What’s the REAL Difference between a Web Designer and a Web Developer?

When you’re searching for a company or a freelancer to help you design a web site, chances are you’ve seen, or even used, both the phrases web designer and web developer. 

Many people use these words to mean the same thing:  a person who creates websites.  But they often find (usually not long after their project has started!), that the two terms are very different from each other.

To help clear up confusion, and make sure that you’ve signed up for the right service from the right kind of person, here are the real differences between a web designer and a web developer:

A Web Designer is a person who creates the graphics, layout and template of your web site.  They handle the “front end” – or what your visitors will see.

They handle all aspects of the design, including creating the mock-ups or “comps” of your website design before it is ever turned into a web page.  Some web designers also do logo design.

At this point, your web page is usually one large graphic with different elements that can be moved around, removed or revised to your liking.

Web designers use their artistic and creative talents to make sure that your site “flows” well, looks attractive and is easy to navigate.

A Web Developer takes care of all of the functionality and “behind the scenes” work that makes the website work. 

If you need e-commerce, such as a shopping cart or processing credit cards online, it’s a web developer that can make it happen. 

Web developers handle the “back-end” or the unseen part of your website.  They help to ensure that the user has a satisfactory experience from the moment they land on your web page to the moment they place an order or take the action you want them to.

So Which One Do You Need?

To create a truly effective website – you need both!  But the good news is that you don’t have to hire two different people to get the work done.  Instead, look for a web design firm that also employs developers to program your site. 

A company with both a web designer and a web developer can make sure that your site looks great and works great at the same time. 

But AVOID This Common Web Trap!

Before you order service from any web design or web development firm – be absolutely certain that your designer doesn’t try to pass themselves off as a full-time developer or vice versa.

In the same way that you wouldn’t ask an architect to build your house (or worse yet – ask a contractor to design it!), you shouldn’t be convinced that a designer also happens to be a skilled programmer, or that a programmer has a flair for creative design.  More often than not, it just simply doesn’t work out that way.

What Can You Do?

When searching for a person or company to build your website, ask questions and find out who is responsible for the programming, and who handles the design. 

You’ll often get a better site, at a better price, when you choose a web firm that has both.  When you let both web designers and developers use their creative talents and coding skills – you save yourself countless hours of frustration, miscommunication and lost productivity.

Good luck in your search!

Recommended Tools and Resources

• Add Audio to Your Website
• Wordpress Tutorials