Finding the right company to build your business website can be challenging, to say the least. There’s so much to consider… and price is just a sliver of the overall website design estimate. Choosing the right web designer upfront can save you months of frustration and delays.
When interviewing potential web designers, it’s hard to see the big picture. There are many unknowns…
- How you will work together?
- Will they understand your business?
- Will they grasp what you want to achieve?
- Will you end up with a website you are happy with?
- When will it launch?
By taking a practical approach to finding the right designer, you’re much more likely to end up with a effective website that you’ll be proud of. The following are some of the best ways to narrow your search to the best web design company for you.
Finding Your Web Designer
Figure Out Why You Need a Website
A new website can bring many improvements to your existing online presence, but it’s important to focus on your most important needs in order to get the most out of your investment. For some, it can be as simple as incorporating new technology like social media or revitalizing an outdated appearance. Others may want to increase their exposure by attracting new visitors and generating new leads. If you already have lots of visitors, you may be more interested in educating potential buyers and converting those high-quality prospects into sales.
Even though all of that sound enticing, it’s important to focus on the most important reasons, so you and your potential designers know what needs to be accomplished.
Start With the Quality Web Designers
There are thousands of “web designers” out there. And, unfortunately, finding one that will give you what you want can be a craps shoot. The spectrum of design styles is broad and many will not appeal to you as “good looking websites”. Fortunately, the vast majority of established web designers have website portfolios which you can browse to see if they’re a good fit for your business.
Take time to start your search on the customer portfolio page so you can get a good idea of their design capabilities. Don’t even bother with web designers whose past work you don’t like. Here’s our website portfolio by the way.
Consider Your Content
Written content is considered by many to be the most important element of a website. What most don’t realize is that copywriting can also be one most expensive and time consuming aspects of a new website, as well. Having a solid understanding of what you want to say on your website (and how you want to say it) can have a dramatic impact on the final web design estimates you request.
If you can write, consider writing the content yourself to reduce the cost of your website. Most competent web designers will still offer advice about what you should write about and how to organize it.
Don’t Underpay
When it comes to web designers, you get what you pay for. The truth is, you can find plenty of people who will offer to build you a website for a fraction of what you might expect to pay. In the end, however, looking for the cheapest option is rarely the best way to go. The money you save can quickly be overshadowed by the frustration of poor communication, lack of technical or design skills and a general disinterest in your project.
Keep you budget expectations realistic and don’t jump immediately at the prospect of a cheap website. It’s completely fine to consider lower cost options… but do your best to ensure your web designer understands your needs and can provide you with what you want.
Don’t Overpay
Experienced web designers come in all shapes and sizes… and so do their website design estimates. Most small businesses don’t need a website that costs tens-of-thousands of dollars… In fact, many smaller web design companies will provide you with a comparable result to that of a big marketing agency, at a much more affordable price. Get a web design quote from us, for example.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to the big guys. But remember, a big price tag doesn’t mean the website they build for you will be that much better.