Engineer Jobs Hiring Tube
Jun 26th
Apply: www.jobkite.com Find More Jobs: www.JobKite.com www.Twitter.com Job Title Front End Engineer Location: San Francisco, CA Job Description: Twitter is looking for a new member of our technical staff to focus on front-end development. You should have a passion for shipping elegant, responsive web interfaces that will be used by millions of people. Key areas of responsibility – Write front-end code in Ruby, HTML/CSS, and Javascript – Implement new features and optimize existing ones from controller-level to UI – Work closely with, and incorporate feedback from, product management, interaction designers, and back-end engineers – Rapidly fix bugs and solve problems – Pro-actively look for ways to make Twitter better Qualifications – Demonstrable experience building world-class, consumer web application interfaces – Expert Javascript/HTML/CSS/Ajax coding skills – Excellent programming skills in Ruby, Java, Python, or PHP – Disciplined approach to testing and quality assurance – Strong command of web standards, CSS-based design, cross-browser compatibility – Good understanding of web technologies (HTTP, Apache) and familiarity with Unix/Linux – Knowledgeable foundation in interaction design principles – Great written communication and documentation abilities
What to Know Before Hiring an SEO
Mar 13th
Thinking about hiring an SEO?
As more and more small businesses look for opportunities to grow, the term SEO (Search Engine Optimization) always seems to come up. Someone has a story about some business who made millions off tweaking a meta tag, and people get very excited. But before you go running out and hiring someone, there are a few things you need to know.
Don’t fall for the get rich quick story.
For one thing, let me be the first to tell you that a lot of stories about SEO are either exaggerated, or simply untrue. Yes, you can make a lot of money from SEO, there is no doubt about that. But in talks with people at parties, or other social gatherings I hear more and more “SEO stories” that sell a too good to be true situation and you should be aware of it. If they are unaware of my SEO background, they even tell me this stuff. They talk about some kid who tweaked a few tags and made millions of dollars off his blog, or a company who boosted their profits 300% in a month from a little SEO. I’m not sure where these stories originate, but you must keep in mind that SEO is new, but the same old rules apply. There is no get rich quick method, and you won’t get something for nothing. SEO will certainly be a positive addition to your business, but it requires hard work and sacrifice just like anything else. Which brings me to my next point.
Manage your own expectations
SEO is good, it’s obviously what I base my SEO website on. It’s what I do for a living, and I don’t want to try and downplay it’s importance. However, it is by no means a silver bullet that will make any business successful. It’s not the “secret trick” to make you rich. It’s something you do to grow your business and it works, but don’t expect millions to pour in every night.
SEO takes time
SEO is a long, continuous process that requires work and maintenance. Gone are the days where you could hire someone to tweak some code, and sit back to collect the riches. It takes a long time to get going, and requires maintenance. It could be months, or longer before you see any improvement in traffic and sales. Many times I’ve seen people talk in forums about hiring an SEO, seeing no immediate results and feeling “ripped off”. While it’s certainly true in some cases, in other cases the person or company actually did positive things for your site, and it took a while to kick in. It can take days, months or even years for the effects to be seen, so be patient. Content has to be spidered, links have to be built and indexed, and the major search engines do this at their own pace. While there are anomalies here and there, for the most part top rankings come with time.
There may not be a crowd of people waiting to find you.
This has been the hardest point for me to sell to a customer, and something I’ve personally been involved in before. Let’s say your business sells webkinz. If I work hard, and get you ranked up high, you’ll get thousands of new customers a day, because webkinz are hot. There are 7 million people a day searching for webkinz of some type. This is a hot term, and will get a lot of traffic (and will also have a lot of competition). But what if your business sells heating elements for clothes dryers? If I manage to get you a top spot, should you expect 7 million people a day? Of course not, in fact around 1,900 people a day search for this, and at best you can expect 10-20% of those people if you have a number one spot for it. Then, you have to convert those 190-300 visitors into sales. It may not yield the results you were expecting. That’s why you need to analyze your business, and your market. Are a lot of people searching for your product?
SEO is not always the answer.
I may get rotten tomatoes thrown at me, but there are times where you shouldn’t hire an SEO. If you are a small business that runs on a shoestring, and you have a small market, and an extremely limited niche market, it may not make sense to pay thousands for some top SEO company to get you a ranking. You may be better off grabbing a copy of SEO for dummies (which is actually a decent book for beginners) and seeing what you can learn on your own. Another option is, finding an SEO that’s “creative” enough to find other search terms and streams for your business. The final word on this is, don’t expect too much but make the best of what you can get. I have worked with several companies who were fully aware that only 300 people a day were searching for their product, but wanted to dominate the listings anyway for branding purposes. As a business owner this is your choice to make.
Ask up front
If you’re hiring an SEO, ask up front what they are planning to do, and what it’s going to cost. Make them go into detail. If they are concerned with trade secrets you may have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. But ask them specifically “what are you going to be doing to get these ranks”. And do a little research. If they say they are going to buy 1000 links from various sites, look up some things on google, or SEO forums to see what ramifications this method has. Ask the SEO for this information, and if they aren’t totally up front and honest with you, don’t hire them. I tell my customers exactly what I’m going to do, and why I do it, if they are concerned. Transparency is key, if they are trying to hide it from you it might be something sinister. Note: Don’t ever let a company tell you they can guarantee rankings. Nobody but Google can guarantee you a spot. Keep that in mind when talking to your sales person.
Ask about their rankings.
