How to choose a web designer

Every business needs a website. The questions is – how do you find the right web designer to take care of your internet presence? Will the web designer you choose take the time to know your business inside out, and be able to help bring you customers?

Unlike other traditional marketing strategies, a website has a global reach and can attract potential clients 24-7. Sometimes it’s hard for business owners to grasp the internets potential, but those who invest the time and money into a professionally built website will see the positive results immediately.

Unfortunately, sometimes it seems everybody and their brother claims to be a web developer. This is not a carefully regulated industry, you do not have to have a license to practice, and so many business owners just do not take the time to fully understand the potential effect a website can have on their business. There are even some business owners who make the important decision to hire a designer based on price alone.

There is no consistency or base line when it comes to web development companies – one company may charge $5,000 for a basic site while someone working out of their home with no overhead may claim to be able to do create a comparable site for a fraction of that amount. One day I passed a home with a sign in the yard that read :”Websites $400.00”.

With thousands of Web developers out there, ranging from individual freelancers to larger marketing and web design agencies, how can you make sure you choose the right one?

You need to decide what you want the website to do. Do you want a site that is nothing more than a glorified brochure? Maybe you are a small pizza restaurant and want to simply have a menu up on the internet. Of course, a properly designed and search engine optimized site will bring you more customers and more business, so you should always try to take advantage of all the internet has to offer. It is understandable that many businesses in this economy have limited budgets, so there is nothing wrong with starting small and having a plan to expand the site over a period of time until it is most effective. I would rather see a business do this than have no site at all.

So ask yourself what kind of information will you have on the site – what do you want to share with your visitors.

Remember – your website can be your single most important salesman – and he never sleeps. Many times your website will be the first thing a potential customer will see – so it is important to make a good first impression.

Those of us who are Web designers can spot another good web designer easily. But for the average person - choosing a professional can seem an overwhelming task.

Testimonials and referrals help greatly. If you are part of a Chamber of Commerce, or other networking group – ask around and talk to people who have worked with the designer you are considering hiring. If you use referrals and do your homework, you will have a much better chance of finding a designer who's right for you.

There are many designers who claim to be qualified but have no real experience. Some designers are great at creating beautiful graphics but do not have a clue when it comes to Search Engine Optimization. I actually know a business owner who asked his web designer to perform some SEO on his site – The designer refused to do the work and claimed he was only concerned with creating beautiful sites, and did not have time to waster on working with SEO.

Obviously you should ask to see examples of previous work. But also spend time talking with the web designer and make sure they are going to be the best person for your site, If you are a air conditioning contractor you probably don’t want someone who has only built restaurant websites.

Be clear about who owns the site once it is created. Some designers like to retain copyright, and can hold you hostage by not allowing you to edit or transfer your site. In my opinion - the site should belong to you no with conditions at all.