April 23, 2025
Thousands of business owners—especially first-timers—make the same mistake.
They hire a developer without preparing the right things in advance.
This often leads to delayed projects, poor communication, unfinished websites, or worse paying a lot of money for something that doesn’t help your business grow.
And here’s something most people don’t realize:
Your website’s success doesn’t depend on the developer alone.
In fact, some of the most important parts—like writing the content, choosing the right images, deciding on fonts and colors—are not the developer’s job.
These are services that should come from experienced copywriters, branding experts, or content creators.
Sure, some developers might say “yes” and do everything themselves just to close the deal.
But if someone is willing to handle parts they aren’t trained for, just to take your money, that’s a red flag.
In the end, you may get a website that looks okay—but doesn’t actually bring you leads, sales, or results.
You’ll end up spending more money fixing it later.
Cheap can be very expensive when it comes to websites.
Think of your website as your digital office.
If it’s built without the right foundation, it won’t last long or perform well.
That’s why you should treat web design as an investment, not just an expense.
When done right—with the right team and the right prep—it pays off by bringing you more customers, building your credibility, and helping your business grow.
This guide gives you the 6 most important things you MUST know and prepare before hiring any web developer, whether you’re starting a simple business site or a full online store.
These are the same steps we teach our clients at Weblim—because they save time, money, and stress.
Let’s walk you through them, step by step.
Key
We’ve had clients come to us with “half-built” websites that another developer abandoned. In most cases, it wasn’t the developer’s fault. The client just wasn’t ready.
When you come prepared, developers can work faster and smarter. You’ll get better results for less money. Everyone wins.
Don’t start without knowing what your website should actually do.
Think of your website like a tool. Every tool has a purpose.
If you don’t know what the purpose is, you might spend money building something that looks nice—but does nothing useful.
Ask yourself:
Do I want to sell products online?
Do I want people to call me?
Do I want to get more bookings or sign-ups?
Do I just want people to trust my brand?
Be honest and specific.
A clear goal helps the developer understand what kind of website you need—and helps you stay focused during the project.
💡 Pro Tip: Write one clear sentence like this:
“My website should help [target audience] do [action] so that [result].”
Example: “My website should help busy parents find and book safe home tutors, so their kids can study better at home.”
When you know this, your developer won’t have to guess.
You’ll avoid unnecessary features and stay focused on what matters most.
You can’t build a house without land—same for websites.
Before your website goes live, it needs a name.
That’s your domain name—like yourbusiness.com. It’s what people type to find you online.
If you wait too long to buy it, someone else might grab it first.
And then you’ll either pay a lot to buy it back—or have to choose a longer, less catchy name.
Choose a .com if possible (it’s the most common and trusted).
Keep it short, easy to remember, and brandable.
Example: beautyhub.com is better than thebestskincareproductsinlimbe.com
Avoid numbers, hyphens, or weird spellings.
Check if your name is available using sites like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Whois.
💡 Pro Tip: Buy the domain in your name or business name, not the developer’s. It’s your asset, so keep it under your control.
Don’t Assume It’s Available: Even if your business name is unique, someone else might already be using it online.
No, your developer is not supposed to write your text or find your images.
This is one of the biggest reasons websites get delayed.
Many business owners think the web developer will “just figure it out” or write the content for them.
No bro, most developers don’t have copywriting skills—and if they do, they’ll charge extra (and it might not be good).
Imagine trying to build a house with no furniture, no wall colors picked, and no layout plan.
That’s what it feels like for a developer when you don’t give them your content.
Homepage headline and message: What do you offer, and why should people care?
Your services or products: Clear descriptions, benefits, prices, FAQs, and any packages.
Photos and videos: Your logo, team photos, product images, and any videos you want to use.
Call-to-action: What do you want people to do next? (Call? Fill a form? Visit your store?
💡 Pro Tip: Organize all your content into a Google Doc or folder and label everything clearly.
This makes it easy for your developer to plug in the right text and visuals—without delays.
Good content helps your website sell. Bad content just takes up space.
If writing content or creating visuals isn’t your strength, consider hiring a copywriter and a graphic designer.
Yes, it’s an extra cost—but it’s an investment that pays off.
A well-written, well-branded website can attract more visitors, turn them into customers, and boost your online reputation.
Because a website that looks off-brand can confuse or even scare customers away.
