Finding a web development partner is extremely important. Your website is the central focus of all your online activity, and it needs to show your company in its best light. It’s impossible for most business owners to be web development experts as well as running a successful business, so it’s essential to find a development partner you can communicate with easily and who will be ready and able to meet the changing needs of your organisation.
We often take on websites for customers who are dissatisfied with their current providers, and here are some of the reasons why they have felt the need to move. Have you ever experienced anything like this?
Nobody ever replies to me!
I can never get hold of my web developer. I leave messages and nobody ever replies!
A number of companies report having a lovely new website built and then it’s impossible to get any changes made, sometimes even when paying for an ongoing maintenance contract. A good developer should put you in charge of your own content, so you don’t need to ask them to change it!
Problems with website updates are particularly common when a friend or family member has created the site as a favour. It sounds like a great idea but once the site has been built the kind developer will move onto something else and you’ll feel that they’ve done already enough to help you so you can’t ask for more.
Every website we build comes with a 1:1 content management training session included, and we’ll leave you with a handy reference document as a reminder of what you’ve learnt in the session. When you do need us to make changes, we’re usually able to get them done within a few days.
TIP: When you have a website built, make sure there is an adequate level of ongoing support available to you.
I don't have control of my domain!
My domain name has been registered in the developer’s name, not mine, so I don’t have control.
We’ve had cases where a web development company has ceased trading and the owners are not contactable. This situation often leaves the customer with no control at all over their website. If the domain is registered in the customer’s name, as it should be, getting control of the domain and pointing it to a new website or holding page isn’t too much of a problem. However there have been occasions when the developer has registered it in their own name rather than the customer’s. In this case without a lengthy legal battle it’s virtually impossible to get control of a domain name that might be vital for your company website and email accounts.
As a matter of policy, we always register domains using our clients’ names and contact details.
TIP: Always check that domains are registered with your contact details as the registrant.
I can't see the evidence of SEO work that I pay for!
My developer charges me monthly for SEO (search engine optimisation). I can’t see what they’re doing for that money.
Search engine optimisation is the practice of refining your website to be more attractive and accessible to search engines. The aim is that this kind of refinement will help your website rank more highly within organic search results for the key search phrases your customers are using.
Sometimes SEO involves changes you can see on the page, such as re-worded text, and sometimes it involves changes behind the scenes that only web robots can see. Researching trending keywords and tweaking your site content to include them on a regular basis can be very time consuming and expensive.
We advise customers to get their content right first time; readable, relevant, accurate, useful and informative for human visitors. Don’t think you can ‘beat’ Google by using underhand tactics – they’re onto you!
Once your content is right for your target audience, definitely add more and always keep it up to date so that it reflects your business as it grows and changes. Bear in mind that there is nothing to be gained by rewriting the same content in a slightly different way just to make Google think it’s fresh. Tactics like that are a complete waste of time in our opinion and can even count against you.
TIP: Focus your attention on making the site useful and attractive to human visitors. Don’t assume you can beat the robots with a few tricks.
I'm being told I need a whole new site!
I want to change website developer, but they said they’ll need to build me a whole new website.
This is usually rubbish and is just said because, as well as making them more money, the new developer feels more comfortable doing things their own way.
Unless your website is built using bespoke software that’s not widely used, another developer should be able to pick it up and maintain it (assuming they have been granted full access to the site files).
This is particularly easy to do for websites built using WordPress software. WordPress can easily be transferred between web servers and developers. We often take over hosting and/or maintenance of websites developed by others. The only stipulation we make is that we set up our own security measures on any website we take on. We don’t want to put the other client sites on our server at risk, and we really don’t like the idea of your site getting hacked on our watch!
Top tip
If you move web developer, you don’t necessarily need a new website.
These are just some of the complaints we have heard from people who are dissatisfied with their current website partner. At Beech Web Services we understand how frustrating it must be to use a web developer who doesn’t share your vision and isn’t available when you need them. We appreciate that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to websites and feel that your website needs to be as unique as your company.
Contact us If you’re looking for a website developer who focuses on building long term successful relationships based on trust and clear, open communication.
