When you are developing a website for your business it’s highly likely that you know exactly the kind of look you want even if you’re no website design expert. There are websites that are a joy to navigate and others which seem purposefully designed to annoy and frustrate. Some simply look stunning from the home page and beyond but fail to deliver great, interesting content. Developing a great, user-friendly and informative website is no easy task. Here’s the bottom line on choosing the best firm to develop your company website.
Check their Technical Skills: They may sound highly plausible but have they the technical skills to match your requirements? Find out about their experience and whether they are skilled in system integration and advanced coding. If an online purchase and payment system is fundamental to your website, check that they can deliver. Ask for evidence to support the above.
Check the Team’s Expertise: It is essential that you hire a website development company with expertise in graphic design, content writing and search engine optimization (SEO). All of these elements need to be completely intertwined to create a fabulous website – the final website must look amazing, must be a great read and must rank highly on search engine results. Ask about the team members who will be developing your website and confirm there is the right mix of expertise in these three key areas.
What do previous customers say? Ask previous clients for their feedback. This is essential when making your decision about which company to hire. Find out if the company kept them updated on progress regularly and whether they would hire them again – which can be very telling! Previous clients can give you insight into the reality of working with the web development company and this can swing your decision to a yes or a no.
Do you like them? Meet with the company and speak face-to-face with whoever will be driving your website development project. Test the waters by asking if they would take on board your design and navigation ideas. If not, do they provide good rationale? Does the team seem enthusiastic and ready to get to work? It goes without saying that if you don’t get good vibes about the team, you won’t be able to work with them smoothly and frankly they are not the company to hire.
Does their quote match your budget? Every business has a budget for a new website so the company you want to hire needs to fall within it. But don’t assume that the highest quote equates to the best website or that a low quote means you will end up with a disappointing result. Price is fundamental, but in addition to the cost, factor in the company’s expertise, experience and previous client testimonials to ensure that you get the right website for your company at the right price. Website development is a competitive industry and you may be able to hire an excellent and well-recommended company at a competitive price if you follow the tips above.