10 Questions to ask a developer before you hire them

I am going to assume you are a startup business owner who is about to embark on the exciting albeit scary journey of building a web based technology/ service.

Putting effort into the interviewing process can be the difference between success and failure

As a startup business owner with no experience in software development or coding languages , it's important to ask potential developers the right questions to ensure that they are a good fit for your company. You need a developer who will prioritise your bottom line as well as your customers experience with your product. Of course this primarily your job as the CEO of your startup, but having a developer who has these priorities in mind is critical to your early success.

So, here are some questions you should consider asking the developer on your first meeting:

1. What experience do you have working with startups or small companies? A startup is very different to a big corporate or even an established small business. The startup has different goals, like creating a minimum viable product in order to get to market quickly or to display to investors. A developer who has been a part of startups is more likely to understand these nuances of a startup business.

2. Can you provide examples of similar projects that you have worked on? I do not believe it is essential for a developer to have worked on similar projects in order to build yours, but if they have it is a good way to see if they can deliver. The most important thing to ascertain is whether or not the developer understands your vision and what you are trying to build.

3. What is your approach to building an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)? This is a crucial question and the answer should be along the lines of: I seek to build the MVP in the shortest, fastest and most efficient way while prioritising the key features of the app and the budget to make those features. Basically, the MVP does not need to be flashy or polished. The MVP is allowed to make use of pre-existing products and should always where possible take shortcuts in order to deliver the product as quickly as possible.

4. How do you prioritize features and functionality for a startup product? This is a tie-in with the question above and the answer should be somewhat similar. The developer should prioritise features by determining what the absolute core of the product is. You can tell what they core is by simply asking yourself, "If I remove this feature can users still use my product?". If the answer is no, then it was an essential feature. If the answer was yes then it was not an essential feature. For example consider the following features of an online shop: product display page, search bar, shopping cart feature, payment gateway. Of these four features only two are absolutely mission critical. The other two will definitely make the shop more user friendly but they are not mission critical. So do not prioritise the the shopping cart feature and search bar over the product page and the payment gateway.

5. How do you handle changes in requirements or scope during the development process? This is a tough one for developers to answer and in fairness they should answer by telling you that every change in requirements or scope will need to be assessed individually in order to determine if an extra cost should be applied. A developer who tells you that are happy to make any changes you want is either desperarate or lying. Look for developers with open policies that address these tough moments.

6. How do you communicate progress and updates to clients? Communication is essential during the building of your product. Look for a developer who matches your communication style. If you like receiving updates over Whatsapp, look for a developer who is willing to send you the whatsapps. If daily emails are your thing look for a developer who willing to meet that standard. Over communication can exhaust both you and the developer. I recommend opting for bi-weekly check-ins via email that outline the progress with video call for every milestone of the development.

7. Can you provide references from other startups or small businesses you have worked with? Getting references or viewing reviews is important, though it is not always easy for the developer to provide these. Ask the question and be discerning with the answer.

8. How do you manage timelines and budgets for development projects? You do not want a developer who will just charge you an hourly rate until the project is done. This is the worst type of agreement. Of course there are many ways to agree upon a fee for this type of work but my belief is that the developer should tell you how many hours they believe it will take to complete the work and then calculate a set price for the job based on the number of hours. It is then up to the developer to complete the job quoted on for that price within the given timeframe.

9. Are you comfortable working remotely? Most of the time you will want the developer to work remotely. When people work remotely it is important that they have access to solid internet and the right equipment. Make sure your developer is online when you are and is not troubled by intermittent access to the internet or a slow computer.

10. How do you ensure that your work is scalable and can grow with the company? This is a difficult question to answer. Ultimately, if you are building an app from the ground up it is important that the developer writes code that is easy to ready and provides documentation on how to work with the code that they have written. What I always recommend is that you use pre-existing technologies like Wix or App templates like these, or by using SaaS and PaaS products. Using these technologies gives some sort of safeguard that your app is scalable and using a code base that will be easily worked on by other developers and easily integrated into other systems.

By asking these questions, you can gain a better understanding of the developer's experience and approach to working with startups, as well as their ability to communicate effectively and manage development projects. If you feel you are ready to begin, take a look at this article about how to find the right developer for you or this article about the best online gig platforms to hire a developer.

This list of questions will not guarantee you a stress free and easy experience. Ultimately working with a developer can be difficult if you do not have a technical background. If you can afford it, it is definitely better to work through a project manager who can manage the developers and report back to you.

Building a product or service on the internet can be rewarding but it can also be daunting. Do you due diligence and take your time in selecting the right partner for you.

I'd recommend checking out this article I wrote about business advice for technology investments and maybe some of these articles below that talk about hiring people online.

You can also book a call with us at Marshall Arts and we can have a chat about your business and where you are at.

SEO v.s SEM: What is the difference between Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimisation

SEO and SEM are different strategies that both rely on Keyword Research and Content Creation

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are both important tactics used by online businesses to increase their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). At Marshall Arts we help our clients with both their SEO and their SEM strategies to ensure that they draw in business through both organic and paid methods. While SEM and SEO have many commonalities, they differ in their approach and the way they help businesses achieve their goals.

The main difference is that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is focused on optimizing a website in order to get traffic from organic search results. On the other hand, the goal of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is to get traffic and visibility from both organic and paid search. | Backlink.io

SEO In a nutshell:

SEO is the process of optimizing a website and its content to improve its visibility in organic search results. This involves a combination of on-page and off-page optimization techniques, such as keyword research, website structure optimization, content optimization, link building, and technical optimization. SEO is a long-term strategy that takes time and effort to see results, but it can provide sustainable benefits for your business.

