A man with a website is a man in need of a webmaster, if he isn’t one himself. A webmaster gets a site up and running and keeps it there. So how should one go about hiring such a being?

1. Experience.

The amount of experience required depends on how complicated your site is. If your site is plain HTML then two years will suffice. If your site is an ecommerce monster with a popular forum and SEO’d to the max, then an older hand is suitable.

2. Qualifications.

A webmaster should ideally be competent in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Apache web server and know how to use Cpanel and WHM.

He ought to be able to diagnose and fix problems with Perl and PHP scripts.

He should be familiar with the major CMS like WordPress and Joomla.

He should be able to handle minor problems with SQL databases.

He ought to be able to advise on SEO and online marketing on your site BUT you shouldn’t heed him too closely, _unless_ he can point to notable successes he’s had doing it his way.

If he can’t handle the issue himself, he ought to know how to commission someone else to do it, quickly, for a reasonable fee.

3. Personality.

A good webmaster should be a bit obsessive-compulsive, so you don’t need to be. He will not be able to rest easy until he’s sorted out that annoying little script error. He ought to be constantly thinking about ways to improve your site. This depends, of course, on how much you’re paying him!

It’s usually unnecessary to employ a webmaster full-time unless you have a large, money-making web presence and/or he also comes with marketing abilities as well. An above-average webmaster should offer helpful suggestions to improve your website.

4. Fees.

Fees should be negotiable, either on a per-hour or a retainer basis. It depends on how many hours you need him for and the type of work done. Making minor alterations to a site, like uploading images, is easier than editing and testing PHP scripts.

A well-structured site, on a good webhost, with a stable back-end, should not need the constant attentions of a webmaster.

For a particular project, payment should be in stages. A down-payment to begin with, then payment in stages, with the final payment made when the work has been completed. Another option is to set up a monthly direct-debit via PayPal to cover all eventualities. The payment covers you for X hours of work per month or just to keep the site online and to make minor changes as required.

5. So Where To Find Him?

Search engines, forums and freelance websites are useful sources. Look for lots of positive ratings on freelance websites. Make sure these ratings are for substantial jobs, rather than 59 small, simple ones. Also make sure the work done is recent. A lot can happen in six months: a youthful, eager geek can become quite cynical after underquoting for a series of jobs!

Many webmasters can talk a good job, so you should ask to see his portfolio. Some younger webmasters may work for a reduced fee, so as to build up their portfolio.

Author Bio: Want to read more? Go to http://www.webmasterservice.co.uk and then ‘phone Tommy. Tommy runs article directory and business advice sites from London, Great Britain. He has a B.A. in Philosophy and Sociology and is originally from the Republic Of Ireland.

Category: Internet
Keywords: webmaster,webmasters,webmaster service,web design,web,internet