Having a website is like having a shop that’s always open. For small businesses, it’s one of the best ways to reach more people, show what you offer, and build trust. But having just any website isn’t enough — you need one that works well, looks good, and helps your business grow. And that’s where the right website developer comes in.
In this blog, we’ll discuss what a website developer does, why they matter for small businesses, how to choose the best one, and what mistakes to avoid. We’ll also examine costs, the website building process, and why keeping your site updated matters.
Understanding the Role of a Website Developer for Small Businesses
What does a website developer do? A website developer builds websites using coding languages and tools. They ensure your website works properly, loads fast, and is easy to use.
Web designer vs. web developer:
- A web designer makes the site look nice.
- A web developer makes the site work.
Sometimes one person does both, but for small businesses, it’s good to have someone who understands the technical side well. At MakeMaya, our team of the best Website developers for small businesses can craft smooth and clear websites. Just reach out to us for an amazing website.
Why do small businesses need this help?
- You probably don’t have an in-house tech team or web developers.
- Your budget is limited, so you need it done right the first time.
- You want your website to bring in real results, like sales or leads.
- Most importantly, as a small business owner, you need a digital presence to stay competitive.
What do small business websites need?
- Mobile-friendly design: Keep your website user-centric. Nowadays, most people use smartphones, so your website should be mobile-centric.
- Fast load time: If your online store or website opens late, it is a high chance that you will lose your customer. So, ensure its loading speed and make it smooth.
- Easy navigation: Your web pages should be clear and easy to understand. Sections like ‘Service page ‘ Sub-service page’ should be specified.
- Good security: Always install strong SSL security for your website or online store. Increasing incidents of cyber theft and data theft can hamper your website.
- Basic SEO setup: You can ensure basic SEO practice, like installing SEO plugins like ‘RankMath ‘ Yoast’ for on-page SEO factors. Also, you can submit sitemaps, specify product, service, and blog pages.
Key Qualities to Look for in a Website Developer for Small Business
- Experience with small businesses: You want someone who has worked with other small businesses. They’ll know the common problems and how to fix them. Hiring expert web developers from MakeMaya will reduce your effort, time and money; so do it smartly.
- UX/UI understanding: This means they know how to make your site easy to use and pleasant to look at. The UX/UI of the website should be modern, smooth and user friendly.
- SEO knowledge: Hire developers who know basic SEO, important factors like H1 tag, robot txt, site navigation and optimization should be on your site. Ensure these factors at the initial stage of website building or designing.
- Technical skills: They should know how to use coding languages like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Your developers should also know how to use popular platforms like WordPress or Shopify.
- Good communication: They should listen to your needs and explain things in a way you understand. It’s very important to match the vision of your business to the developer. It will help in designing as per your goals.
- Portfolio and references: Always ask to see their past work. If you can, speak with their past clients. See their work, delivery time, revision request, and reviews by former clients. Hire someone who aligns with these factors.
The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Website Developer vs DIY Solutions
DIY platforms: Tools like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify are easy to use. But they come with limits. You may not be able to customize everything the way you want. At DIY platform, you may not customize as per your need. There’s a high chance that you have to buy a paid theme for better designs.
Professional developers: If you hire professional web developers, they can build a website that fits your business exactly. It will be more flexible, scalable and better for SEO. At the end you will get a customized website that suits your Vision for your business.
Pros and cons:
- DIY: Cheap, fast, but limited.
- Professional: More expensive, takes time, but better long-term.
If your goal is long-term growth, hiring professional Website developers for small business is a smart investment.
How to Choose the Right Website Developer for Your Small Business?
Do you own small businesses like ‘cleaning services’ or ‘packers & movers’ or ‘electrician’ or ‘concrete seller’? You must need a website where you can get a huge digital presence.
So, let’s find the right steps to choose a website developer or website designer:
Step-by-step guide:
- Know what you need: Do you want to sell products online? Get leads? Just share info? This will help you find the right type of developer.
- Research: Search online, ask other business owners, or check freelance platforms. You can also do research to decide on which tech you have to design websites like WordPress or Shopify.
- Check portfolios and reviews: Look at their past work. Read the reviews of what others say about them. Hire someone who has vast experience and creativity.
- Set a budget: Know what you can afford. Some charge per hour, others per project. You can also go through Freelancing platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to the best web developers at an affordable cost.
- Ask the right questions: (Must ask these questions)
- How long will it take?
- Will the site be mobile-friendly?
- Will you help with SEO?
- What happens after the site is launched?
Red flags:
- No contract or unclear terms
- Poor communication
- No examples of past work
- Over-promising or underpricing
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Website Developer
- Focusing only on cost: Cheaper doesn’t always mean better. If you hire a fresher, it may cost you less. But it can cost you a lot of mess and time waste.