SEM in a nutshell:

SEM, on the other hand, is a paid advertising model that involves bidding on keywords and placing ads in search engine results pages. These ads typically appear at the top or bottom of the SERPs and are marked as "sponsored" or "ad." SEM can provide quick results and help businesses get in front of their target audience right away, but it can also be more expensive than SEO in the long run.

Commonalities between SEO and SEM:

While Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are different strategies for improving a website's visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), they do share some commonalities:

1. Keyword Research: Both SEM and SEO require keyword research to determine the most relevant and valuable keywords to target in search results. By understanding the keywords that potential customers are searching for, businesses can optimize their content and ads to target those specific keywords.

2. Quality Content: Both SEM and SEO require high-quality content that is relevant, informative, and engaging. This includes on-page content such as product descriptions, blog posts, and landing pages, as well as ad copy for SEM campaigns.

3. User Experience: Both SEM and SEO require a focus on providing a positive user experience. This includes website speed, ease of navigation, mobile-friendliness, and other factors that impact how users engage with a website or ad.

4. Analytics: Both SEM and SEO require the use of analytics tools to track and measure the effectiveness of the strategies. This includes monitoring website traffic, engagement metrics, conversion rates, and other key performance indicators to make data-driven decisions.

Overall, both SEM and SEO require a strategic approach that takes into account a range of factors to improve a website's visibility in search results and attract more targeted traffic.

Check out this great article by the folks at AHRefs - they are a top notch resource for everything related to SEO and SEM. This hubspot article has some really great visual aids that make understanding the difference much easier.

Conclusion, SEO And SEM are different approaches to achieve the same thing

In summary, SEO and SEM are two different approaches to achieve the same goal of improving a business's visibility in search engine results. SEO is a long-term strategy that focuses on organic search results, while SEM is a paid advertising model that focuses on paid search results. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and the choice between the two depends on the business's goals, budget, and timeline.

Because they are so similar, the effort that you put in on the one can pay off on the other. At Marshall Arts we recommend to all of our clients to put time and effort into their SEO, while we only recommend SEM strategies to some. If you are ready to start thinking about your SEO strategy take a look at this article we wrote titled: Getting Started With SEO For your Website .

If you would like to discuss your SEO strategy with us and even hire us to develop and execute a strategy for your business, click here to book a call with us.

Digital Strategies Explained

Just as in chess, digital businesses must constantly adapt and make strategic moves to stay ahead.

A digital strategy for an online business is a comprehensive plan that outlines how the company will use digital technologies and channels to achieve its business objectives.

The strategy should be aligned with the overall business strategy and consider the company's target audience, industry, and competitors.

Here are some of the key elements of a digital strategy for an online business:

1. Define the business goals: The first step in creating a digital strategy is to define the business goals. These could include increasing website traffic, improving brand awareness, generating leads, increasing sales, or launching a new product or service.

2. Identify the target audience: Once you have defined the business goals, you need to identify the target audience. This includes understanding their demographics, interests, pain points, and behaviors.

3. Choose the right channels: Based on the target audience, you need to choose the right digital channels to reach them. This could include social media, email marketing, SEO, PPC advertising, content marketing, and others.

4. Create a content strategy: Content is an essential part of a digital strategy. You need to create a content strategy that includes the topics, formats, and channels that will be used to reach the target audience.

5. Set a budget: A digital strategy needs a budget to execute it effectively. You need to allocate resources to different channels and tactics based on their ROI and the business goals.

6. Measure and optimize: To ensure that the digital strategy is effective, you need to measure its performance regularly. This includes tracking metrics such as website traffic, engagement, conversion rates, and sales. Based on the data, you can optimize the strategy and make changes to improve its performance.

Basically, a digital strategy for an online business is a plan that integrates digital technologies and channels with the overall business strategy to achieve specific goals. It requires a deep understanding of the target audience, the digital channels, and the content that will resonate with them. Finally, it needs a budget and a measurement plan to ensure that it is effective and optimized over time.

The future of digital strategies

Digital strategies continue to evolve, and there are several key areas of interest and future trends that businesses need to pay attention to. Here are some of them:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is already being used in many digital strategies, such as chatbots, personalization, and predictive analytics. In the future, AI will continue to transform how businesses operate, from customer service to product development and marketing.

2. Data Privacy and Security: With the increasing amount of personal data being collected and shared, businesses need to prioritize data privacy and security. This means complying with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA, and implementing best practices to protect customer data.

3. Voice Search: The rise of voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant is changing how people search for information online. Businesses need to optimize their content and SEO strategies for voice search.

4. Omni-channel Marketing: Customers now expect a seamless experience across different channels, from social media to email to physical stores. Businesses need to integrate their marketing efforts across channels to provide a consistent and personalized experience.

5. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): AR and VR technologies are becoming more accessible and affordable, opening up new opportunities for businesses to engage customers and enhance their experiences.

6. Digital Transformation: Digital transformation is not just about implementing new technologies, but also about changing the culture and processes within a business. Successful digital strategies require a focus on collaboration, agility, and innovation.

7. Sustainability and Social Responsibility: Consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental and social issues, and expect businesses to take responsibility for their impact. Digital strategies can be used to communicate and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

In summary, businesses need to pay attention to emerging trends and technologies to develop effective digital strategies. The key areas of interest include AI, data privacy and security, voice search, omni-channel marketing, AR and VR, digital transformation, and sustainability and social responsibility.

Partnering with an agency like Marshall Arts means that you're business will stay on top of emerging trends and always make use of cutting edge technologies that provide competitive advantages.

Are you ready to develop a digital strategy, let us know how you plan to go about it in the comments!