If you run your own business and don’t have a website (not very likely these days), or you need to choose a web design company to update your current website then you have some important decisions to make. And the more you know, the better informed you are, the better the decision you’ll be able to make. Depending on a lot of factors, you may choose your neighbour’s 7 year old kid, or the large web design agency in the centre of town with the huge, plush office.

A few brief tips:

  • Choose the goals for your website before going ahead with the design.
  • Research the web design businesses you’ve listed.
    • Check their own website
    • Is it easy to navigate?
    • Is it straightforward to find the information you want, and can you get it withing a few clicks of the home page?
    • Are the graphics, layout and text easy to read and clear?
    • Are there any unsightly distractions?
    • Colours - this is a personal preference, but the colour scheme should ‘work’ together as a whole.
  • Contact the web design companies you have shortlisted.
    • Are they easy to get hold of on the phone, or by email?
    • Are they helpful over the telephone?
    • Do they try to push something on you that you don’t want or need, or are they responsive to your requirements?
    • What lead time do they give you on starting and finishing the project?
    • Call the references, and get their thoughts (good or bad) on the company.

With so many different companies out there, ranging from 1 man bands and freelancers who work from home, to bigger organisations that may charge you significantly more, how do you choose the right one for your business website? As we all know, cheaper is not always better, but nor do we want to pay an arm and a leg for a website that is way beyond what our business requires.

Clarity is essential. You are starting in the right place if you begin by making a decision about how your website should contribute to, and help, your business growth. There’s no point having a website for the point of it. Define your goals for your website from the very outset, even if it seems like it is taking up too much of your valuable time, you could potentially be saving yourself thousands in the long run. Do you wish to pass information to your employees, or clients, or do you want the site to generate leads? How will you measure ’success’? Will you use it to sell services or products online? If you nail this down you can remove a lot of headaches from the equation in the future.

When choosing a web design company, a lot of people like to go on recommendation, which is never a bad thing right? If a business associate has had a positive experience with a web design company then at least that minimises the risk you expose yourself to when dealing with a new company. However - make sure the company you are choosing is right for your business, and for you. Yours and your associate’s businesses could be akin to apples and pears, and we want to compare apples with apples here. And not everybody likes everybody else. This is a huge part of doing business that is often overlooked. You need to feel comfortable with the person or business you are spending your hard earned pennies with. You want to feel that the company will give your project the same attention you would, and that you can trust them.

Need help with your business website design? Call us today, we’re happy to help you with your questions.

Lloyd Roberts | 123 Web Design Bournemouth

123 Bournemouth Web Design
http://www.123webdesignbournemouth.co.uk