A Guide to Choosing The Right Web Design Company

With advances in software and the growth of Internet Service Providers (ISP), launching a Web site is easier and less expensive than ever. But before you go Cyberspace and get your name out to 700+ million Internet surfers, there are some things to consider. 

Because the Web is relatively new (the first browser was developed in 1993), new Web development companies are springing up all the time. Some are staffed by people with technical backgrounds, others are full service ad agencies who subcontract their Web work. And while some offer design services on-site, they may farm out the marketing or graphic design functions to other companies.

Prices are equally diverse. Some firms charge hardly anything for a basic one size fits most page. But watch for other charges, such as monthly service fees based on the number of times people visit your page. Higher end companies take the opposite approach, offering you lots of bells and whistles up front but no support or marketing knowledge that ultimately decides your online success. .... read on

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It's just the current state of the market. But remember: Web sites aren't magical and they aren't that hard to produce. And, no matter what anyone says, a well crafted site still  needs to be designed and managed by someone who understands basic communication, advertising, marketing and sales principles. 

Beware the New
The other school of thought is to make it as whiz-bang as possible  and if certain people can't access it then it's their fault............ right?

Don't get us wrong, we love Flash (a state of the art multimedia programming language that gives a movie like quality to your site) and other similar programs, we just don't believe that every site should use this technology.

Some businesses suit this type of image while others are better with a professional or corporate feel or a resort suited to a nice clean laid back approach. Keep in mind that no bell or whistle can take the  place of good design and solid, effective communication principles!

Following is a checklist to help guide you in your search for the perfect Web site designer. 


1. What business or marketing objectives would you like your Web site to accomplish? 

2. What other information do you want to gain from your Web site?

3. Points to consider regarding the supply of content for your web site.

Researching A Web Design Firm 

Now that you've got an idea of what you want for your web site, it's time to start shopping. Since prices and services vary widely, it's recommended that you call three firms to discuss your site. 

Don't be shy about asking questions, particularly about technical issues. A good design house should be willing and able to walk you through the process, without sounding as if you're insulting their intelligence. 

Questions to ask:

Does the design firm understand your organisation's objectives and goals regarding a Web presence?       Do they perform the actual Web design in house?  Do they perform related services in house as well, such as graphic  design for the pages (buttons, textures, maps, etc.) and marketing, or do they contract this out?  Are they willing to give you a firm estimate before proceeding  with the design process?  Are there any hidden costs in the design and set-up of your page,  such as additional site storage fees on a server, logging your  site onto major search engines on the Web, sending press releases  out to key media, charges per hit on your page (often referred to  as throughput), etc.?

Does the firm post your pages on major search engines? Can they show you results for their marketing efforts? Are they knowledgeable about the constant change in search engine indexing, and do they use an automatic or manual submission service? How often can you update your page and what is the cost of making  changes? If there are technical questions, is there someone at the design firm who can answer them?  Can the tech heads actually communicate or do they have industry standard, lower than usual people skills? Does the firm design pages from scratch, or do all their sites have the same look and feel (be sure to visit their home page and any clients  they have to get some idea of their abilities)? What do they charge for digitising photos and artwork? Are these costs included in the site estimate?  Can they handle the registration of your domain name, such as www.your-company-name.com  Can you use your own ISP to house your site? Is the design firm  willing to work with other providers to post your site on their server?  What other types of communication or marketing projects besides  Web sites do they work on regularly?

Are they willing to integrate your Web site into your other  marketing/communication materials?  Can they support basic design services such as forms and e-mail hyper linking? What other enhancements are they able to offer you? Can they explain the limitations of the current technologies, such as load time and the challenges involved with imbedding sound and video into your page? Can they offer you marketing and public relations counseling and  support? Do they understand your business and/or industry?

Answering these questions should assist you in selecting a Web design company that meets your own unique needs. It's very important to find a company that can work with your own staff to develop a compelling, interesting and affordable Web site; one that will promote repeat visits and meet your own organisation's goals and objectives.

By all means please contact us and run through any or all of these questions......... we are happy to be able to give you the right answer every single time.