- Marketing, Web Development
10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Design Company
Think of a web design company as your business partner. The website it creates for your business will play the main role in your brand presentation, and in reaching your marketing objectives. You can deny the importance of a website for your area of business, but it will be a face of your firm, all the time, 24/7. Whether considering a website created from scratch or redesigning your current one, the decision of choosing a competent, outsourced web developer you make, will dictate your website success.
1. What Services Do You Offer?
In addition to website development, many web design companies offer hosting, copywriting, e-commerce platform development, and digital marketing services such as social media advertising, SEO, or PPC campaigns. While it's very common to decide all of these services are related, they are, as a matter of fact, very dissimilar services requiring very different skills.
2. Can You Show Examples of Websites That Your Company Has Created?
Check the websites overall performance, whether it's easy to use the navigation, if the websites are attractive, if the designs are attractive and modern, and how well the design matches the logo and the content. Ask questions to clarify. Find out why they've made this or that web element. You may decide that the website looks too minimalistic, or odd, but after the web designer's explanation you will discover that was exactly what the company wanted.
3. Will the Website Be Responsive?
Nowadays it's a must for any web development process. Your website should look good and easy to use no matter which device (laptop, mobile, tablet) you are using.
4. Who Will Write the Content?
Some agencies have copywriters to manage the writing of your website’s text. In most cases your company should provide the content. Ask if the content will be edited by an internet-marketer, or a copywriter with SEO skills.
5. Describe the Website Creation Process You Use.
This question will help you to understand if there's a market research before creating a website, if they check on your competitors too, what your participation in the project will be, and how long the overall project will take.
6. What Kind of SEO, or Other Internet Marketing Activities Are Included?
The company you've asked for a new website should add your website to all major search engines. There are many additional techniques and campaigns that can be applied to improve your new websites internet exposure. So ask if they offer SEO and other digital marketing services.
7. Will We Be Able to Edit the Website Ourselves?
Website content changes shouldn't be complicated if a web developer used a proper CMS (content management system).
8. Do You Provide Free After-sales Support and Website Management Training?
Some companies will offer free support for a short period after the website is launched. To show you how to edit website content is a must, because it's up to you if you want to do it yourself, or continue paying for a website support.
9. Who Owns the Website/ Hosting/ Domain Name?
That's very important, because sometimes designers will register the domain name and hosting with their name instead of your company's name. Always register your website under your personal name or business.
10. How Do You Price Your Services?
The pricing scheme for web design services is different among outsourced specialists, but you need to understand whether a fixed project price or hourly rate is used. Keep in mind that price is based on skills, approach and the scope of the project. The pricing should be in line with the quality of the agency’s work, which will show in how they take care of your brand and the importance of its online presence.
Thinking about online marketing is hard
but not thinking of it can destroy your business.
