Searching for a Website Design Company – Questions to Consider
July 29, 2016
With a seemingly endless choice of web design companies, it’s not easy to compare providers and choose the right designer for your business website needs. Here at Denver Website Designs, we are your local experts in Denver digital marketing strategy. Even if you know very little about web design and the digital marketplace, we can build a website that tells your unique, great story.
Your website is important. It is the first impression potential customers get of you and your brand. Your website has to be user-friendly; it needs to look good – inviting. It needs to be easy to navigate and easy to use. It has to be packed with info, but not appear crowded. It has to offer options, be easy to read and understand; it has to be findable. And it has to not be annoying.
Because there are many facets of a successful web presence, it’s important that you choose your website design company carefully. You want to have a basic understanding of these following components to make sure you’re getting a high-quality service that will positively impact your business.
Originality & Quality
Your website content is what educates, builds trust, and may ultimately (and hopefully) lead to purchase decisions. If you aren’t providing engaging, knowledgeable insights to potential customers, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to convince them to consider your company further. And not only is quality content important to visitors; it’s also important to search engines.
If your content is spammed-up, copied from another source, or awkwardly stuffed with terms that you want to rank for, don’t think Google is going to ignore that. Their ranking algorithms take into account content originality and quality. Your rankings will suffer if you don’t provide a genuine learning experience for your users.
Ask yourself if you would want to read your own content. Your content should cover a wide variety of topics, approach them from different perspectives, and serve as answers to common customer questions. If you’re not interested in what you’re reading or it seems too promotional, chances are your target audience won’t like it either.
Ownership
When it comes to where your website is hosted, you’ll generally enlist the help of a hosting company. What’s important to remember here is that regardless of where your site is hosted, the ultimate ownership of your site is not impacted. It’s simply where the contents are stored and protected.
In terms of your domain name (which looks like "yourwebsitename.com"), you have to purchase this from a domain registrar (GoDaddy or Google, for example). This registrar is the official owner of the domain name, so you’re essentially leasing it for your business. If you choose to give it up, another company has the right to purchase it for themselves.
The actual content on your website – which includes text, images, and videos – is also subject to ownership. If you’re working with a company that’s doing both content and design work, you want to inquire about who owns what, otherwise, you might only be entitled to the content that you personally contributed.
If the design company owns the content, and you choose to work with a different marketing company down the line, the first agency has the right to remove any content that they created for you. In most cases, as long as it has been addressed and agreed to, the company will be more than willing to let you keep the content, even if you’re no longer a customer. If the company doesn’t address this up front, that’s a major red flag regarding their credibility.
Processes
Don’t underestimate the importance of deadlines and communication. Something that business owners often overlook when it comes to a web design is the level of organization and planning that goes into it.
There should always be a timeline of when each step in the design process will be completed, so you know if things are going as planned. A larger company will likely get things done quickly, but you might have a harder time scheduling calls or meetings with your team. With a smaller company, your project might not be done as quickly, but you might also get a more personalized experience.
You should be able to speak with your design team and quickly get responses to any questions or concerns. Ideally, try to schedule regular calls to discuss progress and any proverbial loose ends that need to be tied up. Clear and arranged communication will help keep everyone on-task.
Pricing
If you compare digital marketing companies, you’ll probably see some differences in the way their pricing and payment plans are structured. Some charge by the number of hours designers are working on the site, others charge by the number of pages you need created. Some offer payment plans; some want a deposit upfront with payment in full at completion; some bill by the hour as work progresses.
Don’t get too caught up in the way you pay for your services, because the most important thing to keep in mind is the final cost of the project. As a cost-conscious business owner, it can be tempting to choose the cheapest provider; but that is probably not your best strategy without inquiring into what you’re actually going to get.
If you’re comparing two companies and one is significantly cheaper than the other, there’s probably a good reason. The work quality (and/or quantity) will be lower, too. On the other hand, the costlier provider isn’t necessarily a better fit. Take the time to discuss your options and compare what you get for the cost. It might make more sense to choose a pricier provider that offers additional training and support hours over one that is cheaper and has less offerings.
Reputation
Company reputation is crucial in choosing the right web design team. Any company that is hesitant to provide case studies; real-time, working samples; feedback/testimonials; and portfolios does not deserve your business. You need to know that they have experience working with companies like yours, and that their customers are happy with the services provided.
You should also spend some time consulting their reviews on Google. Really read the reviews. Pay attention to both the number of reviews and the ratings. A customer explaining how their web traffic increased due to a redesign will give valuable insight into whether or not the design company might be a good fit. Here at Denver Website Design, we are proud to direct you to our testimonials and challenge you to find a company with more Denver SEO strategy kudos from clients.
