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10 handy tips for selecting a quality web designer
I can not stress how important it is to not only have a website but also a good one. As someone that invests in stocks one of the first things I do is check out their website. As a business your image is very important. You want people to know what your business is about from the start. To know your mission and path. See you have knowledge and understanding in your field of industry. And able to not only keep able to keep up but have innovation. When people see a poorly put together website it gives an impression the business is doing poorly. It looks sloppy and lazy. Even if you have the best business your potential costumers will be scared away before they even get to try you out. No body wants to waste their hard earned money on a sketchy business. Just think of it this way. Think of it this way, would you hire or shop from a sup par web site. Well neither will they.
Below are some tips and ideas to help you find a Web Designer that will be able meet your needs.
1. How professional are they
If your web designer doesn’t convey professionalism and invoke confidence don’t waste your money. How will they help you to showcase your business well if they can’t do the same for their own. Being unreliable, not returning your calls in a timely manner. Doesn’t have a well put together website for their own business. Unable to give you a proper quote or time line. Doesn’t explain the process in detail. Won’t answer your questions clearly. Saving money isn’t always the most import thing. Some times you will spend more in the end after trying to fix the mess you created by cutting corners. And the head ache and delay could also cost you money. Plus lose your costumers confidence from the get go.
2. View the designers previous work
If they can’t show you their past work this should be a huge red flag! Caution don’t bother wasting time and money with this one. If they run a proper and successful business their work should be readily available. Most competent web designers will have a professional website showcasing their work. This way you can view and get a feel for what you may wan’t for yours. It’s just part of being a well run business. Like shopping for a new vehicle take your time. Don’t rush into it and pick the first one you find. Like a used vehicle the cheaper choice might not always be the better one. It might look good at first but you may find problems later on you didn’t first notice.
3. Talk to others that have gone threw the process
Speaking to other business associates can be a great source when first starting a business. Especially if it is your very first business venture. You are like a youth stepping out into the great world. There is so much you don’t know. You might not know where to start and what to ask. Having people that have gone threw the process already can be a great source of help. If you don’t have any real life friends that are business owners try going to business groups and gatherings. If you don’t have the time or are not very social at least do some on line research. Online forums can be a great resource. You can ask questions and connect with other like minded people. Just a word of caution people aren’t always what you think. Hiding behind a screen people can be anything. Never give out personal info or send money to anyone. As well take advice with a grain of salt and always find more then one source of information.
4. Do they provide SEO services
This is one big problem I find with people wanting to have a website built. There is this miss conception that a pretty website will some how just attract costumers and business. This is not the case and in fact your website most likely will only get unwanted traffic from malicious software trying to find vulnerable websites to access. So with out SEO you have in essence bought a pretty brick. Your website will be so far back on search engines that no one will ever find it. Think about how you find things on the web. You type in the phrase you want and hit enter. If it doesn’t come up you change your wording and try again. Those websites that came up on the first page are the best ranking. Your web developer might not do SEO but might know some one that does. If not you will need to search for a SEO specialist. You need SEO otherwise you are wasting your money having a website built. As well make sure they will get your website an SSL certificate. It looks unprofessional and is bad for ranking.
5. Social networking on line marketing
Beside having a great website with SEO there is lots more that can be done to get your business off the ground. On line social networking is a very amazing tool. There are many free platforms these days. You can manage them or hire others to do the work. Or a mix of both. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest to mention a few. Also Google maps is very important. It is free and will get you some traffic. You can add your web address and lots of other items. Some web developers will provide this service, others won’t. But you can find some one to manage and set it up if you don’t care to.
6. Make sure you are both on the same page
Some times it can be hard to convey the images and ideas you have in your mind. Sit down with your web designer and have a proper discussion. If that isn’t possible maybe a video conference will be your next best choice. If you know of other websites that are along the same line as your vision then let them know. As well listen to there input and ideas. It is their craft after all. If you are unable to work with and trust their expertise then why did you even hire them. Keep the dialog open along the way and make sure you understand the process as along the way. As well as being available your self if they need more input from you. It is your business. Make sure they truly understand what you are about when creating you a website.
7. Know The Processes
Make sure you understand the process properly. Know what all is involved from start to finish. Don’t be scarred to ask questions along the way. Make sure the pricing is clear and there isn’t any confusion or unhappy surprises after. They should show you a proof of the final work before it is singed off. Make sure you are happy before agreeing to the end result.
8. Set out a concrete time frame
Your website specialist should be able to give you a decent time frame as to how long it will take to be completed. Not being able to give you a date or seaming too busy isn’t a good idea. They may be taking on too much work and you could be waiting for ever. Some times you might be able to see reviews from other costumers as to how well the process was. Make sure to do your research first before choosing someone.
9. Know The Rates
Like shopping around for any product or service there will be some what standard rates. Shop around and make sure you are getting the best value for your dollar. But don’t go on price alone. If some one is way cheaper then all the others you have to wonder why. If they have quality work why would they give it away. This is an important investment. Your business will be reflected by it. You want a well experienced designer that produces quality work. As well one that will care and understand the impact the website will have on your business.
10. On going support and services
Last but definitely not least. So now that you feel comfortable with your choice of a web designer what comes next. Well your website will need ongoing work. You don’t want to be left with a website to maintain and update by your self. What other services do they offer for ongoing support. Will they monitor your website keeping it safe. Or will you have to contact them every time to know how your website is managing. As well how will this be billed for this service. Will it be a monthly service or will you pay per item.