When choosing a web design company, keep in mind that you’re picking a team of people who will your business on the Internet, a very important component which can help improve your business.
Here are some points to consider:
Do they have a local presence?
Nowadays a lot of companies outsource their work. Make sure the company you’re considering has a local office and can meet with you in person. Take note of the company’s business hours, and make sure someone will be around to answer the phone or reply to an email when you need to get in touch with a person. The most praise Digital Dogs receives from clients is in regards to our responsiveness. We try to answer emails as soon as we receive them, and clients can always reach someone by phone during business hours.
Do they have an online portfolio?
Check out the company website and review previous work they have done. That will help you determine if you like the company’s style and their level of website professionalism.
Have you asked someone for a referral?
As with any service, ask your friends and family if they have used a company for web development. Ask them about the experience they had and if they would use the same company again. Also, feel free to ask the web design company for references from previous clients.
Where do they host your website?
It is recommended that the company creating your website also host it. That way, the company is familiar with the hosting environment, and you call one place for edits and hosting. However, make sure that if you switch to a different company in the future, you own your site’s code and can easily access it and/or move it to another server.
Are they offering any advice on how to improve your site? How professional is their advice?
Consulting is the most important part of web design. A client might not be tech savvy or understand all the “rules of the web”. The web design company should be there to offer advice and guide you in the right direction. Be wary of companies that agree with everything you say and offer no new ideas in a professional manner.
Does the contract include everything you need?
Make sure that the contract includes the budget, number of revisions, hourly cost for additional edits/revisions, length of development time, as well as the length of the warranty after the site is launched.
Meet with the web development company and, if you like what you hear, make a decision based on knowledge and experience. As we all know, you only get what you pay for, so the cheapest solution may end up costing you more in the long run, and it may not produce the results you want.
