Your guide to custom web development: 8 things to consider [2024]

However, before you sign a dotted line, there are several questions to consider. You also need to gather some information and make some decisions on your end. And that’s what you’ll learn in this comprehensive guide to web design and development.

Of course, we understand that developing a simple website and an extensive SaaS platform differs. The first can be relatively easy, especially if you want just a simple online “business card” for your company. On the other hand, developing a SaaS platform or extensive web or mobile app takes months and requires a far more experienced team of developers.

Regardless, both projects have a lot in common, and things you need to consider are similar, in spite of appearances. Let's have a look at them.

Web development 101: 4 things to consider about your future digital product

Pick a good CMS

This is especially important when developing a website. There are many CMS systems out there, from very popular WordPress to super-advanced Hubspot. Take a look at the most popular CMS platforms companies use for their projects:

Source: https://meetanshi.com/blog/cms-statistics/

And your choice is even broader if you want to develop an e-commerce website! A trusted software house will help you understand the differences as well as technical limitations of each system and guide you toward the solution that’s optimal in your niche and circumstances. Once your product is ready, your web development company should train your team so that they know how to use the selected CMS effectively. This is something worth discussing during the initial consultation with a selected agency.

For many web projects we develop, we use WordPress, primarily because of its elasticity and a huge number of plugins and themes allowing us to develop almost any website, including an online store.

If you want to develop a web application, you need to consider whether it should be a native app or a cross-platform app. Both solutions have their pros and cons, so again – ask your web development company to explain the differences so that you can make an informed decision.

The overall cost of your product

Let’s clarify something first – we’re not saying that you should pick a custom web development company solely based on the offered price. No, your primary concern should be whether a selected company will be able to deliver what you expect within the agreed conditions. However, it’s no mystery that a software house from Poland will likely be less expensive compared to a similar company from the US.

We encourage you to compare different options. It may turn out that there is a reliable web development company from Poland that’s fully capable of communicating with you in English and delivering the exact project you require. And if you pick them over some American competition, you can save some money, too.

Take a look at this chart:

Picking a development company from Europe instead of the USA can save you up to $15,000 on your project! And if the quality is the same, why not use this money for marketing purposes instead?

Is there a niche for your digital product?

This point refers mostly to web and mobile apps and SaaS platforms. A trusted web development company will help you verify whether there is potential for your business. This is what we did for one of products we helped developing – WP Appointments. Our research proved there is a need for such a product, and now, we’re in the late development stage!

However, you should do this initial research on your own. If there’s no demand for your idea, don’t waste too much time on dozens of confirmations. Take a look if there are similar products on the market. Are they successful? How can you make your product different or better? What's your ICP (ideal customer profile) and UVP (unique value proposition)? What problems does your product solve (keep in mind that with no problem, there's no sales)?

There are all vital questions that you need to answer before starting to write the code for your product. Remember that at the end of the day, you're the one who's responsible for your product's success. A web development company is, above all, a contractor. They will design and develop what you want them to. However, they cannot guarantee that your product will be successful as there are dozens of factors at play, and the quality and UX of your product are just two of them.

If you don’t know how to conduct a thorough research, reach out to a proven web design and development agency and ask whether they can help you with researching your product idea.

Validation and testing

You can validate your product or website concept through methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or prototype testing. Gather feedback from potential users to assess interest, usability, and perceived value. Iterate on your concept based on this feedback to better align with market needs.

This stage is critical as without a thorough research and tested need for your product, you’ll end up with a very expensive tool that gives you no profit.

Estimations are 75% of startups fail within 15 years (25% fail within the first two years), and a poor product-market fit is a number-one reason for startup failures, responsible for a whopping 34% of such cases:

Source: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/startup-failure-stats

Marketing and monetization

It is vital to think about marketing and monetization of your future product even before you start developing it. Marketing takes time, money, and a well-though-out strategy. In the ideal scenario, you should have a tailor-made strategy designed for your product.

Things to consider comprise:

• Who’s going to use your product
• Where they can be found
• Which marketing channels will be most effective in your sector
• How you will make money on your app/product

Monetization is a whole other thing, and it needs to be embedded into the product itself. For instance, in you’re planning on making money on a loyalty program, you need to put it in the app itself. The same with ads, micropayments, subscriptions, and other solutions allowing you to make money off your app.

While a web development company doesn’t have to have marketing services in their offer, sharing your marketing plans might be helpful for them to include all the elements that will allow you to market your app effectively.

The chart above also confirms the importance of having the right marketing strategy – wrong marketing initiatives cause almost 25% startups to fail, so make sure you’re good on this front.

Up to this point, we discussed four crucial elements to take into account when designing a new digital product or even a website. However, you also need to play close attention to the web development company or software house you’re about to work with.

4 things to consider about your web design and development company

Portfolio and experience

It is very important to ensure you work with a custom web development company that has all the required skills and experience to finish and launch your product. There are a few ways to verify if this is true concerning the company you’ve selected:

• Have a look at their about us subpage and see what makes this team special. Take a look at the projects they’ve done and the clients they’ve served.
• Check their client testimonials and ask whether you can reach out to those companies.
• Show them what kind of product you want to develop and ask your future web dev team whether they’ve already developed a similar project.

You can also inquire about the company's project management approach. Do they use Agile, Waterfall, or another methodology? Understand how they plan, track, and prioritize tasks, as well as how they handle changes or revisions during the development process.

Post-launch support

Web development projects don’t end with the launch. Most of the time, these are ongoing projects that require appropriate maintenance and updates (the digital world is very dynamic, and you need to keep your app attractive and relevant to your target audience). Will this company support your company also post-launch? Specifically, will they provide ongoing updates, troubleshooting assistance, and security updates?

Look for a web development agency that stays with you even after the product is released. Changing web development partner once the product is done can be time-consuming and expensive, and it’s better to avoid this scenario.

Contract

Make sure you read the contract thoroughly. Web design and development is a complex field and there are many scenarios and situations that need to be considered. This doesn’t change the fact, though, that the contract should be clear and transparent. Have your legal team go through it to ensure it fits your project and clearly outlines responsibilities and duties of both parties.

On the other hand, if the contract is too complicated, it’s full of exclusions, and stretches forever, perhaps it’s a good idea to look for a different custom web development company.

Talk to them

Lastly, just devote some time to talk to your future software house. Web development project usually take months; you should work on your project with people who understand your vision and your industry. Also, you want to spend this time with people who are simply nice to talk to and helpful. This way, your project will go smoothly and you will be able to quickly solve potential roadblocks and bumps in the road.

It’s vital to conduct at least one meeting with the team before you sign the dotted line.

Wrapping up: Pick the best web development company!

The key to success in web development is two-fold. For starters, you need to make sure you know what to design and for whom. Do your research and confirm there is an actual market need for your digital product. Analyze competitive solutions and check whether you can make them better.

Once you figure everything out concerning the product itself, look for a trusted web design and development agency. The one that has the necessary experience, will support you once your product is ready, and is simply easy to get along with.

Put these two aspects of developing a digital product together, and you’re on a clear path to success!

And if you’re currently looking for a trusted software house in Poland for your company – Department of Web is at your service! Reach out and schedule a free meeting with our team, and let’s develop your next digital product!