What is the difference between a Web Developer and a Web Designer?

It’s a question that’s often asked – indeed many business people (especially those with smaller businesses) think a web designer and web developer are the same thing. In truth, there is a big difference. In simple terms, a web designer is concerned with the ‘look’ or ‘design’ of the website – making the site visually appealing and user friendly – whereas the web developer is the person who deals with the functionality. It’s the web developer who does the work behind the scenes, making things function properly, and building custom applications that integrate with your existing systems, making your business more efficient.

Beware – Not all ‘Web Designers’ design websites

Despite the definition above, it’s quite common these days for people or businesses that call themselves ‘web design’ companies, to have little or nothing to do with the actual website itself. They are just ‘middle men’ or website ‘brokers’ if you like – advertising for web design clients, then taking instructions while passing on the work to real web design/development companies for a commission. This means you’re not dealing directly with the person or people building your website, and, because your information is being relayed to a third party, you’re likely to experience communication errors, and potentially long delays while things get sorted out to your liking. These are holdups you certainly don’t want if you’re in a hurry to get your new website up and running so you can do business.

Web Design & Web Development in Norfolk

At West Norfolk Web Design, we are a digital agency working with small and large businesses in Norfolk and the rest of the UK. We build bespoke websites of all sizes from one page, business card style websites through to full custom web applications capable of improving business efficiency, and generating residual income for our clients. Aside from our Web Design and Web Development services, we can also offer you onsite and offsite SEO, Email Marketing, PPC Management, Content Writing, Social Media Management, and more.

For best results find a company that does the lot

If you’re looking for a new business website, it makes good business sense to choose a company that can design and build your website for you, and incorporate the degree of custom functionality your business requires. Some web design companies can easily put you up a simple template-based website (and that may be ok when you’re starting out) but the things you can do with it are always going to be limited. The problem with that is, as your business grows, you’ll probably need it to do more.

For that reason, many of our customers come to us because what they require in terms of functionality is beyond the scope of most web designers. These businesses need a web developer who can provide solutions to their problems. They may need their website to integrate with their CRM, or with Payroll – or they may require an online booking system or some other custom application. Whatever is needed, we’ll be able to build it for them based on their budget.

Working with us also means you’ll be dealing with one person, ensuring great communication and a full understanding of your need throughout the consultation, design, and build process. You can learn more about web design and web development, and get your questions answered today by calling us on 01553 790 733 or emailing us at  info@westnorfolkwebdesign.co.uk