With the pandemic lasting over a year and expected to continue, businesses and employees turn to the Internet for work. To boost sales and improve business models to keep up with the changing economy, employers and owners need to have a seamless website and outstanding user experience. It is crucial to prioritize website development and marketing activities to reform an outdated brand into a modern leader. Hiring a web developer or digital marketer is effortless and will benefit the business immensely. While they may work alongside each other, these two jobs are entirely different, with separate roles and responsibilities.
What is Web Development? permalink
Web development is the behind-the-scenes work of creating a website or web page for the Internet using coding languages. Their work pertains to the development of a site to be attractive, responsive, and user-friendly. There are three types of web programmers or developers: front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers. Front-end focuses on what a user sees, the visuals of a page. Back-end centers on the coding that operates the site and interacts with the server. Finally, a full-stack developer has knowledge and experience in both areas.
Another term often mentioned is “web designer,” which only oversees a specific part of the development process. A designer focuses on the appeal and aesthetics of a site while the developer works on logistics and efficiency. Regardless of the role, their goal is to creatively express a brand’s theme and deliver a stunning website.
Website development requires coding knowledge and experience, especially JavaScript and CSS, to design a fully functioning website. Nearly all sales occur on the website; however, potential customers only stay on a web page for an average of 15 seconds. They form an opinion of the brand purely based on its layout and its immediate user experience. A web developer’s responsibility, then, is to create a site with enough personality to intrigue a customer to stay. All businesses must invest in their future by hiring a web developer — it dictates your potential for success.
What is Digital Marketing? permalink
Digital marketing is a sub-field of marketing that utilizes the Internet and other digital platforms to advertise products and services. It covers a wide range of strategies to promote a company and bring awareness to its brand, including email campaigns, social media, pay-per-click adverts, and more, thereby attracting prospective customers.
There is no coding required for marketing — they don’t build the website’s structure, they help develop its online presence. A marketer’s job is to observe the overall brand visibility and user experience on all online platforms such as a web page, app, or search engine. They focus on how streamlined a site is and how effortless its transactions are. They create a brand voice, generate leads, and engage with clients to widen a company’s reach.
Their primary responsibility is to research the current trends to maintain high-quality search engine optimization (SEO). They implement this knowledge in every advertisement form to rise in search ranks or show up on people’s news feed. Digital marketers study Web analytics to identify and evaluate what consumers want by studying data, utilizing varying technological marketing tools, and adapting to the ever-changing digital venue.
Key Differences of Web Development and Digital Marketing permalink
These fields tend to overlap and are often confused because they both revolve around digital platforms and user experience. It is entirely possible to be a developer with marketing skills or a marketer with developing skills; however, there are clear distinctions between them.
Marketing prioritizes sales and profits, while web development focuses on functionality and appearance. A digital marketer outlines a brand’s objectives and prerequisites so that a developer can create the desired site. Trends and algorithms are increasingly influential in the business world, which marketers painstakingly observe to stay ahead of the competition. One is determined to build a good platform while the other uses it to sell products.
Developers are essential for correcting any flaws or user errors in the system. They enable the site to run so that digital marketers can fulfill their responsibilities. Web developers are typically hired only once to complete the task, while digital marketers are repeatedly sought after, as advertisement is always necessary.
Who Should You Hire for Your Business? permalink
Who you hire depends on the aspects and features of the company you need to improve. If you only need your website revamped, look for a web developer. If you have a beautiful, functioning website already but need to increase traffic, hire a digital marketer. Many agencies specialize in these fields, but you can just as easily find a freelancer online. They don’t need to be salaried employees–you can hire them on an as-needed basis.
When searching for individuals to fill these roles, focus on their portfolios. Neither of these jobs requires a degree to be successful. Although a higher education increases their reputation, coding is easily self-taught, and marketing relies on natural talent. Certifications, internships, and overall experience increase an employee’s credibility. Check their personal social media profiles and websites to see whether they have the necessary skills to create a perfect user experience and draw in traffic.
These fields work in tandem to set your business up for success. You will require both data analytics and a working site to appeal to your audience and see your sales increase. Today, many marketers have enough coding experience to edit a web page, so you might not even need a developer.
Essentially, web development and digital marketing are essential for a business owner and should never be ignored. A developer will make a site that users enjoy, providing a stellar experience, while a marketer will turn those users into repeat customers. As the pandemic shifts entire industries online, more companies recognize their lack of online power and desperate need for a change in advertisement strategy. Businesses need to do everything in their power to stay afloat and pull ahead of the competition by creating a strong media presence and appealing to their online customers.