5 Things To Look For When Choosing A Web Company To Make Your Website

1. Past Performance

A reliable indicator of future performance, is past performance.

Look into whether:

• they have made a few other websites that are the same type as you want (simple brochure websites, or complex web apps, etc),

• they have successfully worked with the technology that you want to use before, or able to recommend technology that is widely supported by other web companies should you need to move

• they have made other clients happy

• BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY ..have they delivered business results for other clients online? Ideally these business results would be similar to the goals for your website, i.e. ranked in the top 3 on google.com for a keyword, increased sales or leads, etc.

2. User-Focus & Design-Focus

Good design doesn’t just look great.

It is also simple and easy to use. When choosing a web company have a click around other websites they have designed and built. More than just the look and feel, also be sure to check if it is well thought out, easy to use, and note the attention to detail.

Ideally you want to find a web company who understands designing for usability first and foremost, and who will balance that with presenting your business well online.

3. Ongoing Website Performance and Technical Support

Several months after your website goes live, you want to be sure your chosen web company can still help you to measure and improve the performance of your website, as well as fix any big or small issues that may occur.

It’s important to understand that to meet a business goal, a website is not just a one-off project. Results require ongoing measurement and improvement.

4. Strong Business Processes

Ask any potential web companies about the process they’ll take you through to create a website. It should make sense, and cover a good range of this list.

Good project management is an art, to deliver your web project on time, on budget, and to a quality standard. At the start make sure you understand which parts you do, what they do, and where a third party is required.

A great web company understands their strengths and weaknesses, and what services they do and don’t offer. Small companies or freelancers who offer every service under the sun in-house (like coding, design, content-creation, marketing, photography, videography, etc) are more likely to be good at only a few of these disciplines.

5. Pricing Certainty

Look for a company that can give you certainty around how much you will pay for what you get. You are likely to need to pay for a one-off project, as well as a monthly rate for ongoing hosting and support/ performance/ marketing work. If you are new to getting websites made then try to avoid agreeing to charge-up work based on an hourly rate.