Hire Web developers pre-screened for technical and cultural fit

A business’s website is its digital front door connecting consumers with its products and services. A high-quality website can increase trust and credibility with clientele, attract leads, raise profit margins, and help companies grow. Web developers are responsible for making such websites engaging while optimized for functionality and design.

In today’s market, which is more global, mobile, and online than ever, investing in web development is essential. Hiring a web developer to build a fully customized website allows customers to make purchases around the clock, no matter where or what device they use. To reach consumers, businesses must also have search-engine-optimized pages. Web development can reduce ad spending by enabling sites and pages to rank higher with enhanced SEO.

However, finding experienced web developers within a budget may be challenging in the current landscape. Skilled developers are in high demand and call for high salaries. Additionally, requisite skills are updated quickly alongside evolving technologies. 

What Is Web Development?

Web development involves designing, building, and maintaining websites, web apps, mobile applications, and other internet-based platforms.

This process propels the evolution of the online space. In the internet's earliest form, Web 1.0, websites only displayed information on static screens. Today, websites are interactive, facilitating user-generated content and notifications. Web development will continue to facilitate changes and improvements to the internet.

There are three types of web developers. Front-end developers are web designers who dictate how the user and website interact, focusing on visuals and user experience. Back-end developers write the foundational code that communicates with the server. Full-stack web developers can engineer the front or back end of a site.

Web development assists businesses in branching out geographically to previously unavailable customer bases. A well-crafted website may attract customers and convert leads at a higher rate than a brick-and-mortar business, so maintaining a reliable website is frequently vital for success in the modern era.

Why Web Development?

Web development makes businesses competitive, enhances efficiency, and increases visibility and sales. Attaining the skill level needed to achieve the level of a professional web developer, however, takes years of dedication and effort. While it is possible to create a website with a template, investing in web development can propel a business in various ways.

A professionally developed website increases brand awareness, develops customer relationships, and provides an easy way for people to share a company's information and products or services with others. Web developers ensure customers can make purchases and provide feedback at any time of day. A good website also supports marketing and sales teams with features such as resource sections, landing pages for offers and campaigns, and FAQ pages.

Marketing spending and efforts designed to drive click-through rates will go to waste if a potential customer arrives at an unprofessional or dated website. Conversely, a website crafted by a professional lends credibility and trust, converting leads into sales and drawing return customers. As technology develops, web developers can implement new features to give companies an edge over their competition.

Additionally, web development is essential in ensuring that sites are secure and compliant with privacy laws. It also allows businesses to leverage performance analytics and insights, enabling improved, data-driven decisions.

Benefits of Web Development

Web developers provide several significant advantages to organizations. Some benefits of web development include a customized website, leveraging built-in SEO, and keeping up with modern technologies and styles.

Professional Design

Content management systems (CMSs) like WordPress simplify building a website. Downloadable CMS templates also allow for the creation of sites without using code. While these options are convenient, they often limit flexibility and customization.

Hiring web developers to design and build websites gives businesses nearly unlimited possibilities. An expert-designed website displays professionalism and custom designs instead of a generic template. A web developer also manages and optimizes the site’s formatting on all devices to display correctly on computers, smart TVs, tablets, and mobile phones.

Improved Search Engine Rankings

Search engine optimization (SEO) strategies strive for higher website rankings on popular search engines like Google. Web developers are familiar with SEO trends. Moreover, they also consider other aspects of the website to influence its position, including:

• Website page loading speed: The speed at which a site loads
• URL structure: The URL slug given to each linked page
• Sitemaps: A file that details the organization and relationship between a site’s assets
• Image optimization: The title, file name, alt text, description, and caption associated with each image on a site's pages
• Metadata: Data that helps identify and sort a site's information
• Mobile usability: The website's accessibility and readability on mobile devices

Site Maintenance

As trends and technology change, outdated websites can lead to errors, reduced sales, and lost customers. Employing an elite web developer ensures a site is efficient and current.

What Does a Web Developer Do?

Web developers design, build, and maintain websites, web applications, and mobile apps. Experienced web developers understand best practices for building and maintaining websites. They provide suggestions for improvement and use important techniques unfamiliar to novices. They are responsible for various tasks, including:

• Writing, testing, and debugging code
• Managing servers
• Creating a site’s structure
• Designing a site’s layout
• Integrating images, graphics, and multimedia content
• Troubleshooting problems
• Updating and maintaining a site

Web developers conduct creative and technical tasks that vary based on their qualifications and the project or organization’s needs. Some developers write back-end code to connect applications to servers. Others focus on web design and the optimization of user experience.

Required Skills and Qualifications

An effective web developer must have a combination of hard skills related to programming, database management, design, and security. They should also have strong soft skills to manage projects and solve key problems with web applications and sites.

The necessary technical skills of a web designer depend on the project. Generally, web developers should possess hard skills related to the following:

• Programming languages: Web developers should be fluent in the languages or code systems needed to complete their tasks. This may include Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, CSS, and HTML.
• Search engine and web performance optimization: Web developers must understand the newest optimization technology and trends and how to integrate them. A skilled web developer can increase a site's traffic and efficiency.
• Debugging: Testing code and effectively debugging programs takes creativity and technical skill. These tasks ensure projects run smoothly and technical issues don’t negatively influence customers.

Many soft skills proficient web developer possesses include:

• Multitasking: Handling multiple tasks as they arise is an essential skill in web development. An effective multitasker is efficient and completes tasks quickly.
• Organizational skills: Because web developers must keep up with multiple tasks, organization is vital. Developers must also write and maintain organized code to easily search, update, or fix it.
• Communication: Web developers must communicate effectively with several groups, including project managers, team members, and users. Conveying problems, solutions, and suggestions to the appropriate parties yields the best results.

