In the modern age, a company website is a necessity for every business – no matter how big or small. With so many options available, choosing a website designer can be overwhelming. Whether you are starting fresh or looking to update an existing website, there are some key things to follow in ensuring your business ends up with a polished, functional, and effective website. Keep reading to learn how to choose a web designer that will get you results.
Know What You Want in a Website
Do you want a simple landing page with a few links or something that can handle online purchases? Do you want your website to help grow your business, or is it intended to act as a static online presence? Do you want the ability to make updates yourself, or would you rather have a web design company manage updates? Knowing the answers to these questions upfront will help web designers narrow down the selection.
Inspect Their Online Portfolio
Any qualified web design company will provide a portfolio of past work via their website. Peruse this to determine their strengths and weaknesses and for ideas of what you’d like to see on your website. Determine their customer retention rate and ask for references. If a web design company doesn’t have a good website of its own, stay away!
Ask the Technical Questions
Once you’ve narrowed down which web design companies are the best fit for your business, it’s time to ask a few essential questions to determine which one is best suited to your needs and to help protect yourself from potential future problems.
Questions to ask include:
- Who will be responsible for managing my site?
- How responsive is your customer support department?
- Where will my website be hosted?
- How often will you back up my website?
- Will my website be mobile-friendly?
- Will you test my website to make sure it works in different browsers?
Get a Quote and Ask About Fees
Website design encompasses a lot of tasks, including development, content creation, graphic design, SEO, programming, and hosting. Make sure you ask for the bottom line on what you will be paying up-front and then ask what you’ll be paying for ongoing hosting needs. A responsible web design company will work with you on a marketing budget, business goals, and timeline before developing a quote.
Understand Cost and Value
It can be easy to want to select the lowest cost option, but when it comes to web design, you get what you pay for. A website may be one of the more expensive parts of your business, but if done correctly, it is a tool for success.
By utilizing this information, you can be confident in the web design company that you choose. Contact us to start a conversation about your web design needs!
