Consumers now expect every business, large or small, to have a website. If you do not have a web presence then prospective customers may well dismiss you as being an unprofessional, fly by night company.
Good Stuff Happens in 1:1 Meetings: Why you need them and how to do them well
How to pick a website designer
1. How to Pick a Website Designer for Your Business
Consumers now expect every business, large or small, to have a website. If you
do not have a web presence then prospective customers may well dismiss you
as being an unprofessional, fly by night company.
Your website does not have to be sophisticated? a simple blog or online
business card will suffice for a smaller company but it must be clean,
professional looking and search engine friendly.
Many business owners dismiss the idea of setting up a website because they
believe that it will be expensive, time consuming or difficult. This could not be
further from the truth. If you find a good web designer then you can get an
affordable, professional looking website without too much difficulty.
If you do not work in technology or a related field then you may be unsure where
to start and find yourself wondering “How to pick a website designer?" These
tips will help you to pick a designer that will serve you and your company well.
Don’t Respond to Spam
The best place to find a good web designer is via the search engines. Don’t
respond to designers who contact you out of the blue. After all, if a web
designer’s own site is not easy to find in the search engines, what makes you
think that the website they create for you will be any better? Search for web
designers in your area and compile a shortlist of the top few results.
Check Their Portfolios
Look at the portfolios of each of the designers via your favourite search engine.
Many web designers specialise in a specific type of work, such as WordPress, E-
Commerce, Joomla or even bespoke website development. Find a web designer
that works with the kind of technology or system you prefer. If you don’t know
2. what sort of website you want, call a few designers and see what they
recommend.
Arrange for a Visit or Phone Call
Finally, arrange a consultation with the firms you prefer the most. The purpose of
this is to find out whether the company is easy to work with. If you find it difficult
to communicate what you want to the web designer at this stage, it’s probably
best to move on to a different company.
Ideally, you should get a fully itemised quote at this stage but when you are
comparing web designers, make sure you don’t just look at the bottom line. Look
at what each designer is offering.
For example, are they providing hosting, the domain name, ongoing updates, or
training in how to use the content management system? Factor in these
differences when comparing prices, and choose the company that offers the best
value for money.