A bachelor’s degree in web development or a related field isn’t necessary but may be important given the project’s scope. Web designers who have attended boot camps or recognized non-university institutions can often be just as qualified.  

Popular Web Development-Related Languages and Libraries

Web developers use various programming languages and libraries to create computer programs and optimize tasks. They give machines instructions to execute, resulting in effective web applications that businesses can utilize for growth. Mastery of these languages allows developers to serve the needs of specific projects and business goals. Below are some of the key languages and libraries developers should be familiar with.

Front-End Developer Languages and Libraries

Front-end developers use three main coding languages to customize the visual appearance of a site. These languages include:

• HTML: HTML designates the front-end structure of a website. Web developers use HTML to create a framework that other languages will fill in.
• CSS: CSS allows developers to create a visual appeal that integrates with the framework put in place by the HTML code. Web developers use CSS to customize the site’s fonts, colors, layouts, and styles. Common libraries that pair with CSS include Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, and Foundation.
• JavaScript: Javascript allows the user to make dynamic interactions with the website. Web developers use Javascript for drop-down menus, audio and video integration, and clickable buttons. Developers often use libraries with Javascript, including Angular, JQuery, and Vue.js.

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are all cross-platform languages. This means developers can use these languages on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

Back-End Developer Languages and Libraries

Back-end developers use different programming languages to work on the server side of a website. Common back-end languages include:

• PHP: PHP is a commonly used back-end language. PHP can generate, delete, encrypt, and modify data in a database and perform other tasks, such as receiving and storing cookies. Many libraries complement PHP, including Panther, Guzzle, and Monolog.
• Python: Python is a programming language used for websites and web applications. While it supports both front- and back-end development, developers often use it for back-end tasks. Some Python libraries that developers commonly use include Pillow, Bcrypt, and asp.net.
• Java: Java is a versatile language used for data processing, creating mobile applications, and more. As a back-end language, it is easier to scale than languages like Python. Libraries for Java include Spring, Hibernate, and Struts.

Unlike front-end development, back-end programming languages can have a variety of objectives.

Popular Web Development-Related Programming Tools

Various programming tools are available to assist web developers with their primary responsibilities. These tools address various needs, from troubleshooting web apps to automating repetitive tasks. Some of these tools include:

• GitHub: GitHub is a project management tool. Multiple developers can collaborate on the same project through GitHub and avoid redundancies. GitHub also assists with integrations, code review, and documentation.
• Marvel: Marvel is a front-end tool used to wireframe projects quickly. It can generate and integrate various types of code with social media and project management apps. Marvel also offers user testing features. This allows developers to create mock-ups for stakeholders and customer bases.
• Grunt: Grunt is a tool that runs on JavaScript and performs repetitive tasks. Some tasks automated through Grunt include linting and unit testing. Developers can also access hundreds of plugins through Grunt to assist in web development.

How Does Web Development Fit Into Modern Front-end and Back-end Development?

Front-end web development encompasses what a website visitor sees and interacts with when visiting a site. While front-end developers are not responsible for graphic design, they are responsible for a site's layout and many stylistic and visual elements. Front-end developers are also called web designers.

With so many sites and apps available, front-end development ensures websites are easy to use and meet users' needs. To accomplish this, front-end developers track the newest web and mobile app development trends.

Professional back-end development is also essential for any business's web presence. Server-side technology promotes proper website functioning by creating Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), which share data between devices, applications, and systems. These APIs support applications' communication with each other and correctly perform functions that require data sharing.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Web Developer?

A web developer's salary depends on their position, location, and experience. Web developers typically demand high compensation, as they must possess strong technical skills and knowledge. The average mid-level web developer with four to six years of experience in the U.S. typically earns $59,000 to $100,000 annually. This does not include additional salary, such as yearly bonuses, stock, or equity options.

Web developers in Latin America have similar skill sets needed for high-level web development but earn 30% to 50% less than their US counterparts due to the lower cost of living in these countries.

Revelo connects companies with these pre-vetted experts, providing an extraordinary opportunity to cut staffing costs without compromising on the quality of your web development.

Featured Tool: Tech Team Budget Calculator

Finding Web Developers for Your Project

Before starting your search, determine whether you require a front-end, back-end, or full-stack developer. Understanding your website goals and project objectives is vital, such as increasing sales or driving more monthly readers to your blog.

Find the right developer for your project by leveraging your professional networks and connections. Posting detailed job descriptions on job search sites, utilizing professional social media platforms like Linkedin, and joining discussions on forums like StackOverflow can also provide leads.

After discovering several potential candidates, consider their portfolios and work samples to verify their skills. Then, interview them, posing questions about how they would approach specific problems and their ideas for fulfilling the demands of your project.

You can also reach out to a talent platform like Revelo to quickly connect with experienced candidates who are hand-picked with the necessary skills to match your project requirements and team culture.

Why Hire Web Developers With Revelo?

Hiring a web developer is essential to creating a reliable website that builds trust and credibility with your customer base. However, finding the right web developer at an affordable price can be challenging and time-consuming.

Using Revelo to hire talent for your business ensures you get top-quality web developers at affordable prices. Revelo connects you with high-quality talent and manages administrative tasks, including payroll, benefits, taxes, and local compliance. Additionally, Revelo provides support throughout a developer’s tenure, ensuring engagement and retention.

Contact Revelo and gain access to a pool of pre-vetted, high-level web developers that fit your budget.

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