Web Development Checklist: What to Consider Before Picking a Web Development Company?

Looking at the number of stories of a web development process going wrong, it’s clear that finding a software development company with a good grasp of what is web development is a daunting task. You need a partner who not only follows all the implementation procedures but also aligns with your business goals and can deliver efficient, robust web pages.

So, what’s the best way to find an agency that meets your needs? Or, how should you prepare for meetings with web development partners? In this ultimate guide, we will explore all the things you should consider before launching your website, along with a checklist for selecting the most suitable web development agency to work with.

What to Consider Before Launching Your Website?

To set your website project in motion, there are basic steps you need to follow in order to get the best results. Here’s a checklist of the major things you must consider before you launch your website.

1. Website Hosting

Securing a hosting plan is one of the most crucial steps in setting up a website. Website hosting refers to where your site’s files and content will be stored on the web. This is a server, usually provided by a hosting service provider, from which it is served to any user who enters the site’s URL into their device.

The most popular hosting options today include shared hosting, VPS (Virtual Private Server), dedicated, and cloud hosting. They differ primarily in terms of the amount of resources and control they offer. Each hosting option may also include diverse hosting plans with differences in the amount of storage space, bandwidth, uptime guarantee, number of domains, and other factors. So, in addition to selecting a reliable web hosting service provider, you might need to dig through different hosting plans to find what works best for your project.

2. Domain Management

The domain name or URL is your website’s address on the web. Site users will input this domain into their browser to load up your site. This is why you must choose a domain name that is succinct, memorable, and easy for everyone to spell. Your domain name should capture your brand identity, but should still resonate well with your target audience.

Once you have settled on a domain name, you must look it up to ensure it hasn’t been registered by another entity. If the domain name is available, you can proceed to acquire it from a domain name registrar. Registering a domain gives you the right to use it for a specific period (usually a year or more), after which you have to renew to retain those rights.

3. Design and Development

With the website domain and hosting in place, you can proceed to the next step, which is the design and development phase of your project. You can begin by hiring a UI/UX expert who designs the visual and user experience of your website. This step of the web design process includes creating style guides, wireframes, and mockups for your website, which will serve as a structure for web development. In designing your website, you should consider how users will interact with the site or experience it.

The web developer can then proceed to bring your idea to life based on the design. For the actual development, you need to decide if you’re building a custom site from scratch or using a content management system (CMS) to bring your design to life. Custom website development typically involves building your site frontend (the part users see and interact with, which includes the content, layout, and interactive elements), adding the backend or server-side functionality (databases, scripts, and APIs), and integrating additional features such as forms, chatbots, payment gateways, and so on.

4. Content Strategy and Content Quality

Based on the type of website you’re building, the goals of your project, and general research, you can proceed to outline the content and features of your website. This includes the text content, images, videos, forms, and other interactive elements that you intend to include on your website.

For the best results, all the content on your site should be of the highest quality possible. Your website copy should be concise and to the point, capturing all the relevant information about your brand and what you offer. Your site content must also be error-free. Even the smallest grammatical errors in the text content or a poor-quality image can distract users and make your website appear shoddy. So, keep your eyes peeled for typos and use high-quality media on your site.

Beyond the quality of the individual content, how your website is structured is also important. Your website pages should be easy to navigate and user-friendly. A clear overview, great use of headings, font size, color, and typography also helps to keep your site structured and scannable.

5. Performance Optimization and Load Speed

Next, you need to optimize the performance of your website so it loads quickly and correctly. This is a crucial step in ensuring that your website delivers the best user experience possible. Slow-loading sites will not only turn users off, but your site will also likely not rank well on search engines if the performance is poor.

Start by making your website easy to navigate by creating an XML sitemap and optimizing the navigation menu. This will make it easier for search engines to crawl your site and for your target audience to find their way around instead of feeling frustrated at all the disorder. Your website should also have a responsive design. This means the site elements should adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes and orientations. This is particularly important for optimizing your site for the smaller screens of mobile users.

Finally, implement strategies that improve website load speed, such as compressing and resizing images, implementing lazy loading, minifying or combining files, caching, and using a content delivery network (CDN). These strategies will ensure that your site loads quickly and neatly on different devices, further contributing to SEO success.

