Any business that is serious about succeeding in today's digital age must have a website. And not just any website -- but the kind that resonates with your target audience and converts visitors into paying customers.

When it comes to professional website development, more and more companies outsource the task to freelancers rather than hiring an in-house team. It's not hard to see why. For starters, building a website is mostly a one-time project, and most companies don't see the need to maintain a web development team once the website has been set up.

Additionally, hiring freelancers is generally easier on your pocket, especially if you're a small business just getting started with building your online presence.

In any case, good freelance website developers are hard to find. That's why we've put together this list of great places where you can begin your search. But first...

What does a freelance website developer bring to the table?

Web development is a broad term and covers a wide range of different projects, each with its unique skill requirements. So before we get into the nitty-gritty of finding good freelance web developers, we must first define exactly what we want them to bring to the table.

Are you looking to have a website built? Perhaps you want someone to develop a web service? Or maybe someone to design a web-based application? Ideally, we want to hire someone with the specific experience and skill set needed for the job on hand.

Some of these core technical skills that you should look for in a web developer include:

• HTML5: This is the most current iteration of the HyperText markup language. HTML is the fundamental building block of a website and is used to structure and present web content.
• PHP: This server scripting language is embedded in HTML and used in making interactive and dynamic web pages. Because PHP is an open-source software, it can also be used as a general-purpose programming language.
• WordPress: Today's websites are built on Content Management Systems (CMS). WordPress is one of the most popular CMS choices available today. Other examples include Wix, Weebly, and Joomla.
• Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): This style sheet language is used to describe how web pages are presented. This includes the layouts, colors, and fonts of the page. It also allows the web page's screen dimensions to adapt based on the device being used to view it.
• JavaScript: This high-level programming language is used to make a web page interactive. For instance, the ability to play audio and video on a web page, automate a carousel of images, change the color of a button when your mouse hovers over it -- these are all examples of JavaScript functionalities.

These are just some of the most common skills you should expect to find on a freelance web developer's resume. Several other technical skills and programming languages are worth mentioning, such as Bootstrap, jQuery, Python, MySQL, Node.js, and Ruby on Rails.

In any case, it comes down to the actual requirements of the project. For example, the right web developer for your project might not necessarily need to know Python but must have a lot of experience working with JavaScript.

Types of website developers

To help you further narrow your search and choose the right freelance web designer or developer, let's look at the various types that you're likely to come across:

Front-End Developers

As the name suggests, these web developers are responsible for coding and editing the website's front end. By front-end, we mean the look and feel of the website. Everything a visitor sees and interacts with on a website is what makes up a front-end developer's core functions.

To successfully fulfill this role, these developers must be skilled in at least one of these programming languages:

• JavaScript
• HTML
• CSS
• React
• AngularJS
• JQuery

So look out for these when perusing their resumes and cover letters.

Back-End Developers

These are the guys to turn to when you need help with some tinkering under the hood of your website. Back-end developers are responsible for building and maintaining the technology required for proper data flow from the server, database, and other back-end components to the front-end. Essentially, they write the code that allows your website to function the way you want it to.

A back-end developer is usually skilled in one or more of the following programming languages:

• Java
• PHP
• MongoDB
• MySQL
• C#
• Ruby On Rails

Full Stack Developers

If you're looking for a web developer that understands both front-end and back-end coding, then you need a full-stack developer. They are not necessarily masters in either aspect, but they understand well enough of the entire web development process to guide on strategy and best practices.

For this reason, full-stack developers are skilled at coding multiple programming languages, though they may favor one aspect over the other.

There are other variations of web developers, but these three comprise the main categories you'll come across when hiring web development freelancers.

9 best sites to find freelance web developers

A quick Google search for "freelance website developer" will display countless websites and freelance marketplaces. And while this means there's no shortage of available options to choose from, it also means you need to be prepared to comb through so many platforms to find your star web developer.

We've made the process more palpable by detailing our top nine picks for the best sites to find website development freelancers:

1. Toptal

This platform was initially set up for freelance web design specialists, software development experts, coders, programmers, and engineers. Today, Toptal has expanded to include freelance finance experts, project management professionals, and product managers.

Its main selling point is that it hosts a network of talented, high-quality professionals that comprise only the top 3% of freelancers on its platform. This means any freelance web developer you find on Toptal has undergone its strict vetting process and numerous technical skills tests. This makes the hiring process easier for you since you can be sure that the people here are up to the task.

2. Upwork

One of the world's most popular freelance marketplaces, Upwork is a great place to find web developers for your project. What makes this platform a good choice is that you get access to other kinds of freelance professionals, such as graphic designers, bloggers, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialists, and so much more.

You could essentially build out an entire digital marketing team made up of freelancers from Upwork. However, there is one drawback worth noting -- Upwork is a bidding marketplace, meaning the freelancers here have to compete over jobs based on rates instead of their technical skills. This makes it hard to find the right web developer with fair pricing.

3. PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour operates similarly to Upwork. You also get access to a network of quality freelance website developers and other professionals at competitive rates. The process is also relatively straightforward -- post your project on the job board, and qualified freelancers will respond with their tailored proposals.

One key selling point of PeoplePerHour is that payments are held in escrow and only released to the freelancer when you are delighted with the job done. This eliminates the risks of someone doing a slapdash job and absconding with your payment.

4. 99Designs

If your project involves many designs, then 99designs is a great place to search for freelance professionals. Here you'll find no shortage of freelance web designers, graphic designers, logo designers, website builders, and WordPress theme design experts, among others.

