Are you serious about investing time and money into a new website? Below are some things to think about when choosing your web designer

Who are they?

There are a lot of people that could build a website but there is more to Website Design than you might think. Building a website is much like building your own house. As with building a house you need a lot of people with different skill sets such as Graphic Design , HTML and CSS, JavaScript, Content Management Systems and Search Engine Optimisation. So one of the first things to check is how many people do they have on the project? Be careful with anyone who claims to be able to do everything. After all, would you trust a builder that claimed to be an architect, an electrician, a plumber, and carpenter?

Portfolio

Have a look at their portfolio – good things to check are not just how it looks in terms of design, but how the examples look in different browsers. Ask for their portfolio websites keywords and check where they appear in Google. This will help you get a better picture of their capabilities.

Delivery

Have you decided when you need your website up and running by? If so, is the web developer confident of the delivery times. It is important to clarify your expectations to the supplier – otherwise you may find out you aren’t the priority you hoped you were.

Design

Check out their portfolio, ask about the design process and the team involved. A prospective client’s first impression of your company may well be from your website, so don’t let the design of the site let you down.

Contingency

Are you dealing with a web designer, or an IT Specialist who does a few websites? Where are they going to be in a year’s time when you need to change your website? Fully established web designers are much more likely to offer more extensive contingency plans for you and your business. If web development is not a core part of their business you may get a diluted service and find out that you are not the priority you thought you were.