Website designers are plenty these days, however not all are created equal. There are several factors you should consider when choosing whether a website designer is right for you. Most (if not all) web designers will have an initial consultation free of charge. This is the best time to get to know your designer and their business and for them to get to know you.
Below are some items you might want to make sure are included in your free consultation.
How much do they ask about your business?
Pay attention to this. Any web designer should be spending a good portion of time asking questions about your business. They need to understand the nature of your business, including what products and/or services you offer, any special offers or promotions, who your ideal customers are and how you help your customers. After all, you know your business best and your website should be a reflection of that.
Do they have a structured planning and design process?
As small business website designers, we believe it’s best to have a clear-cut process. A structured planning and design process is a good sign that there is an organised method to building your website. A structured process can include a timeline with specific outcomes expected at each point. This provides clarity around what is happening with your website and when.
What do they know about internet marketing and SEO?
Is your website designer a tech guru? If so, you might want to check their understanding of internet marketing and SEO principles. Complex ideas and designs on websites might look pretty but aesthetics are not the only component of a website. It is important that your your website designer understands how to include quality SEO principles in your website so the search engines can find and rank your website. This allows your customers to find your website easier, and engages new customers. Liverpool Web Design integrates SEO principles into every aspect of our website build.
What do they know about responsive design?
In the age of mobile phones and tables, responsive design is everything. Mobiles are not going anywhere and in fact, their usage is increasing every year. Responsive design gives the best user experience and lowers your ongoing costs. It is easier to have a responsive design that looks great on any device than it is to manage multiple versions of your website. It’s also easier and quicker to deploy changes, as they will scale across all devices. Most importantly, it helps with SEO rankings. A positive user experience means they are on your website for longer. This user feedback tells the search engines that your website should be ranked highly. Responsive web design is included in the planning and designing of all website builds at Liverpool Web Design.
What are their plans for scalability and growth of your website (if necessary)?
If you have plans to grow your website over time, you want to take that into consideration from the start. Websites that grow can become cluttered and difficult to navigate if they are not designed for growth. Even if this is not something you consider now you might consider it in the future, as a growing website improves your SEO and your rankings in the search engine. Make sure your website designer can discuss an organised way to grow your website organically.
What ongoing client support do they offer? Will the site be maintained after the initial design (and if so, what are the fees?)
Are you planning on learning how to run your website? If so, that’s great! Make sure your website designer includes in their offering a post-launch training session to ensure the best chance of successful handover. This session should include how to manage registration, back-ups, and security at a very minimum.
If you are not planning on learning how to run your website, does your website designer offer any post-launch maintenance? If so, what are the fees?
What are the estimated fees and costs, as well as the billing process?
After the initial consultation, you should be able to obtain a quote for your project. Make sure this includes all estimated fees and costs, as well as any payment and/or deposit requirements.
Liverpool Web Design offers a free consultation to discuss building your small business website needs. Our consultation will include:
- Detailed survey about your business and your needs
- An Implementation plan and timeline
- Best practices in Web design, including SEO techniques, responsive design and growth
- Ongoing growth and/or maintenance of your website dependent on your needs