There are two main ways to connect with freelancers on 99designs -- you could set up your project and browse through available designers to find one that best suits your requirements. You could also start a design contest where website designers, graphic designers, and other professionals compete by submitting their designs. You then pick the best design and work with that person.

5. Linkedin

You'll be surprised at the sheer volume of freelance professionals that you can find on Linkedin and it's not just freelancers. You could find part-time and full-time workers for your business on this platform too.

To streamline your search, you can use LinkedIn ProFinder, a smart feature that helps businesses find and connect with qualified professionals.

6. Codeable

This platform matches businesses with WordPress experts. If your web project revolves around WordPress or eCommerce site (WooCommerce plugins) developments, Codeable may be the right place to begin your web developer search.

Unlike most freelance marketplace, there's no bidding for projects on Codeable. Instead, you just need to post your detailed project and have the freelancer coders send in their applications. You can then conduct interviews and evaluate their work based on what skill you're looking for in a web developer.

7. Gun.io

Like Toptal, Gun.io is a platform that caters to freelance web developers, web designers, coders, project managers, and software engineers, all of whom have undergone a strict vetting process. Freelancers wanting to join Gun.io must pass a flurry of technical assessments, including a live coding exercise and an in-depth interview administered by field experts.

Among the many pros of this platform is hiring a professional web developer in as little as 24 hours. Additionally, the only fees you pay are for the hours that your freelancer works. The platform doesn't charge any other fees to clients.

8. Stack Overflow

StackOverflow is a well-known resource site for web developers, programmers, and techies from all over the world. Naturally, its job board is a great place to find qualified coders of different skill levels.

The Stack Overflow website receives over 100 million visitors per month, and the job board database contains over a million job seekers. You can be sure that your job posting will get more than enough exposure on this site.

9. Fiverr

Fiverr is a popular freelancing platform for small businesses and startups looking for affordably-priced professionals. Here you'll find just about any freelancer, from web developers and mobile app coders to SEO experts and logo design specialists. Pricing typically starts at $5 (which its name comes from) per project, though expect to pay more for quality freelancers.

Suppose you don't have the time to vet through countless applications. In that case, you can use the Fiverr Pro feature, which grants you access to verified, hand-vetted freelance web developers and other professionals. As a Fiverr Pro client, you also enjoy premium customer support with responses in as little as two hours.

Best practices for hiring a freelance website developer

• Establish your objectives
  • What are you setting out to achieve from your web project? This is a tried and test way to streamline your hiring process. When you know exactly what you want, it becomes easier to identify the right people who can deliver.
• State your time constraints
  • What's your timeline for the project? It's important to be realistic with your expectations, depending on the scope of the project. For instance, building a website from scratch with a full suite of functionalities can take weeks to accomplish. Unless of course, you're working with B12, where you can see a custom website draft in minutes. More on that later.
• Clearly define your budget
  • It's always a good idea to establish your budget before you start looking for a new hire. This way, you waste time talking to people whose services you can't afford.
• Define scope, deliverables, and payment terms
  • After hiring your freelance website developer, you need to be clear about a few things, such as the project's structure, milestones, and deliverables. You also need to cover payment terms. Are you paying them based on hourly rates? Or is this a fixed price type of project?
• Consider any special needs required by your industry
  • Does your website or app require any unique customizations? For example, a standard eCommerce site will need custom checkout pages, cart optimization plugins, and other user interface functionalities. You'll want to go for a developer that has specific experience in those areas.

The best kind of website developers

Whatever your reason for launching your website design or development project, chances are you will require other aspects of digital marketing. For example, you need quality graphic design services for the front end of your website, writers for the content creation, SEO experts to ensure your website is searchable, and other kinds of specialists.

As you can see, hiring a website developer is only a starting point.

But wouldn’t it be much more efficient to have a web developer who could also provide these other services? This way, you go through the hiring process just once, and you get everything you need to keep your business’s online presence in tiptop shape from a single source.

Not will this save you time from combing through countless platforms and applications, but you get to save money too. That's where B12 comes in.

B12 web development process

AI-powered

B12 leverages advanced Artificial Intelligence to automate repeatable tasks in the web development process. This slashes down the time delivery time for your custom website draft to about five minutes.

Personalization and touch-ups

The next step is to provide feedback regarding the website design and expected functionalities. These customizations are implemented by expert web developers who work quickly to deliver on schedule.

Monthly reports

On average, business owners who turn to B12 usually get their new websites fully up and running within two weeks. Every month, you'll get a progress report detailing your website's performance and what you can do to maximize results.

Robust features

The B12 web development process includes everything you need to make your mark on the web. SEO, copywriting, social media feeds, mobile optimization, custom CSS and HTML codes, dedicated support systems -- these are just some of the features that come with the package.

Easy importing

If you already have a website, you can easily transfer all the existing content and other assets to your new website.

Final thoughts

Sooner or later, every business will require the services of a web developer. Finding the right one can be a formidable challenge. But it doesn't have to be.

Each of the platforms discussed in this post has its unique pros and cons, so put some thought into what you want to accomplish and go for the one that best fits your needs. For instance, you're looking for a quick, short-term gig, check out Upwork or Fiverr. If you wish to hire a developer with a more specific skill set, you could search on Toptal or Gun.io.

But if you need a dedicated team of expert developers who can set your business up for online dominance, then B12 is the way to go. Get started with your AI-built website from B12 today. Sign up and see your custom website draft in minutes.