- Not being clear about what you want: Be specific. Do your research part, see how your competitors are doing, analyze what kind of customer base your business has and inform your developer about these things.
- Skipping maintenance: Your site needs updates to stay safe and fast. So, once your website is ready, keep updating its associated plugins and tools. And don’t forget to update security fixes.
- Ignoring mobile and SEO: Most users come from phones and search engines. So, optimize your website according to users footfall at your site.
Understanding Website Development Costs for Small Businesses
What affects the cost?
Your website development cost depends on multiple things. Factors like number of web pages, how you want to customize it, quality of its each page designs, SEO optimized Web content for each page, and obviously the developer experience, decides the cost.
Pricing models:
- Fixed price: Good for clear, small projects.
- Hourly rate: Better for ongoing or complex tasks.
Cost breakdown (average ranges):
- Design: $500–$1,500
- Development: $1,000–$3,000
- Maintenance: $50–$200/month
Tips to save money:
- Be clear from the start, be specific with your goals.
- Avoid unnecessary features which have less relation with customer acquisition and service delivery.
- Provide your own content if possible; for example, you can write content for ‘About Us’, and ‘Service pages’ pages. Because you know your business very well.
The Website Development Process: From Concept to Launch
Initial talk: You and the developer talk about what you need. Enlighten your developer or designer about your vision, how you think your business, budget, etc.
Design: You see basic wireframes or mockups and give feedback. You can search various designs on the internet, see experts’ advice on it, analyze the trend and ask web designers to do so accordingly.
Development: As your developers about the trend, importance of important designs, as they build the site. This includes writing code or purchasing custom themes, choosing tech (WordPress, Wix, or Custom), adding content and setting up features.
Testing and launch: You check the website multiple times on devices like smartphones, pc or laptops, and ipad. Must test everything and then you can go live.
After launch: If you hire a professional they may offer support or training. You can learn about blog posting, updating product pages, add or remove images, etc.
Why Website Maintenance is Crucial for Small Business Success?
Maintenance is an important part of any website if you want to go in the long run. You may need various updation, changes of web pages, optimization loading time of website, etc.
Why does it matter?
- Regular maintenance can keep your site secure.
- In order to avoid SEO penalties, fixing bugs or broken links are important for search ranking.
- Regular updates on your site will improve SEO metrics.
- Makes sure your site stays fast and updated
Who should handle it?
- You can learn some basics things like updation of plugins, update of web pages content, meta tags updation, etc.
- But having your developer handle it is often easier and safer.
Final Words
Your website is a key part of your business. Finding the right website developer can make a big difference in how well your site works — and how much it helps your business grow.
Don’t rush. Take the time to find someone who understands your business, has the right skills and is easy to work with. A good website developer for small business will not just build a site, but also set you up for long-term success.
At MakeMaya, we specialize in building websites that don’t just look good — we work hard for your business. From development to digital marketing, we help small businesses grow online with smart, simple, and effective solutions.
FAQs:
Q. How do I find the best website developers for my small business?
Start by listing your needs, searching online, checking portfolios and asking the right questions. You can also check on top freelancing and job hunting sites.
Q. What should I look for in a website developer for a small business?
You can check the experience of web developers, his technical skills, SEO knowledge and clear communication.
Q. What are the benefits of hiring a professional web developer over DIY website builders?
At DIY web builders like WordPress, Wix and Shopify, you may not get the right web pages theme. For a customizable theme, it may cost you 80 -100 USD. Professionals offer more customization, better performance and stronger long-term support.
Q. How much does it cost to hire a website developer for a small business?
It varies, but expect to pay between $1,500 to $5,000 for a basic website. It also depends on the country; for example if you hire web developers from India or other Asian countries, it can cost you $500-$1000.
Q. What are the common mistakes to avoid when hiring a web developer for my business?
Don’t choose based only on price and don’t ignore mobile responsiveness or SEO. Apart from this, you can expertise, past work of developers.
Q. How can I choose the right website development services for my small business?
Just do important research like, read reviews, look at past work and have clear conversations before hiring.
Q. What is the typical process for building a website for a small business?
It includes planning, design, development, testing, launch and ongoing updates.
Q. Is ongoing website maintenance necessary for small businesses?
Yes. It keeps your website secure, fast and working properly.
Q. Why is SEO important when hiring a web developer for a small business?
SEO helps people find your website on search engines like Google. With top search engine ranking, you will get a lot of leads or sales. It can also increase the reputation of your small business which can be Brand in future.
Q. How long does it take to develop a website for a small business?
Usually 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the size and features of the site.