Let's Go
No matter the size of your business and your business model, Denver Website Design can make your digital marketing vision for success a reality. From five pages to hundreds of pages, we have the experience to get your project done on time and at a reasonable price. Contact us to get started today at (303)498-9000.
Go Back Your website is important. It is the first impression potential customers get of you and your brand. Your website has to be user-friendly; it needs to look good – inviting. It needs to be easy to navigate and easy to use. It has to be packed with info, but not appear crowded. It has to offer options, be easy to read and understand; it has to be findable. And it has to not be annoying.
Because there are many facets of a successful web presence, it’s important that you choose your website design company carefully. You want to have a basic understanding of these following components to make sure you’re getting a high-quality service that will positively impact your business.
Originality & Quality
Your website content is what educates, builds trust, and may ultimately (and hopefully) lead to purchase decisions. If you aren’t providing engaging, knowledgeable insights to potential customers, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to convince them to consider your company further. And not only is quality content important to visitors; it’s also important to search engines.
If your content is spammed-up, copied from another source, or awkwardly stuffed with terms that you want to rank for, don’t think Google is going to ignore that. Their ranking algorithms take into account content originality and quality. Your rankings will suffer if you don’t provide a genuine learning experience for your users.
Ask yourself if you would want to read your own content. Your content should cover a wide variety of topics, approach them from different perspectives, and serve as answers to common customer questions. If you’re not interested in what you’re reading or it seems too promotional, chances are your target audience won’t like it either.
Ownership
When it comes to where your website is hosted, you’ll generally enlist the help of a hosting company. What’s important to remember here is that regardless of where your site is hosted, the ultimate ownership of your site is not impacted. It’s simply where the contents are stored and protected.
In terms of your domain name (which looks like "yourwebsitename.com"), you have to purchase this from a domain registrar (GoDaddy or Google, for example). This registrar is the official owner of the domain name, so you’re essentially leasing it for your business. If you choose to give it up, another company has the right to purchase it for themselves.
The actual content on your website – which includes text, images, and videos – is also subject to ownership. If you’re working with a company that’s doing both content and design work, you want to inquire about who owns what, otherwise, you might only be entitled to the content that you personally contributed.
If the design company owns the content, and you choose to work with a different marketing company down the line, the first agency has the right to remove any content that they created for you. In most cases, as long as it has been addressed and agreed to, the company will be more than willing to let you keep the content, even if you’re no longer a customer. If the company doesn’t address this up front, that’s a major red flag regarding their credibility.
Processes
Don’t underestimate the importance of deadlines and communication. Something that business owners often overlook when it comes to a web design is the level of organization and planning that goes into it.
There should always be a timeline of when each step in the design process will be completed, so you know if things are going as planned. A larger company will likely get things done quickly, but you might have a harder time scheduling calls or meetings with your team. With a smaller company, your project might not be done as quickly, but you might also get a more personalized experience.
You should be able to speak with your design team and quickly get responses to any questions or concerns. Ideally, try to schedule regular calls to discuss progress and any proverbial loose ends that need to be tied up. Clear and arranged communication will help keep everyone on-task.
Pricing
If you compare digital marketing companies, you’ll probably see some differences in the way their pricing and payment plans are structured. Some charge by the number of hours designers are working on the site, others charge by the number of pages you need created. Some offer payment plans; some want a deposit upfront with payment in full at completion; some bill by the hour as work progresses.
Don’t get too caught up in the way you pay for your services, because the most important thing to keep in mind is the final cost of the project. As a cost-conscious business owner, it can be tempting to choose the cheapest provider; but that is probably not your best strategy without inquiring into what you’re actually going to get.
If you’re comparing two companies and one is significantly cheaper than the other, there’s probably a good reason. The work quality (and/or quantity) will be lower, too. On the other hand, the costlier provider isn’t necessarily a better fit. Take the time to discuss your options and compare what you get for the cost. It might make more sense to choose a pricier provider that offers additional training and support hours over one that is cheaper and has less offerings.
Reputation
Company reputation is crucial in choosing the right web design team. Any company that is hesitant to provide case studies; real-time, working samples; feedback/testimonials; and portfolios does not deserve your business. You need to know that they have experience working with companies like yours, and that their customers are happy with the services provided.
You should also spend some time consulting their reviews on Google. Really read the reviews. Pay attention to both the number of reviews and the ratings. A customer explaining how their web traffic increased due to a redesign will give valuable insight into whether or not the design company might be a good fit. Here at Denver Website Design, we are proud to direct you to our testimonials and challenge you to find a company with more Denver SEO strategy kudos from clients.
Let's Go
No matter the size of your business and your business model, Denver Website Design can make your digital marketing vision for success a reality. From five pages to hundreds of pages, we have the experience to get your project done on time and at a reasonable price. Contact us to get started today at (303)498-9000.