Web design is not a business that comes in a one-size-fits-all category. Every business has a unique vision for what they want to achieve online and how their presence will progress in the future.
And hiring a great web design company to help execute your goals will be essential for customer satisfaction and continued growth.
However, before you sign on the dotted line and turn your website over to a pro, there are a few boxes you need to check off to ensure you're bringing in the right company.
If you've met freelancers who boast they can provide premium web design services, then start by visiting their site. If they don't have one, there's a good chance they outsource work to someone else (who does it for a much lower price).
If they do have a website, spend a little time navigating around it. Remember, the best web designers know that the work they do for their own business is a reflection of their abilities.
While the website will be an excellent starting point, ask to see what they've done for other clients. The best will have this readily available, and often you'll come across it when investigating their website, but if you don't see a portfolio, request one.
Your primary contact at the web design company should have the ability to communicate with you in a respectful and non-patronizing way. They'll be able to explain the concepts and practices they use clearly, as well as handle the tech-talk that comes with web design.
You'll also want a company that will listen to your vision and explain what components you need to execute it properly. Trust that the best in the industry will want to know more about what you want to accomplish before they jump in and get started.
A great web design company will have a sound basis for the pricing they offer, and they'll be able to explain why they charge what they do. Often, it won't be the most or least expensive companies that will add value to your e-commerce business. But it will be the company that has appropriate and understandable pricing that will make sense.
Web design is more than just creating an aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate website. You want to ensure that your site is fully developed from the logo to usability to branding to optimization. An easy to useweb content management system will streamline your processes.
You may also find options such as content management system services very beneficial. Review the services offered by the web design company to ensure you're making the smartest decisions for your online business.
Web design firms that do their work in-house will often be sharper and quicker than the competition that chooses to outsource certain tasks. Make sure you ask the company before you hire them if they work with others, and if they do find out who they are, so you can check them out as well.