How to Choose a Web Site Designer

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.