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Title: How to Choose a Web Site Designer
Author: Herman Drost
Article:
It seems that everyone from the 15-year-old kid to their
Grandmother is able to design a web site these days. You could
also build the site yourself using a word processor or other web
site program; however if you choose this route, plan on spending
quite a bit of time learning, to get your site to look
professional. Creating a web site is not as simple as typing a
letter.
If you want your site to look professional, it is imperative to
find a designer that will be with you from the start to the
finish of your web site and will also be there in the future
should you need changes or updates to your site. So how do you
distinguish who is a good designer or a bad one?
Here are some important steps to take before making that
important decision:
1.Credentials – does the person or business have professional
qualifications in Web Design and the Internet? Are they
certified in any particular area of web design? You can often
check this out by going to the "about" page on their web site.
If they have taken the time to gain the qualifications, then you
know they are serious about their business.
2. Experience – how long has the person or business been
designing web sites and working with the Internet? If it is only
a short time then they may not be familiar with all the
technologies available in designing a web site and may not be
around to take care of your future needs.
Look at the design of their web site and other sites that they
have designed by going to their portfolio page. Do the colors
and text look balanced? Do all the links work, does the site
load fast and is it easy to navigate the site? Do all the pages
have a consistent look?
3. Testimonials – this will give you a good idea of the service
and design you can expect. Look through the testimonials of
satisfied customers. The testimonies should have the email
address and the web site address listed (so you can contact them
if need be). Beware of fake testimonials in which just the name
is listed but no email or site address.
4. Vision – create a basic plan of the type of web site you
want. Do a search of other sites on the Web, to get a rough idea
of what type of site you are looking for, that is unique to your
business, (not just a copy of someone else's). Sketch your ideas
out on paper, so that when you contact your designer, you
already have a good idea of what you have in mind.
Decide what kind of web site it should be – will it be an
informational web site, a web site that will continue to expand
as you develop your business, or an e-commerce web site with a
number of products for which you accept online payments?
5. Technology – if you want to use advanced technologies on your
site, such as flash, shock wave, database integration, make sure
your designer is familiar with them and how this may affect your
site. They are often expensive to implement and may not be
needed for you to set up your business on the Web.
6. Contact – make sure you can contact your designer by phone or
email and see how long it takes for them to get back to you. If
it takes a long time, then this may be an indication of what
your future contact with them will be like. Are they helpful,
professional, polite and friendly? I find this always makes it
easier to do business and less stress on yourself, since you
will want it to be a strong and stable relationship.
7. Free Consultation – once you have a plan of what you want on
your web site (or even if you don't know where to begin),
contact your designer for a free consultation before you set up
a contract. Most web designers will give you a free consultation
if they want your business. This will help you clarify what is
expected in the design process.
8. Contract – make sure you have a contract drawn up before you
make any payments. It should state clearly what is included in
the contract e.g. how many pages, links, graphics? Does it
include marketing and maintenance of your web site? If not, then
ask what does it cost for the extras. This can include domain
name registration, scanning and optimization of graphics and
hosting. (see my article "how to choose a hosting company" at
http://www.isitebuild.com/webhostarticle.htm)
9. Pricing and Payment – surf around the Web to compare prices,
so you have a ballpark figure of what to expect for your site
design. You can expect to pay half of the full price up front.
If they are professional, they will accept credit cards for
online payments. Do the prices include submitting your site to
the main search engines? (This should be done by hand if it is
done properly). Don't be misled by those that say your site will
be submitted to 3000 search engines by automatic submission
software.
10. Testing – your designer should test your site before it is
completed. Will it look good in Internet Explorer as well as
Netscape browsers? What screen resolutions can it be viewed in?
It should be able to be viewed in all resolutions. Without
extensive testing, your site may not look good to a large number
of your customers.
11. Ongoing Support - support means that you know you can
contact them to get a prompt and courteous answer to any
question or concern you may have. Can the designer grow with
your web site? You may want to make additions or changes to your
site in the future especially if your business is expanding.
Does your designer have other ideas for driving traffic to your
site (since this is the lifeblood of a successful web site)?
If you follow these 11 steps in choosing a web designer, you can
then be reassured of great design and support that will
contribute to the ongoing success of your business.
About the author:
Herman Drost is a Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) and owner
of iSiteBuild.com (http://www.isitebuild.com) Site Design,
Hosting, Promotion Author of "Marketing Tips" Newsletter mailto:
webdesigner@isitebuld.com
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