Define the goal before you hire
Before talking to anyone, decide what the site must do for the business. Collect enquiries, sell products with Click or Payme checkout, take pressure off a crowded Telegram inbox, or simply prove that the company is real? The answer shapes the structure, the technology, the timeline and the budget.
Owners often start with 'I want a beautiful website'. Design matters, but it is not a goal. A better one: a visitor arriving from Instagram or a Meta ad understands the offer within a minute and leaves a phone number. A written goal helps the developer propose the right solution and helps you judge the result.
Freelancer, studio or agency
The Tashkent market has three common formats, and none is best in every case.
The real difference is rarely price. It is who takes responsibility when something breaks three months after launch, and who can carry on if the original developer disappears.
- Freelancer: flexible and usually cheaper, a fit for a simple landing page or business card site, but you depend on one person's workload and availability.
- Small studio: a designer, front-end developer and programmer under one roof, so revisions are easier to coordinate. Ask who will actually work on your project.
- Full-service agency: handles the site together with advertising, SEO and analytics, which helps when the website is one part of a wider sales funnel.
- Website builder or ready template: a quick way to test an idea, though flexibility is limited and local integrations can be awkward.
What to agree on before work starts
A good developer asks questions before naming a figure. If you hear a price after two sentences about your project, treat it as a warning sign.
A written brief does not need to be long. One or two pages stating what is included and what is not will prevent most disputes.
- Page structure and features: enquiry form, cart, customer account, search.
- Languages: in Uzbekistan, Russian and Uzbek versions are often needed, sometimes English as well.
- Integrations: Click, Payme, Uzum, a CRM, a Telegram bot for lead notifications.
- Who writes the copy and who supplies photography.
- Who owns the domain, hosting and source code after handover.
- How revisions and acceptance work, and how many rounds are included.
What drives the price of a website
A website is not priced per page. The cost covers planning, design, front-end work, programming, content entry, testing on phones, hosting setup and later support. The more custom logic you need, the more labour it takes.
So compare offers by scope, not by the bottom line. A cheap quote without analytics, mobile layout and basic SEO preparation can turn into expensive fixes later. Ask for an estimate broken down by stage, so you can see what each part of the payment buys.
Analytics from day one
A common mistake is launching first and wondering later whether the site works. Counters, goals for form submissions and 'Call' button clicks, and tracking of visits from Instagram, Telegram and ads should be switched on at launch, not six months after.
Without them you cannot tell whether the project paid off or the money was simply spent. Agree in advance which numbers you will watch: number of leads, cost per lead, and the share of visitors who reach the form.
How to vet a developer
Ask for real projects and open them on your own phone. In Uzbekistan most visitors browse on smartphones, so loading speed and mobile usability are not optional. Ask whether you can speak to a business owner who has worked with them.
Also ask how support works after launch and what happens if you later want to change contractors. A straight answer signals a mature team. A promise of 'first place on Google within a week' signals the opposite.
Where to start
Write a short brief: what the business does, who the customer is, what action a visitor should take, which sites you like and which deadline really matters. With that document, a conversation with any developer becomes concrete.
markdev builds websites end to end, with analytics and clear reporting, and without inflated promises. If you want to talk through your task and see which type of site fits it, send us a request and we will suggest sensible next steps.
FAQ
Should I hire a freelancer or a studio?
For a simple business card site or landing page a freelancer is often enough. For an online store, payment integrations, several languages and support after launch, a studio or agency is safer because a team stands behind the work.
What should a website brief include?
The goal of the site, page structure, features, languages, integrations, who provides copy and photos, how revisions and acceptance work, and the terms for handing over access and source code.
Why do website quotes differ so much?
Because the scope differs. One quote includes analytics, mobile design, SEO preparation and support, another covers only the visual look. Compare estimates stage by stage rather than by total.
Do I need a website if I already have Instagram and Telegram?
Social networks bring attention, but a website is yours, appears in Google search and gives you room for a catalogue, payments and analytics. The channels usually work better together.
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