Article: Choosing a Web Designer

A few years ago, having a web designer acquaintance was as awe-inspiring as knowing a rocket scientist (well, almost). Today, web design and html skills are almost as common as Word and Excel. So if you're in need of a website, why should you pay a professional design company money when your friend's 13-year old nephew will do it for free?

Experience is worth its weight in gold

There's an old story about a man who called a carpenter because he had a squeaky wooden floor in his house. The carpenter took a few minutes to inspect the floor, hammered in one nail, fixed the problem, and left the man a bill for $100. The man was shocked at the price and asked the carpenter, "How can you charge $100 for 5 minutes of work?"

The carpenter replied, "It's $5 for my time, and $95 for knowing where to hit the nail."

A good, professional web design firm will know much more beyond just creating a website. They should be well-versed in user behavior, use design techniques that engage and effectively target the intended users, create search engine-friendly pages, code fast-loading web pages, and use all of the latest best practices in web design.

It's important to realize that if you build it, they will not necessarily come. And just as important, if they do come, they will not necessarily stay long or come back. A good web design company will be able to build a website with the most potential for success. This doesn't mean that you have to pay through the roof, but if you want great results you might have to make a little investment.

Ok, so how do I pick a needle out of a haystack?

We know there are thousands of web design firms to choose from. Entering the words "Web Design" into a search engine will give you endless pages of results. So what are some strategies to find the right company for your future website?

To begin with, ask your friends, families, business acquaintances, etc. Chances are they know someone who designs websites. A recommendation from someone who has first-hand experience with a designer is very valuable. But, what if you or your friends don't know anyone? It's back to the web and the yellow pages.

There are several directories on the web that list web designers from all around the world. Some such as Web Designer Directory or DMOZ have hundreds to thousands of listings categorized by region or specialty. However, some people prefer to work with companies that are close to home. You can always try the old and tested method of looking through the business yellow pages or even visiting the local chamber of commerce.

Once I've narrowed it down, how do I decide?

Nothing speaks higher of a design company's abilities than their portfolio. Most web design companies will have a portfolio or "our work" section on their own website. This a great place to get a sense of what they can do and if their style will fit with your needs.

One of the best ways to gage a firm's design abilities and professionalism is to check out their own site. Common sense dictates that if their site is sloppy and unprofessional, the one they design for you will probably be as well. Also take a close look at the content on their site. If there are a lot of misspellings and grammar errors, then they should not be your top contender. Although sloppy content says nothing about their technical abilities, it speaks strongly against their attention to detail.

Once you've narrowed it down even further, we recommend that you contact some of the companies on their portfolio pages to see how their experience was with the firm. Don't let client testimonials on their website convince you. Check up on their references. You'll save yourself many headaches.

In conclusion...

If you are serious about building a powerful, successful web presence, it will take a little investment. Consider it part of your startup or marketing costs. Novice web designers might be skilled in one or a few areas, but an experienced design firm will have a vast understanding of web technologies and strategies for web success. When looking for a designer, ask around at first and then do some research. When you find a few that you like, contact their clients if possible. If you hear many praises, then woila...you've found your man or woman or your friend's 13-year-old nephew.