Here’s a shocking stat … even in this hyperconnected digital world, nearly 50% of all businesses still don’t have a website.
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Those that do usually have websites that are outdated, unattractive, or don’t load properly on mobile devices. Hiring a website development company will put you ahead of your competition and project the professionalism of your services to new clients.
A strong web presence is essential to competing in just about any industry.
Since 84% of people now trust online reviews as much as they do the opinions of their friends, your presence online will affect your profits. An attractive and useful website will help you stake a claim for your business in the digital sphere.
If you’re looking for a Web Design And Development Agency to hire, you’ll find there are many to choose from. Look for the following 6 qualities to ensure you find a perfect match.
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1. Fit Your Budget
Your website development company should be able to design something useful to your customers that also fits within your budget. While you may have a grandiose idea of what your website could do, web developers can help ensure that your vision meets what your customers need.
Then you should always choose a relatively local web designer, as they will have a far better idea of what is liked in your country. So, if you are in the UK then have a look at this exceptional UK website design service as they are top-notch and obviously know the UK market very well indeed.
They can look at what the industry standards are for your size company and make recommendations that fit within your guidelines. If you can’t afford to pay for and maintain your website, it’s not going to be useful to you. If every idea they have exceeds your budget, find another company.
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2. Check Out Their Portfolio
A website development company should have a strong portfolio. They should have examples of work they’ve done in your industry and for companies like yours. Look carefully and see that they get the inner workings of the industries they work for.
There are lots of flashy ways that developers can make complicated sites that drive up cost. See that they’ve got the essential elements that your company needs. If you need a strong e-commerce platform and you don’t see any examples ask them about it.
They should be honest with you if they can’t provide what you’re looking for.
3. Find A Partnership
You could be working with your web design company for years to come. Make sure that you feel comfortable with your rapport. If they talk down to you or don’t seem to be listening to what you have to say, you should find a development company that does.
Your website development company needs to understand your overall goals.
They should be willing to help you meet those goals and build a relationship over time. You need to have a certain amount of chemistry with your developers so that they can translate your creative ideas into a real functioning site.
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4. They Should Keep A Schedule
Whether you’re paying by the hour or paying a lump sum for the project, you should know what the schedule will be for deployment. Before you sign, the developers should have put together a calendar that tells you what to expect at what time.
They should be able to have a test version of a minimum viable product within a few weeks. The overall project could take much longer but in the meantime, your customers need something to contact you with.
The amount of time developers are willing to commit to your project tells you how important your business is to them.
If they are willing to just throw the content together without your input, that should raise a red flag. You know your product better than your developers do, so they should be waiting on you to direct them when it comes to content.
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5. They Need To Fit Your Style
Every brand and every industry has a set of stylistic requirements. When you’re working with a developer who understands what you’re going for, you’re going to be surprised. If you don’t seem to mesh well, you won’t be happy with the outcome.
Make sure there are examples of what you’re looking for in their portfolio. Mention specific elements. Find other sites that use the elements you want to be using. Speak openly and as specifically as possible so that you can communicate what you want in great detail.
6. Find Out Who Is On The Team
If you’re working with a large website development company, you could be one in a long line of clients. Be sure you have a single point person who you can contact when you have an issue. You should be able to make one call and check in on your project without getting the runaround.
At Goodman Creatives, you can rest assured that you’ll always have one single point of contact for all your web design and marketing needs.
If you’re working with a new or smaller company, you will get more attention. Get to know the structure of their team so that when you’re testing the site, you know who to direct feedback to. You’ll know if so-and-so is on vacation, you won’t be able to get certain database issues fixed.
The better they communicate with you, the better you’ll feel about your project.
You should also know if parts of your project are being farmed out to a third party. Not every company has all the pieces you need. Some development companies will handle all of the design and front-end development in-house while having a partner company do the database and back-end.
This is not uncommon and can get you the best of the best, but without a good line of communication, you might feel left in the dark.
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A Good Website Development Company Is Vital
A small boutique company is great for a boutique or a luxury brand.
If you’re a legal or dental office just looking for something for clients to find out basic information, you can broaden the scope of your search. Once you find a good company to work with, feel free to negotiate with them.
If you have more questions about what to look for in a development company, contact us to make sure you find the perfect solution.
