Last week I talked about how to hire a great web developer. But that’s only half the battle – you also need to step up to the plate. Here’s 5 things you can do to be a better client for your web developer…

1. Have Content Ready To Go – Before you start, have your content written and know what you want your navigation and organization structure to look like.

2. Send Examples – Do you have some suggestions of websites you love? Great! Send those over. Do you have examples of sites you hate? Send those over too. Be specific- “I really like the navigation on this,” “I hate the sidebar of this one.”

3. Be Realistic About the Budget – Building a website is a big expense for your business, I know it was for mine when I started. I asked around- what’s a reasonable price to pay for a website? And if you know what all you need done to your website before you start you should get a reasonable rate up front. If after you get started you keep adding things in? That’ll cost you. Your web developer should give you the scope of what’s included with the website build, if not, ask for it. They should also be able to provide you with their hourly rate or packages if it goes over.

4. Set Expectations – Have a timeline for when the work will be completed. If you want/need something by a certain timeline, be up front with what your developer will need to get that done. And if you’re apprehensive set the date a few days before the real deadline so you have cushion to make edits if needed.

5. Hire the Right Person for the Job – Are you trading the work with a web developer you know? You’ll be on the back burner. Are you hiring your friend’s kid who is still in high school and “likes computers”? You’ll get what you pay for. If you want a professional website to promote your business, hire a professional. Ask questions, get examples and references/testimonials. ASK around. DIY will only get you so far.

For almost all my clients I work directly with their web developer. Often it’s content updates, reorganizing the navigation, updating images and adding in offerings, amongst other things. I am constantly reminded that web developers are a pain in the butt to work with. They’re really smart but not always personable. Or, they’re really personable but have basic web development knowledge. Here’s 5 signs you hired the right web developer…

1. They Respond to your emails- I am SHOCKED how long it takes web developers to respond. As you noticed if you’re reading this post on my website, I recently had my website redesigned (fancy huh?). My web developer is amazing. He responds to my requests within 24 hours, and usually sooner. Oh, and did I mention he lives in Spain? Yeah, he COULD have all the excuses but he’s always on it and responsive (and personable, I love him.)

2. They Bring Recommendations– When I emailed my developer that I need a responsive theme he sent me a few options that he likes and thinks would work well with my site. A good web developer will be able to show not just tell you what your vision will look like.

3. They Bring Solutions– Too many times web developers say NO that can’t work. But guess what? I saw it on another site so don’t lie to me. There’s a couple of reasons for this- 1. they don’t have the experience and just don’t know (this is a fun one…) 2. It’s going to take more time and “cost more” which since they gave you a package rate they just don’t want to. A good developer will work to figure it out for you. They’re SERVICE providers, like it or not. They may give you some alternatives or suggestions based on your site or platform. Sure in a fancy custom site you can have ALL the bells and whistles. But in Squarespace? Maybe not.

4. They’re Knowledgable– The Google Mobile changes were announced a while ago and of all the web developers I know (it’s a lot…), only two sent out emails to their network or directly to clients letting them know of the changes. A good developer knows what’s coming up and makes sure their clients are aware and know what it’d take to make the changes. They know the difference between tags and categories and meta this and that. They don’t need to be SEO experts, but they should have some basic understandings so they aren’t actively hurting your site.

5. They do good work- Maybe this should be first, but before you hire a web developer, take a look at their work. I was siting on a patio drinking a beer with a friend after starting my business. I asked who built her website and who I should hire to build mine, based on my budget and my needs. I got one name, and I realized he’d built a few of my friends sites that I really like. Hired. Just like that. I didn’t have to look around, I liked his work and knew his reputation. Everyone gushed about him. He was the right fit for me. And he’s been the right fit for a couple of my clients too.