Types of web design and development services
Mobile development & design
Mobile web developers will help you realise your design for the mobile platform. Also see the mobile app developers service category. Note that mobile app development and web development, although intricately linked, are different. Web developers typically build websites that display HTML and are intended to run (originally at least) on browsers on desktops. If the website is designed responsively (using a responsive framework such as Bootstrap or Foundation, for example), they will also display correctly on mobile browsers.
An app on the other hand, is exclusively designed to run only on the mobile platform. Startup tip: Unless your idea is a purely app-only idea, start off with a mobile-friendly website before spending substantial money on getting a mobile app developed. Many companies believe they simply must have an app to keep up with the times and while an app is useful for many businesses, for some types of business it makes less sense (think Colgate toothpaste).
User experience/UX designer
UX designers concern themselves with the overall experience of the user. Well versed in web design and process flow, they will conduct a series of tests - usually using prototyping tools - on different devices to ensure users are happy whichever platform they might be using. UX designers are usually used early on in the web development process, as their findings will dictate what the web developer will need to implement to make your ideas come to reality.
Animation developer
These developers usually use programming languages such as Adobe Flash or HTML5 with Javascript to bring your animation ideas to life.
Ideal for dynamic content in the fields of advertising, marketing, games or other applications, animation developers can really make a visual difference to your application. User engagement is shown to increase greatly when presented with interactive designs.
General web design & web development
Whatever your online presence needs may be, web developers and designers are here to help. Whether you need a basic business webpage or a blog, web development experts will listen to your needs and wanted outcomes to produce something that you will be satisfied with.
Tip: Look for a developer with full stack capabilities to ensure they are good at both frontend (HTML) and backend (code running on server which generates HTML) development. This will save you the trouble of having to first get one person to do a design or theme and then another to make that design work as a website.
How to hire the right web designer or web developer
Technical abilities
Check if the company or expert you are interested in using has any qualifications or education in the area you are looking for. This will tell you whether they have the technical expertise to handle your web design job satisfactorily.
Previous work & reviews
Check their portfolio for examples of past work they've done. How well does it align with your own needs? Is the quality up to scratch? Also check their reviews and star ratings left by customers to guage how well they perform - do they meet deadlines and other requirements.
