WHAT TO PREPARE BEFORE HIRING A WEB DEVELOPER

Looking to hire a web developer? The hard part isn't finding someone who can build a website. The hard part is figuring out who's actually going to deliver what you need, on time, without the project dragging on for months.

Here's the thing though - the smoother your project runs often comes down to how prepared you are before that first conversation. Not about being perfect. Not about having everything figured out. Just being ready enough that you're not wasting time (and money) figuring out basics mid-project.

Get your business paperwork sorted first. Have your ABN handy, your registered business name if you've got one, and your physical address. Sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many projects get held up waiting for this stuff. Developers need it for quotes, contracts, and sometimes for setting up hosting or domains in your name.

If you've got existing brand materials, dig them out now. Logo files (ask your designer for the actual source files, not just a JPEG from your Facebook page), brand colours (the actual hex codes, not "sort of blue-ish"), and any fonts you're supposed to be using. Don't have formal brand guidelines? That's fine. Even knowing "we always use this shade of green" helps. No branding at all yet? Flag that upfront - it's something that needs sorting before or during the web project.

While you're at it, check what business information needs to go on the site. Trading hours, contact numbers, email addresses, service areas if you're location-based. Australian websites need a privacy policy and terms if you're collecting any customer data. Not exciting stuff, but getting it ready now means your developer isn't sitting around waiting while you write it later.

Be clear about what the website actually needs to do for your business. Not the features. The purpose. Do you need people to book appointments? Request quotes? Buy products? Download resources? Just find your phone number and call you? The clearer you are about the goal, the better the website will be at achieving it.

Think about who's using this site and what they're trying to do. A tradie looking for a sparkie at 6am has different needs than someone researching aged care facilities for their parents. Your developer should be asking these questions, but if you've already thought about it, the whole process moves faster. You'll make better decisions about layout, content, and which features actually matter.

This is also the time to be honest about whether you need a brand new site or just a refresh of what you've got. Maybe your existing site just needs updating, better mobile performance, or fresh content. Understanding the difference between a rebuild and a refresh can save you thousands of dollars and weeks of work. No point building from scratch if a solid update will do the job.

Find three to five websites you actually like. Not competitors necessarily - could be any site where you thought "yeah, that works." Screenshot them or save the URLs. When you show them to your developer, explain what you like specifically. Is it the layout? The colours? How easy it is to find information? The way they handle bookings?

Just as importantly, find a couple of sites you don't like. Helps developers understand what to avoid. "I hate those sites where you have to click through five pages to find a phone number" is useful feedback. "I don't want one of those sites with the big video that slows everything down" - also useful.

Be realistic about budget versus inspiration though. If you show a developer a site that clearly cost $50,000 but your budget is $5,000, that's a problem. Not saying you can't aim high, just be upfront about the gap between inspiration and reality. Good developers can often achieve a similar feel or functionality on a smaller budget - they just need to know that's what you're asking for.

Websites need words and images. The more you can provide upfront, the less you're paying your developer to wait around while you scramble to write copy or find photos. Write out descriptions of your services, your about page story, testimonials from happy customers. Doesn't need to be perfect - developers usually work with a copywriter or can help polish it - but having something is better than nothing.

Photos are crucial. High-quality images of your actual business, your team, your work. Not stock photos of people in suits shaking hands unless that's actually relevant to what you do. Your developer might have access to stock image libraries for generic stuff, but the real money shots - the ones that make your business look legitimate and professional - those need to come from you.

Collect testimonials and reviews now. Google reviews, Facebook recommendations, emails from happy customers. Social proof matters. If you've won awards or got certifications, dig those out too. Logos of clients you've worked with if that's relevant to your industry. All this stuff is easier to gather now than halfway through the project when your developer is asking "got any testimonials?"

Know your actual budget range before you start talking to developers. Not the "what's the absolute cheapest this could be" budget. Your real budget. Including a bit of contingency for the stuff you'll inevitably want to add once you see the site taking shape. Developers can work with most budgets - they just need to know what they're working with upfront.

Be realistic about your timeline too. If you need the site live in two weeks, say that upfront. It might not be possible, but at least everyone knows where they stand. Also think about your own availability. Building a website isn't just the developer working away in isolation - they'll need feedback, content, decisions from you. If you're about to go on a month-long holiday or heading into your busiest season, factor that in.

Understand that cheaper often means longer or more work for you. A $2,000 website might be a template you need to populate yourself. A $10,000 site might be fully custom with professional copywriting. A $30,000 site might include branding, photography, and ongoing SEO. None of these are wrong - just different levels of service for different budgets. Knowing what you can afford helps your developer recommend the right approach.

Check your domain situation. Do you own a domain? Who's it registered with? Can you access the account? If you've had a website before, where is it hosted? Can you log in to that? Do you have access to your business email? Your developer will need to either work with your existing setup or migrate to something new, but they can't do anything if you don't know who controls your domain.

Write down the login details for any tools or platforms your business currently uses. Google Business Profile, social media accounts, email marketing platforms, booking systems, whatever. If the new website needs to integrate with any of this stuff, your developer will need access or at least information about what exists. Put it all in a password manager or secure document.

If you've got an existing website, make a list of everything it currently does that you need to keep. Contact forms going to specific email addresses, integrations with booking systems, links from Google Ads or social media posts. Easy to forget about this stuff until it breaks. Better to document it upfront so nothing gets lost in the rebuild.

Think about what happens after the site launches. Who's updating it? If it's you, you'll need training. If it's the developer, you'll need an ongoing maintenance arrangement. If it's someone else on your team, same deal. Don't assume this stuff just works itself out. It needs to be part of the conversation from the start.

Consider what happens if something breaks at 3am on a Sunday. Do you need emergency support? Is someone monitoring the site? Most small business sites don't need 24/7 monitoring, but you should know what the plan is before something goes wrong. Ask about backup schedules too. How often is your site backed up? Where are the backups stored? Can you access them if needed?

Finally, understand what you're actually getting ownership of. The code? The design? The content? All of it? Make sure this is clear in your contract. You should own your website and all its components outright. If a developer wants to retain ownership of the code or charge you extra for it down the track, that's a red flag. Australian small business owners should own their digital assets, full stop.

Being prepared doesn't mean being perfect. Having 80% of this checklist sorted is enough to start meaningful conversations with developers. The last 20% can be worked out during the project - just expect that to be part of the process.

The more prepared you are, the smoother the process and the better the result. You'll spend less time in meetings explaining basics, less money on delays while you find information, and you'll make better decisions because you've already thought through what matters.

And if you're not sure where to start or want to talk through what you need before diving in, have a chat - happy to point you in the right direction.

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