Hiring a Web Developer
Deciding to let a professional web development firm develop your web site means you can wash your hands of all your web site worries, right? Unfortunately (or is that fortunately?), it's not quite that simple.
Working Together
Just as a client can't drop off their cat at your clinic without saying a word and expect you to fix the problem (what problem? Where's the history?), you can't just hire a web development firm and expect them to work in a vacuum.
To get your web development firm to deliver on your web site vision, you'll need to work closely with them.
What Your Web Site Developer Needs To Know
The following lists items that you will want to specify for your web developer. It is a quick read but will greatly affect the quality of your final web site:
- Determine what you want your web site to do: For example, you might want to showcase the services you provide, educate your clients, or provide online appointment bookings. Once you know what you want your web site to do, prioritize your ideas to determine the key elements to focus on when the web site is being developed.
- Decide what you want on the web site: This includes 2 areas: the sections of the web site, and the content of the pages. Don't worry about the visual layout of the web site or the images that will appear on the web site at this point. These will be much easier to decide after the web site's sections and content are created (really!):
- Sections: these are the areas linked to by the web site's navigation from the home page. Typical sections include About Us, Staff, News, Services, Contact Us, Links, etc.
- Content: this is what you want each page to say. Remember that typical web site users have short attention spans - they want to get to the point fast. Write meaningful (useful) content, but keep it concise!
- Think about the look and feel (visual layout) of the web site: The visual layout is the wrapper for the content of your web site. Determine what fits best with your clinic's image. For example, do you want a warm, homey web site, or a sharp, corporate looking web site? Only you know best. The best way to determine this is to look at other web sites (even ones that have nothing to do with veterinary medicine!) and make a list of things you like and don't like - be sure to write down the Internet addresses for later reference, or better yet, print the web sites and keep them in a portfolio you can give to your web site developer.
- Consider the images and artwork you want on your web site: These can be anything from clipart to photographs to custom artwork made exclusively for your web site. Don't feel limited by images or artwork you have at hand - your web site developer will often have good ideas with regards to your web site's images / artwork and should offer services to help supply you with any images / artwork you would like.
- Ask yourself if there are other features you want your web site to have: It's much easier to include features from the beginning than it is to add them at a later date when the web site is (almost) done. Take your time with this so you won't be disappointed later. Examples of other features include email appointment bookings and prescription refills, news and newsletters, printable consent and privacy forms, photo galleries, children's areas / games, etc. The only limit is your imagination!
