Web Development: What to Know from the Client’s Side

Contemporary businesses know that to grow their customer bases, boost their brand recognition, and increase their sales, they’ll need to have a viable business website on their side. With so many people using the internet to quickly find information and shop for various goods, it only makes sense for a business to be able to invest in its online presence. A strong digital impression, after all, would make a customer more willing to buy a product or hire a specific service. 

However, with over a billion active websites on the internet, it can be challenging to make yours stand out to your target audience. To do so, you’ll want to hire a company that offers excellent web development services. Of course it’s possible to build your website from scratch, but if you want it to perform, it’s better to let the experts handle the project. The work of a web developer can do a lot to help a business appear more professional and trustworthy online. 

All the same, it helps to have a bit of web development knowledge to ensure that you know what you’re looking for in a web development team and how to communicate what you want to see on your website. On the client’s side, here are some terms you can review so that you can get a basic understanding of the process:

1) Technology Stack or Tech Stack

A technology stack (or tech stack) in web development refers to the combination of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and tools used to build a website or web application. It encompasses the website’s front-end development, which is responsible for what users see and interact with, and back-end development, which handles the site’s server-side operations and database management. 

A well-chosen technology stack model ensures that the website meets business requirements and can adapt to the business’s future needs. It also aids in effective communication with development teams, allowing business owners to make well thought out decisions about their online presence.

Your developer’s choice of technology stack model is crucial, as it directly influences your website’s functionality, performance, and scalability. It also allows you to assess whether the chosen tools properly align with your business goals. Don’t hesitate to ask your chosen developer more about the tech stack they’re implementing for your website, be it ASP.NET, MEAN, MERN, Python, Java, or Ruby on Rails (ROR).

2) User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI)

For your website to retain the attention of your online visitors, it needs to be able to engage them. This is where your website’s user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) come in. 

The user experience of a website focuses on enhancing user satisfaction by improving the usability, accessibility, and overall enjoyment factor of the website. User interface, on the other hand, deals with the website’s visual elements and design, ensuring an aesthetically pleasing look and feel. 

When both your website’s UI and UX are working in harmony, it creates a seamless customer journey that can do a lot to improve your conversions. Read up on UX and UI principles, see how they apply to your own business brand, and try to communicate what kind of UI/UX you’d like to achieve. 

3) Content Management System (CMS)

A content management system (CMS) is a software application that enables you to create, manage, and modify digital content on a website without requiring technical expertise. CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla simplify content updates so that you can easily maintain your website. 

As a business owner, you’ll want a CMS for your website that provides you with autonomy in managing and updating your website content. This will reduce your reliance on developers for routine changes. In addition, you’ll also want to use a CMS platform that offers various plugins and extensions that are easy to integrate, all so that it won’t be a problem for you and your web developer to customize your website’s features to a tee.  

4) Website Security

Website security involves implementing measures to protect a website from unauthorized access, data breaches, and other cyber threats. This includes using secure protocols, finding the best ways to protect user data, conducting regular security audits, and safeguarding against common vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). 

Security is an important part of web development since it aims to protect sensitive user information and maintain the integrity of your website. A secure website will also earn trust among users and ensure that your business complies with data protection regulations. Your web developer should know that and should also be able to explain what they’re doing to make your business website more secure.

5) Mobile Responsiveness

Now that you can expect many of your potential users to access your website from their mobile devices, having a responsive design is essential for providing a positive user experience on all screen sizes. A mobile-responsive website is meant to function and display seamlessly across various devices, including smartphones and tablets, thus enabling you to reach a broader audience and improve your website’s overall online visibility. 

Since mobile responsiveness directly impacts your user’s satisfaction, it’s something you need to consider for your website so that you can maximize your business’s online reach. Let your web developer know of your desire and ask them about their approach to mobile-friendly web development. 

Again, your expertise doesn’t have to be the same as that of your web developer. But further knowledge of the tools they use, and the kinds of approaches they can implement, will help you refine your engagement and increase your chances of satisfaction with your website’s performance. 

6) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Getting search engines to notice your website is important to get more people to visit it. That’s why SEO is important. It’s all about improving your site to appear higher in search results when people are looking for the things you sell. 

Think of SEO as making search engines like Google like your website more. Your web development team should know the basics of SEO, like how to use the right keywords, make styles that work well on mobile devices, and make sure pages load quickly. 

Find out how they plan to make your website better. It’s not enough to look good; you must also be easy to find.

7) Analytics and Performance Tracking

Learning about how your website works and how people interact with it can help you determine what parts work well and what parts could improve. In this case, tools like Google Analytics are very useful. 

They can find out where your website users come from, how long they stay, and what they do while they are there. You should have your web developer or artist set up these tools. One way to think about it is like having a road map that shows you where to make changes to get better results. in addition, it helps you make smart decisions about upcoming updates or changes. 

Talk to your web developer about how you can keep an eye on how your site is doing. Based on the facts, it’s all about making smart choices.

8) Accessibility and Inclusivity

It’s not just good practice to ensure everyone can use your website, including people with disabilities; it’s necessary. This means everyone should be able to use your site, even if they can’t see, hear, or move normally. 

Ask the people building your website how to add accessibility features like voice commands, keyboard navigation, and alt text for pictures. It’s about ensuring no one is left out on your page.

Focusing on accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do to follow the law; it also shows that you care about every visitor’s experience by letting more people in.

Final Thoughts

As we end this guide, remember that web development can be scary at first, but it’s an important step toward growing your business online. You’re not just using buzzwords when you learn about important ideas like technology stacks, user experience, and mobile readiness.

With a web design company, you’re building a bridge of understanding between you and your web development team. With this information, you can better share your vision and make choices that align with your business goals. It’s all about making a website that works well, looks great, and reaches as many people as possible. 

Talk to your developers, ask the right questions, and remember your business goals. By working together and getting some advice, you can make your website one of your best tools. Don’t forget that being online isn’t enough; you need to stand out and make a real difference.

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