Hire a Web Developer for reliable, ongoing website work

Match the stack, not just the title

A strong React developer may not be the right person for a WordPress site, and vice versa. Hire for your platform and the work you actually need, such as integrations, performance or design implementation.

Review real code

Ask for a code sample or a short task. Look for readable code, sensible structure and attention to edge cases. A portfolio of pretty websites says little about code quality.

Set up a safe release process

Use version control, a staging environment and a release checklist. These basics prevent most website incidents and make it easy to roll back if something goes wrong.

Agree priorities and estimates

Keep a single backlog with priorities agreed between marketing, sales and leadership. Ask your developer for estimates on larger items so you can plan campaigns realistically.

Keep ownership of everything

Make sure hosting, domains, code repositories and admin accounts are in your business name, with access granted to the developer. This protects you if circumstances change.

A sample job summary for a web developer

A clear summary might read: we are seeking a web developer to maintain and improve our Laravel website, building campaign landing pages, integrating forms with our CRM, improving page speed and applying security updates. You will work from a prioritised backlog, use Git and our staging environment, and communicate clearly with our marketing team. This role suits a developer who writes clean code and enjoys steady improvement over big rewrites.

Red flags when hiring a web developer

Be wary of developers who suggest rebuilding everything before understanding the current site, who skip version control or who cannot explain how they test changes. Rebuilds are sometimes necessary, but they carry risk and cost. Also watch for poor estimating habits: a developer who never gives estimates makes it hard to plan campaigns. Ask about a time they broke something in production and how they fixed it.

What a good first week looks like

In week one, your web developer gains access to hosting, the code repository and the CMS, sets up a local environment and reviews the backlog. They apply urgent security updates, check backups and fix one or two visible bugs. They also document anything unusual about how the site is built or deployed. By the end of the week, you should have a short technical health summary and an agreed plan for the next month.

Hiring a developer versus using a website builder

Website builders suit simple sites with few integrations and limited change. As your site grows into a lead generation and operations tool, with CRM integrations, custom forms, booking systems and performance demands, developer capacity becomes valuable. A dedicated developer also gives you flexibility to move platforms in future without being locked into one builder's limitations.

Tools and access to prepare for your web developer

Grant access to your hosting control panel, domain DNS settings where appropriate, the code repository and the CMS with an administrator role. Share login details for connected services, such as form tools, analytics and the CRM integration, through a password manager. If backups are not already automated, ask the developer to set them up first. A list of known issues, upcoming campaigns and who approves changes gives them a clear starting point.

Make sure all accounts are registered to your business email rather than an individual, so ownership stays with you over time.

Measuring your web developer's performance

Useful measures include backlog items delivered against estimates, bugs found after release, page speed scores, uptime and conversion rates on pages they build or improve. Track how quickly urgent issues are resolved as well. A monthly summary that connects technical work to business results, such as faster pages and higher enquiry rates, keeps priorities aligned and shows the value of ongoing development capacity.

Interview questions to ask a web developer

1. Walk me through how you would speed up a slow page.
2. How do you test changes before they go live?
3. Tell me about a difficult bug you fixed.
4. How do you estimate a new feature?
5. How do you keep a WordPress site secure?
6. How do you integrate a website form with a CRM?
7. How do you handle requests that conflict with good practice?
8. What do you need to start on an existing codebase?

A 30, 60 and 90 day plan for your new web developer