What should I look for? The question of most business owners are, "What should I look for when searching for a web design/development company?" All business owners know they want a professionally designed website that is functional, attractive, and easy to use. But what should they look for in the company building the website? Educate yourself on: Portfolio Listed first for a reason, a web design company's portfolio is a direct representation of how well they will work out for you. Visit as many of the websites listed in the portfolio as you can. Pay close attention to the sizes, fields, and types of businesses listed in the portfolio. If the company has experience working with businesses like yours they'll be able to assist you even more in all phases of your new website. Also check to see if the company works with all different kinds of businesses or only certain ones. The flexibility of your web design company will help. If you're a small to medium sized business you do not want to work with a web design firm that only specializes in large corporate web design/development. Also a lot of design firms have a particular look to their work. Make sure you like the designs of the sites in their portfolio. Look for color coordination, usability (navigation/layout/design), standardization (common look/feel), and specific features you might want on your site. Your site is not going to be successful without visitors. Make sure the company you're looking into has knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This includes site content, keywords, backend programming, link popularity, and more. Background You should know all you can about the company you're thinking of paying to create or renew your internet presence. How many employees does the company have? Do you know of any complaints about the company? The Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) is just one agency business owners may use to check the background of a web design/development firm. Where is the company located? The location of the company can affect how comfortable you feel working with them. If you can meet with your designers face to face it will allow you to get a better idea of if they are right for you. Communication Even if the web design firm you're thinking about knows what they are doing, you do not want to spend 6 months getting your website completed. Start communicating with the company to make sure you're comfortable with their ways of communicating and their response times. Ask them what normal time frames they have for getting a site like yours up and running. Services The company you're looking into should have the ability to provide you with what you want. Even more, they should be able to suggest to you what you need and what they can do to assist you in accomplishing your goals. If you do not want to spend the time working with multiple companies, make sure the web design firm you're looking into offers all the services you need so you only have one company to deal with. This will save you time and money. Services you should think about are email accounts, domain name registration, web hosting, graphics, ECommerce, company identity and logos, support/maintenance, and maybe even network/computer support. Page Technology enjoys assisting our customers with all of these services. But some companies specialize in particular areas only. Pricing, Budgets, and Payment Options What are you getting for hard earned money? Make sure the company's rates are comparable to competitors. You also want to make sure you have documented exactly what you are going to receive for your money. Will there be any ongoing charges to maintain your site? If so, what are they and do I really need them? Does the company provide any help with budgets for non-profit organizations? Are they flexible in working with small to medium companies working with small budgets? The firm you go with should have payment options to assist your business and your budget. We hope we've helped you in finding the right company to assist you with all your web design/development needs. Please email us at Info@PageTechnology.com with any questions or comments. |
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