What Makes St. Louis Web Development Companies Unique?

Home to the Cortex Innovation Community, the largest innovation hub in the Midwest, St. Louis is rising as a technological hotspot in the U.S.

The 200-acre Cortex district is a nucleus for biology and technology R&D. The concentration of organizations, startups and businesses pave the way for emerging technologies such as:

• Artificial Intelligence
• FinTech
• Big Data
• Blockchain
• Biotech
• Cyber Security
• And more

Cortex also generated 5,780 direct jobs in 2019 and had a major impact on the regional economy, driving an added 7,300 jobs in the St. Louis Area.

In fact, in 2021, St. Louis is the fifth city in the US with the largest number of job opportunities and an average starting salary of $2,989 per month. In addition, the cost of living is 6% below the national average.

This is why the Midwest city attracts skilled talent, particularly in the tech industry. According to CompTIA’s Cyberstates latest report, in 2020, St. Louis employed:

• 16,999 web and software developers, programmers, and QA specialists
• 8,297 network administrators, architects and support
• 7,639 cybersecurity analysts and systems engineers
• 6,573 IT support specialists

These numbers show that St. Louis website development companies have a pool of seasoned candidates to choose from and certainly hire only qualified IT talent.

All in all, St. Louis fosters an innovation culture that energizes other auxiliary industries such as web development. Thanks to their ability to take inspiration and help from the innovative industries that are excelling in the city, St. Louis web developers have a leg up on their US peers.

What Do St. Louis Web Developers Specialize In?

As technology is evolving at a rapid pace, the field of web development is also growing.

Some of the specialized services you can outsource to web developers in St. Louis are the following, with WordPress and WooCommerce being the most common:

• WordPress website design
• WooCommerce website development
• App design and development
• eCommerce design and development
• Shopify website development
• Software development

#1 WordPress Website Design

“WordPress is fueling 35% of the web.” (Digital)

With an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system and is the platform of choice for anyone looking to build a website.

Its popularity stems from its flexibility as it can be easily turned into an eCommerce shop, magazine-style site, portfolio or any other type of website.

#2 WooCommerce Website Design

“WooCommerce is leading the US eCommerce software market in 2021.”(Statista)

As an eCommerce plugin for WordPress, WooCommerce is a platform that makes developing and managing an online shop hassle-free. Currently, 28% of eCommerce businesses in the United States use WooCommerce to build their online store.

In 2020, Statista reports that worldwide retail eCommerce sales amounted to $4.28 trillion US dollars. Total e-retail revenues are predicted to grow to $5.4 trillion US dollars in 2022.

These are staggering numbers that indicate how much eCommerce has grown over the past years and is not showing any signs of slowing down.

So, if you’re looking at these two popular platforms for your website, web developers in St. Louis know how to leverage their features to the fullest to help you hit your goals.

How Much Do Web Developers In St. Louis Charge For Their Services?

Most St. Louis web developers offer packages between $10,000 to $50,000+, on average.

Ultimately, how much money you will invest depends on your business needs and some of these factors:

• The complexity, size and duration of your project
• The nature of your requirements
• Modifications, edits and revisions
• Maintenance and support

St. Louis-based web development firms also provide another billing method – the hourly fee. This allows them to calculate the number of hours invested in your project and give you a breakdown of costs at the end of the day.

Most local companies charge between $100 and $150 per hour.

Why Hire A Web Development Agency In St. Louis?

Here the main reasons why you should hire a web development agency in St. Louis:

• Leverage on their innovative mindset: St. Louis is home to the nationally recognized innovation district, Cortex, that’s pushing boundaries in areas such as technology, biomedical or agritech. This drive for innovation trickles down to related industries like web development. St. Louis web developers thus cultivate an innovation mindset that allows them to come up with ingenious solutions and outside-the-box- ideas.
• Benefit from their local market expertise: St. Louis web development companies have naturally gained a deeper knowledge of these locally dominant industries: finance, technology, aerospace, transportation and more. They are able to offer unique insights into the local ecosystem that could help your business gain an edge over competitors.
• Take advantage of their affordable rates: The affordable cost of living in St. Louis allows web development companies to offer the same quality of services at more accessible rates.

How To Choose The Right Web Developer In St. Louis For Your Project

To choose the right web developer in St. Louis for your next project, you need to examine a few key points. So, take these three steps to ease the selection process:

Step #1: Determine The Scope Of Your Project

The first step you must take is to set your project goals and objectives. In a nutshell, decide what type of website you are looking to build.

Identify the core business purpose of your website and think about the key features you want to include. Create a solid project brief to have at your disposal.

This will help you see which agency aligns with your goals as well as help you clearly communicate your expectations at future meetings.

Step #2: Decide Your Budget

Web development is a costly endeavor, especially if you want to build a custom website with specific features and functionalities and complex web design that makes you stand out in the marketplace.

So, it’s key to determine the costs involved in order to choose an agency that falls within your budget.

Step #3: Consider The Duration Of Your Project

Figure out how complex your project is and how much time it will take to complete. Consider the duration of your project and then steer towards a St. Louis web development company that is available to work on your project from start to finish.

Step #4: Check The Team’s Experience

Considering that many different specialists work together to develop a fully functional digital platform, it’s best to run a background check to ensure a qualified team has your project in check.

So, figure out what kind of professionals you want to work on your project, their level of experience and commitment, their industry knowledge or whether they have solved similar business problems before. Having experts in charge of your project will most likely guarantee a successful outcome.

10 Questions To Ask St. Louis Website Development Agencies

Before you close a deal with a company, be sure to ask them these questions:

1. Have you developed websites for similar clients before?
2. Can you talk about the project you are most proud of?
3. What is the longest-serving client you have had so far?
4. Which aspect of web development do you specialize in?
5. How do you measure the success of your projects?
6. How do you plan on meeting the timeline?
7. Who will take on our project?
8. How frequently will you update us on your progress?
9. How much will the project cost?
10. Do you provide additional services like SEO?

Takeaways On St. Louis Web Development Companies

St. Louis is slowly rising as the next major innovation hub on the US map and web development companies are sure to follow suit.

St. Louis web development companies offer services comparable to their counterparts in the U.S., but they stand out in these three aspects:

• Innovation mindset
• Local market expertise
• More competitive rates

Local companies charge an hourly rate between $100 and $150 on average.

To select the best St. Louis website development company for your business, make sure to consider:

• Project complexity
• Total budget
• Project duration

Best of luck!

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