It is a common misconception that there is no difference between web development and web design.
In fact, it is the primary pitfall for many businesses who hire someone to deliver a website, but don’t understand how the final product will be delivered, or indeed WHAT will be delivered.
Web Development
Web development involves using code to make your website work the way it should (the ‘back end’). Web developers are IT professionals who have studied coding languages and can put together scripts of text that would make no sense to the average person. All these lines of text instruct the website on how it should work (for example: the menu should drop down, the photos should slide across etc.).
Web Design
Web design is how your website looks (the ‘front end’). From colours to layout, web designers are artistically trained and create the product your target audience will see when they type in your URL. They design a ‘flat’ site in an image form and don’t know how to write code to make the site actually work.
Should I hire a web developer or designer?
When hiring someone to create a website, you need to first ask yourself the following questions:
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1. Have I got all the content ready to go, including pictures, copy and a menu?
2. Have I got a brand style guide I can provide to direct the website look and feel?
3. Do I know what CMS platform the website will use and is the platform versatile enough to adapt with my business needs?
4. Have I seen (and am I happy with) the portfolio of the person I’m hiring? Do I know if they completed each project from start to finish by themselves or were only involved part way through?
Why are these questions important?
Because the answers will tell you whether you should hire a web developer or web designer.
- 1. If you’ve got all the copy and pictures ready, and know exactly the menu structure you want, you’d be safe going with a web developer or web designer.
If you don’t have anything, I recommend talking to a web designer. They will work with you to design a website which highlights the most important aspects of your business and develop a design which enhances your menu options.
Additionally, you may want to find an agency that can do the lot for you. Copywriting is a mammoth task and is the key to getting your website ranking well in search engines. Agencies like ours offer complete packages which take you from a total white space to an online business growth machine.
2. It’s one thing to have a logo (especially if you’ve jumped on Freelancer or the like), but it’s another thing to have a BRAND. Greatly misunderstood, proper branding will ensure a cohesive presentation to your target audience and aid in brand recognition and recollection.
If you don’t have a brand style guide which can be strictly followed, a web developer is more likely to simply pick some colours from your logo and create a simple website whereas a web designer will get to know your business a bit better so they can create an atmosphere for your audience.
3. What platform your website is coded in is essential. Many developers report that build-your-own websites such as WIX and the like actually harm your SEO (WIX have improved, but still aren’t top of the game). They are also generally rigid in that you can only have the features they offer.
But a custom CMS may not be the answer either (unless you’ve got a tonne of money and need very unique, security-driven functionality or a staff/client portal with lots of third party integration). Our agency prefers WordPress as there are a plethora of plug-ins available which tend to meet any need you have. You can also easily update the site should the need arise. Joomla, Drupal etc. are also popular options.
Some web developers may only code in a certain language (such as .net) so make sure you check. A web designer will need to know what CMS you want so they can play around feature placement/look/feel based on availability.
4. Portfolio checking is critical. For web developers you need to check which of the sites they designed themselves and which ones they only coded. Web developers are IT educated – tech heads. They’re smart and know computer languages. However, they aren’t designers. Would you ask a maths teacher with no creative bone in their body to teach the art class?
No. The same goes for websites. It is always exceptionally evident when a website has been designed by a web developer. Web designers are trained in design. They know what looks good and where things should be placed for user engagement and experience.
So what is the different between web development and web design?
Development = IT, ‘behind the scenes’, coding
Design = center stage, what your audience sees, “pretty” branding
If you watch The Big Bang Theory, Lenard would be Development and Penny would be Design!
What are we at Hugo Halliday?
We’re, in-house designers and content curators. We outsource the technical coding parts to our trusted partners. We offer total packages however and manage the whole process so you don’t need to hire and deal with a developer yourself. You can read more about our service here.
WARNING: there are charlatans in the industry. I’ve seen some agencies charge $80k for a WordPress website that could’ve been created for $5-$10k. Over a year later and they still haven’t delivered a website for the client and insist they can’t add free WordPress plug ins because they’re out of the scope of work. Make sure you get at least 3 quotes, know exactly what will be delivered and actually like the people you hire.