Ask them what rankings their company has. Check on them, and see how well they do for SEO. Because after all, what kind of SEO company wouldn’t employ their own tactics for themselves? Presently my website sits at the number one spot for “Portland SEO” on the big three, and has for quite a while. But am I the busiest SEO in Portland, Oregon? Not by a long shot. There are companies who are doing 10 times the amount of business I am, and they are nowhere to be found in the search engines. They employ traveling salesmen and cold calling to sell their product to hundreds of customers. Think about that for a second. If they are so great at SEO, how come they aren’t able to squash the rankings of a “little guy” like me? Why do they spend so much money on print ads and telemarketing? I’ll leave that up to you to decide. Would you hire a painting business who had a building that looks like it was painted by a group of preschoolers? If the answer is no, then don’t hire an SEO person or company who isn’t able to get their own site in the rankings (without paying for google ads).
Understand the Process
I can definitely sympathize with the business owner who doesn’t have time to learn SEO. You’re a business owner, a lawyer, insurance agent or painter. You’re not a marketer or computer programmer, and that’s why you hire an SEO. If you had the time, you’d do it yourself but that would take away from your own role. I have heard this from customers before, and I understand completely. However, knowledge is power. The more you understand what’s going on, the more you can control and contribute to your own site’s success. Browse through some SEO forums or websites in your spare time, or pick up a book on it. You can still hire an SEO but at least you’ll have a better understanding of what they’re doing, and maybe even be able to pitch in some valuable ideas. Who knows your own business better than you?
Be prepared to contribute
In a perfect world, you would be able to hire and SEO, throw them a small amount of pay and sit back and watch the numbers go up. But it’s not that easy. Be prepared to contribute and help out. Make sure your SEO knows everything you know about your customers, your business, and your market. The standard marketing rules apply here. Know your product, why it’s great and how it helps people. Know what makes you stand out from the competion, and know who you’re selling to. Then turn that information into power for the person doing SEO for you. Bounce ideas off them, answer their questions and help them out. You’ll get a lot more bang for your buck.
Treat SEO like any other service based investment.
To conclude, treat this like any other business investment. Take care to make sure that you are being treated well, and getting the most for your money. Get as much information as you can, and use common sense rules when searching for an SEO. If you can do this, and you get the right company or person you will go far and grow your business. Good luck to you all.
Jeremy Morgan is an Internet Marketer and runs an SEO Blog in his spare time. Want some SEO tips? Sign up for the SEO insider today!
What are the benefits of hiring a Freelance SEO?
Mar 13th
Search Engine Optimisation or (SEO) refers to the process of improving the results of a given web site / page in the Natural (Organic or Algorithmic) search results, using both onsite and offsite elements. SEO is by nature rather an instinctive art that lends itself to being undertaken by an individual rather than individuals in a larger company. This article covers the main benefits of hiring a Freelance SEO Consultant and also touches upon other points that you may wish to consider during the selection process.
But First a Warning (or Why SEO Comes First)
It is simply incorrect to assume that SEO is something that can happen after a site has been designed; SEO (if done well) should be considered during and after the design process as the SEO process will often dictate the navigation and structure and certainly the content of your site.
Another Warning (or Beware of Dishonest or Black Hat SEO)
Search engines attempt to provide relevant results to their users in order to encourage the user to come back again and re-use the service. An SEO will optimise on page and off page elements to place the pages of the sites that they work for high up in the search results. Most SEO’s employ techniques that conform to the guidelines laid down by the search engines (this is sometimes called White Hat SEO); others attempt to trick the search engines with Black Hat SEO techniques. Unsurprisingly the search engines object to being tricked and black hat techniques can result in your site being banned.
Other so called SEO’s simply attempt to dishonestly trick their clients into spending money on services that are essentially unhelpful or useless.
You can normally spot a dishonest or Black Hat SEO when they:
Guarantee a #1 ranking, other than by employing Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising Claim that submitting to search engines still matter Claim to have a “special relationship” with Google, Yahoo or MSN Focus on Search Engines that no one uses any more Focus on keyword phrases that no one searches for, or those which you should achieve listings for anyway (like your company name) Refuse to let you know what they are doing, or how there efforts should help you Suggest SEO techniques such as doorway pages, domains with deceptive redirects, free-for-all links, link popularity schemes, or mass submitting your site Offer to sell you ownership of certain keywords
My No1 rule, is if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is, but now, back to the reasons why you should hire a Freelance SEO over an SEO Company:
A Freelance SEO Consultant costs less than a SEO Company
There are a number of reasons why its more cost effective to hire a Freelance SEO rather than a larger company, these include:
A Freelance SEO has low overheads compared to a traditional SEO company. A large SEO company is less able to scale down services to cope with smaller projects, where as a Freelance SEO needs smaller projects to survive. A large SEO company is likely to charge a standard monthly fee, a Freelance SEO can offer a bespoke service defined by the needs of the client.
The other reasons to hire a Freelance SEO Consultant
Aside from the financial considerations there are a number of other reasons to hire a Freelance SEO over a SEO Agency:
A Freelance SEO has to be good to survive and must achieve results to retain your business. A Freelance SEO is more likely to; care about your project, treat you with respect, return your calls and deliver the work on time. A Freelance SEO is not a small cog in a large wheel, they are less likely to be confined by outdated company guidelines, or made board by being handed the umpteenth link building project this week. A Freelance SEO is more likely to strive to leave a good impression, after all its their reputation that’s in the balance.
Justin March offers this set of instructions as ‘Guidance Only’. Therefore, Justin cannot be held responsible for any work carried out by YOU and/or ANY third party using the instructions.
I am a Freelance SEO based in the UK.
Offering service levels that any SEO or Web Design company would be proud of I prefer to offer my services as a Freelance Consultant. I work with customers throughout the UK but focus on helping Small and Start-up businesses in Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Cirencester.
I only use SEO friendly techniques as prescribed in the Google and Yahoo webmaster guidelines, so if you want to work with someone who has a proven track record of improving SEO ranking for a number of sites, please give me a call on (01453) 824 406.
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