Looking out for a great web design company

Some people commission websites all the time, so they get to know what to look for when hiring a designer or developer. But if it’s your first time (or worse still, your second time and you had a bad experience before), then there are a few key things that can help you make your decision.

The first question you should ask yourself, or your boss if they are holding the purse strings, is, do I want a designer or a developer? A designer is the person who makes the site look appealing, and draws people in so they read on. The developer is the person who sorts out the behind the scenes mechanics of things like online shops. Ideally you want someone who can do both sides so the end product is completely seamless between design and development.

The second question should be what do I actually want. A sure fire way to increase the cost of a website is to be vague at the outset then change your mind about everything half way through. If you aren’t sure and need some advice, then you need to choose a website company who are clearly advisors in their field, and are willing and able to talk you through the alternatives. If, when you decide what you want, it includes specialist features like e-commerce (the internet term for buying stuff online) then make sure you find out from your web developer what system they use and request to have a go on a site they have already built.

The third main thing you need to look at when choosing someone to build your website is the prospective designer’s portfolio. Try and find sites that are in similar fields to your business so you know that they don’t just design corporate professional sites when you want something for a ladies boutique dress shop or vice versa. If there are a couple of sites that you say to yourself, yeah, I really like that, then chances are you have found your designer.

Finally, don’t be afraid to talk to your designer, even after they are appointed. A good website company will come up with concepts initially, you’ll take a look, and it’s at this point that if any changes are going to be made, that you should speak up. A decent designer will appreciate your feedback, make you feel comfortable enough to speak your mind and will make any changes you request with good grace and even enthusiasm!

So if you take some time to decided exactly what you want from your designer, check that they have done the same type of thing before, both in terms of development and design, then keep an open dialogue going, you should end up with a website that looks great and just as importantly, brings the customers in.