Many people think the web designer is in charge of picking the colors, fonts, and overall look of the website.
While some designers can help with that, it’s actually your job (or the job of a professional brand designer) to give clear direction on how your brand should look.
Why?
Because your brand identity should stay the same across your logo, social media, business cards, website, and everywhere else.
If your site uses random colors or fonts that don’t match the rest of your brand, customers will feel like something is off.
Your logo: High-resolution file (PNG, SVG, or AI). Not blurry screenshots.
Brand colors: Exact color codes (e.g., #FF5733 for orange). You can use tools like Coolors.co to pick a nice color palette.
Fonts: The names of the fonts you use for headings and body text (e.g., “Poppins Bold” for titles, “Open Sans” for paragraphs).
Example websites or graphics you like: These help your developer understand your taste and style.
💡 Pro Tip: If you don’t have branding yet, hire a graphic designer first.
Many people skip this step, and later realize their website looks like every other site online—boring and forgettable.
A web designer is not a branding expert. If they offer to create your logo, choose fonts, and decide on your colors for free, be careful. They might be doing it just to get the job. And you might end up with a cheap-looking brand that doesn’t help your business grow.
Think of branding as your online first impression—make it count.
Saying “make it modern” or “make it nice” is not enough.
One of the biggest mistakes clients make when hiring a web developer is being too vague.
Words like “simple,” “professional,” or “clean” mean different things to different people.
Your idea of “modern” might look outdated to someone else.
That’s why it’s smart to show examples of websites you like—and even ones you don’t like.
Find 3 to 5 websites you love (they can be from your industry or completely different).
Write down what you like about each one.
Example: “I love how this site’s menu opens” or “The homepage image is powerful.”
Also include what you don’t like.
Example: “Too many animations” or “Too much scrolling.”
This helps your developer understand your taste, avoid mistakes, and build something you’ll actually like.
💡 Pro Tip: Also look at your competitors’ websites. What are they doing well? What can you do better?
This step saves a lot of back-and-forth later. You’ll get a result that feels right the first time.
Don’t say “Just copy this site.” That’s not legal—and it won’t help your business stand out. Use other sites as inspiration, not templates to steal.
You don’t have to spend millions—but don’t expect quality for free.
Let’s be honest: everyone wants a good website at a low price.
But if you only chase the cheapest option, you may end up paying twice.
Why?
Because cheap websites often:
Use stolen or outdated designs.
Are not mobile-friendly.
Load slowly or crash often.
Don’t bring in customers because they’re not built for results.
And worst of all—some developers promise the world for a low price, but after you pay, they disappear or deliver something you can’t even use.
Research average costs in your area. In Cameroon, for example:
A basic 5-page business site may cost between 150,000 – 750,000 FCFA
An e-commerce store might range from 500,000 – 2,000,000+ FCFA
Decide how much you’re willing to invest. Remember, your website is your online office/storefront—it’s a long-term business tool.
Ask what’s included: Will they give you hosting? Do they add SEO basics? Is maintenance included?
💡 Pro Tip: Always get a breakdown of the offer. Know if you’re paying for just the design, or also development, updates, training, etc.
Don’t try to save money by making one person do everything—design, branding, writing, and development.
That’s rarely a good idea.
They may say yes just to get paid, but the quality suffers, and your business won’t benefit.
Cheap websites often cost more in the long run.
You’ll spend again fixing, rebuilding, or trying to get it to actually work.
Instead, treat your website like an investment.
Hire a skilled web developer, a good content writer, and a branding expert.
You’ll spend more upfront, but get results that bring money back to your business.
Also Read: Ultimate guide to SEO for small businesses
Hiring a website developer can feel exciting—but also overwhelming.
The truth is, most problems in web projects happen not because of bad developers, but because the business owner wasn’t fully prepared before starting.
Let’s make sure you’re not one of them.
Here’s a quick checklist to know if you’re ready to hire a developer:
✅ I know my website’s goal
✅ I’ve secured a domain name
✅ I have my website content ready
✅ I have a logo and style guide
✅ I have reference websites to share
✅ I’ve set a realistic budget.
If you checked all of these, you’re ready.
You’re not just hiring someone to “make a website”—you’re building a business tool that can attract customers, build trust, and drive sales.
And that starts with preparation.
At Weblim, we do more than just code. We guide you through the process from goal-setting to launch—so you get a site that’s fast, professional, and ready to grow your business.