6. Testing and Review

Before launching your website, you should carry out comprehensive tests to ensure everything works as intended. This includes testing all the features and functionality of the site to identify any potential bugs or issues. For instance, if your website has downloadable content, you need to ensure users can download it easily and in the right format. Internal links and external links should be checked to ensure they’re pointing to the correct pages. Any integrated features should be tested as well.

Next, you need to evaluate the site’s performance. Consider factors like load times, the website’s responsiveness across different devices, and performance under different network conditions. Finally, you need to assess your website’s security features and ensure a valid SSL certificate is installed. This is particularly important for sites that need to handle or store sensitive user information. Compliance with regulatory standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and data protection laws in your jurisdiction (like GDPR or CCPA) should also be included in your testing and web design checklist.

7. Launch and Deployment

Once your website has been tested and everything looks great, you can proceed to make it live for the public to see. As part of the preparation for launch, ensure that you make your site crawlable for search engines. You should also carry out any other on-page search engine optimization steps that have not been done at this stage, such as incorporating meta tags, unique meta descriptions, and other SEO settings. Don’t forget to update your privacy policy, terms of service, and other legal pages depending on the type of services you provide.

8. Maintenance and Updates

To ensure your site continues to perform as expected, you need to include a maintenance plan in your website design checklist. For convenience, set up an analytics tool like Google Analytics to automate the process of traffic or conversion tracking and monitoring your website’s performance. Monitoring your website also includes setting up channels for user engagement and feedback.

This makes it easier to determine when anything is broken so it can be fixed promptly. You also need to schedule periodic maintenance, which may involve carrying out tasks like updating your plugins, themes, and core system (if using a CMS), reviewing content, refreshing the site design, and checking the security.

Ready-to-Go Checklist for Selecting a Web Development Agency

A web development company or agency has all the skills and manpower needed to create a sophisticated website. But not all agencies are equal in terms of their expertise and quality of service. To avoid going into the selection process blindly, here’s a website design process checklist that highlights the key factors to consider in choosing a provider.

#1 Consider Your Goals

Before you start searching online or asking around for referrals, you need to settle on the goals and objectives of your project. Setting clear goals for your new website or web application will help you figure out the most important features you want to implement based on your initial marketing data analysis. Establishing software development KPIs at this stage can also be valuable, as they allow you to track performance and ensure your project is progressing in line with business expectations.

This way, you can select a developer that has what it takes to deliver the business results you want. A correct evaluation of your goal will help you evaluate what you already have and what you’ll need from your web partner. The set goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) instead of generic.

#2 Prioritize Value Over Cost

In the early days of the internet, a static web page with fewer than three pages was more than sufficient to impress visitors. Today, with the billions of websites on the internet, it takes a lot more for visitors to notice your site. You need a visually appealing, fast-loading site with interactive features. The site also has to be responsive, so it’ll load smoothly on devices with different screen sizes.

Packing all of these values into a custom web app requires a significant investment. While a well-known web agency will charge you a high cost to implement a web app like this, you can be sure that you’re getting a high-quality web app that checks all the standard boxes. Don’t skimp on costs just to save some money, as good web apps don’t come cheap.

In addition to quality, investing in a well-built site upfront often leads to lower long-term costs related to maintenance, bug fixes, and future updates. This will improve the chances of your website lasting longer.

#3 Think About the Web Apps You Like

Before your own project begins, it makes sense to check out the competition. Look out for other web apps related to your niche or industry. This will give you an idea of how your app should be designed and what it should look like. This is also a good way to scout for web development companies to partner with. You can hire a company that pulled off a project you really like to handle yours as well.

In selecting a web development company, it’s always a good idea to hire one with significant experience working in your industry. This will make it easier for them to understand your vision and project goals.

#4 Find Out If a Web Development Partner Is Keeping Up with the Times

In an industry as dynamic and rapidly evolving as web development, you need a website that is up to date with current market dynamics and user preferences. This can only be achieved by working with a development agency that’s aware of what’s trendy in your industry right now and also keeps an eye on where the industry might be headed in the next few years. Find a web app development partner with up-to-date industry knowledge and an active team that stays updated with the latest trends in the industry.

