By 2021, mobile e-commerce will account for 54% of all online sales. If your website isn’t functioning properly, you could end up losing those sales and scaring off customers. That’s where your talented website developer comes in.

Many people confuse “web developer” with “web designer.” Web design and development often go hand-in-hand.

A designer’s job is to make sure your website is visually appealing. A developer, on the other hand, is tasked with making sure your site feels and works properly.

Hiring a qualified web developer can make all the difference for your website.

Interested in learning more? Keep reading to discover what a website developer is, what they do, and how to find a qualified developer for your company!

What is a Web Developer?

Remember, web designers are more concerned with the visual aspects of your website. A website developer, on the other hand, is concerned with everything that goes on behind the scenes.

What is a web developer? They’re the person tasked with organizing the code that makes your website work.

There are two types of custom web development you need to keep in mind.

The first is front-end development. The front-end involves how your website will showcase your site’s visual elements (created by the designer). This is also referred to as the client-side of your website.

The back-end, or server-side, contains your website’s data. The back-end serves data to the front-end, where clients can see it.

When working on the front-end of your website, a developer might work alongside a web designer. This allows them to ensure the visual elements of your website work as planned.

Skills

A web developer will utilize a number of tools and skills to make sure your website functions properly. Here are a few common tools and skills your developer might use:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• Git and Github
• Frameworks
• CSS processors
• Libraries (e.g. jQuery)

A website developer will use these tools to make sure visitors can click and explore your website.

Web developers don’t deal with a website’s typography or color palettes. That’s the web designer’s job. Instead, the web developer will bring these elements to life by working on your site’s back-end.

A web developer will also need to understand user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) best practices. Then, they can select the right tools and technologies needed to make sure your site works and feels as intended.

What Does a Website Developer Do?

Website developers build websites with both the client and consumers in mind. The backend design should make it easy for website visitors to find what they’re looking for. A customer should also find it easy to fill out a form or navigate around the site.

It’s the website developer’s job to make sure the site functions properly.

A website developer should also know how to keep a website up-to-date. Website trends and needs change every day. For example, plugins are updated regularly.

If a plugin breaks your website, you can call a web developer to take a look. They can determine the problem and test possible solutions.

Abilities

Here are a few reasons you might want to call a developer:

• Build out a web designer’s mock-up
• Improve your website’s functionality
• Switch between a CMS and HTML
• Fix any broken forms, buttons, or links on your website
• Redirect pages
• Fix server issues

Some web developers also have skills to improve your website for search engine optimization (SEO). According to this report, search is the number one way to drive traffic to your website. It even beats social media by over 300%.

Finding a web developer who has experience with technical SEO can help your website attract more traffic. 

For example, Google uses mobile-first indexing when ranking websites. A developer can help make sure your website is mobile-optimized. Without a sight that functions on mobile devices, you could miss out on sales. 

Google also looks for websites that load quickly. A developer can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to determine what factors are causing your site to lag. Then, they can use CSS or JavaScript to speed up your site.

Improving your site speed will boost user experience and help your website page ranking. When you rank higher on Google, more people will see your site.

This can help improve brand awareness and credibility for your company.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Developer

Are you searching for a website developer who can improve your website? It helps to know what to ask. Then, you can find the best developer for the job. 

First, determine their experience. How long have they worked in custom website development?

Next, ask about the development trends they’ve noticed recently. This will help you determine if their knowledge is relevant and up-to-date.

Make sure they have experience working on websites for your industry. While not a requirement, finding someone who has worked on similar sites could give you an advantage. 

Next, ask about their process. What strategies do they implement? If they have a difficult time explaining their process, consider looking for someone else.

You want to find someone who knows what they’re looking for.

Ask if you can speak to some of their previous clients. Gaining a first-hand experience can give you peace of mind about their professionalism and abilities. You can also check online for customer reviews to gain an idea about the developer’s talents.

Next, ask when they’re available. Chances are, they won’t have availability right away. That’s actually a good sign that they’re a popular choice among developers. 

Feel free to ask if they provide any other services. For example, you might find a developer who also works as a designer. If so, they can help give your website a thorough upgrade. 

Ask if the developer provides maintenance services. Your website will probably need updates throughout the year. Without these updates, your site could end up breaking.

Having a developer on-call can help you avoid these issues. 

Don’t forget to take a look at their portfolio if you get a chance.

The Life of a Website Developer: How This Role Can Benefit Your Business

A website developer can help fix up your website and make sure it’s working properly. Now that you understand more about this role, you can find a developer who is up to the task of updating your site!

If you’re interested in learning web development, check out this comprehensive list of the best web development online courses, ranked by 10,000+ student reviews.

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