#5 Verify Their Communication Style

For a hitch-free web app project, you need to be in constant communication with your web development agency. This makes it easier to communicate changing project requirements and any other issues that may arise throughout the project. This is why you should work with a company that maintains an open line of communication with active customer support ready to answer any potential questions you might have.

Some of the best companies in the business have dedicated personnel for each project as your point of contact with the company. You can also read reviews and testimonials from past customers to get insights on how well the team communicates before proceeding with the project.

#6 Check Whether a Web Development Firm Understands Your Needs

To ensure your project runs successfully, the web development company needs to understand your goals and objectives. This allows them to make expert suggestions or recommendations on how the project should be handled. During your initial meeting with the potential firm you’re hiring, you should evaluate how well they listen to your needs and offer helpful recommendations. This isn’t merely about taking notes and promising to deliver exactly what you asked for. The best agencies listen closely to your needs and will present an action plan that best serves your objectives.

#7 Uncover Who Will Own the Code Once the Web App Is Finished

This might sound surprising, but your website code isn’t always automatically yours when the project is finished. It’s a critical point that should be clearly defined in your contract. Some web development agencies retain ownership of the web app’s codebase, which can raise some challenges in the future when you need to update or make any changes to the website. There’s also a limit to the level of redesign and customization you can carry out without obtaining the website ownership rights from the developer.

To avoid issues like this, it is important that you check in with the developer to see if you’ll be getting full IP rights to your codebase once the web app is launched. This way, you can always find a new team to continue and update the code if you and your current developer part ways in the future.

#8 Ensure They Offer an Integration with Your Tech Stack

This point is particularly important for companies with a digitally integrated workflow. If you already use other digital tools such as CRM systems, data analytics, SEO, and other tools, it makes sense to have them all connected to your website or web app. This means the development team that you’ll be working with should be capable of integrating your current tech stack into your new web app. Being clear about the integrations you’ll need from the outset will help you avoid the extra cost and complexity of adding the integrations later.

#9 Explore Potential Additional Services

Most web development companies will measure up equally in terms of their core web development services. Where they’re likely to differ is in the potential add-on services they offer. This may include performance testing services, technical support, maintenance, and updates. In hiring a web development agency, you can prioritize companies that are willing to provide these extra services.

Confirm if the company you intend to hire has a Service Level Agreement or a long-term support plan, and see if these fit into your vision for your project. Questions like these can help you discover what kind of commitment a web development company is willing to make and what kind of support you can expect from them after a successful website design process.

#10 Evaluate Their Expertise in SEO and Content Strategy

Building a beautiful and responsive website is only half of the equation. It is important that your website is optimized for search engines for easier visibility and discoverability.

Since the best time to start SEO is during web development, it helps if your development partner has a solid understanding of technical SEO strategy and principles that can enhance your website traffic and rankings on search engines. This includes implementing on-page SEO elements such as SEO title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and keyword placement.

Additionally, check if they are proficient with tools like Google Analytics to monitor and analyze your website’s performance in order to boost SEO for your site. This will help in making data-driven decisions for the continuous improvement of your site’s user experience and adaptation to the intended audience.

#11 Assess Their Approach to User Experience Design

A great app is one that functions well while also meeting user expectations. One of the criteria by which you can assess a web development company is by their approach to user experience design. This includes everything from the website’s ease of navigation to the overall look and feel of your website.

Since these features play a significant role in driving customer retention and engagement, it is important that you consider the web development firm’s ability to deliver in that regard. Ask about their web design process and how it integrates user experience. You can also check out past projects they have executed to see how well they executed UX design for these projects. Look out for things like the user interface design, the home page layout, use of CTAs, navigation elements, and other features that enhance website accessibility.

Conclusion

Choosing the right web development agency to partner with is definitely not an easy task, regardless of the project stage. To choose wisely, you should start with detailed research on the web development companies and then carefully evaluate all your options. The points covered in this ultimate website design checklist provide all the information you need to narrow your search smartly.

The key lies in finding a partner who can maximize the benefits of web development to your advantage. Ideally, you should pick a web development agency that is able to develop a quality website or web application for your business, but also understands how it should meet your business requirements.

We’re sure that if you carry out solid research that includes all the factors we mentioned, it will be easier for you to find the right partner for fulfilling custom software solutions for any industry of your choice.