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5 Mistakes Businesses Make When Choosing a Web Design Company

Article Submitted by: Obs Group

Friday, 12 March 2010

Who can blame businesses if they sometimes choose the wrong designer for the job? After all, there are thousands of web design companies out there. Quite a few of them have very nice looking sites. Yet, time and again, businesses make the wrong choice and end up having to go to another designer to sort out previous problems.

To help you make the right decision, check to see if you're guilty of any of these common mistakes:

Opting For the First Search Result In Google

While being first in the Google results for competitive terms is no small achievement, top position is not a guarantee of top quality. It's also not a guarantee of best fit for your business.

It's possible that the company at the top of the search results have poured lots of money into search engine optimisation (SEO). While this definitely isn't a bad thing in itself, again - it doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the best designer.

(Tip: instead of Googling "web design company" or similar, try and narrow the search to more specific and relevant terms for your business, like "ecommerce web development company london" for example.)

Not Checking Previous Work

Any design company should have a portfolio of previous work. Have a look at some of their completed sites in action to see if they're easy to use and professional looking.

Something to take particular note of: check the dates of the project, then visit that client's website. Is it the same as the portfolio screenshots? If significantly different it may be that the client has had to have a redesign soon after.

Choosing Based On Looks Alone

Yes, all web design companies should be able to build good-looking sites. And aesthetics can play a big part in the success of your site.

However, web design is as much a technical as artistic skill. If you're building an eCommerce site, for example, you need experienced developers who can handle everything from secure payment processing to bespoke content management systems.

It's no use looking pretty if your site doesn't work the way you need it to. So go with a design company that puts heavy emphasis on their development credentials.

Not Checking What the Support Options Are

What if the design company you hire puts together a complex site and then remains hard to contact for the next six months?

All good design companies should have some kind of support option in place. The very best will offer free support to get you up and running. This could prove invaluable when your site goes live.

Not Opting For a Designer With Relevant Experience

If you're in a tight industry niche then it's unlikely you'll find a designer who specialises solely in that type of site. However, consider for a moment the type of website you need.

If you sell a high volume of products online, you need a designer with eCommerce experience. If you need a training web application, then go with developers who've built one before. Try to ensure that the web design company has as much related experience as possible.

In the end, your decision may come down to whichever company gives you the best pitch. However, try to consider the above points before making a final decision. It could save you much more money and headaches in the long term.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:

Oliver Pluckrose is the Head of Development for Online Business Solutions UK Limited (OBS Group) - a web design and development based in London. Formed in 1998, OBS Group's ethos has always been to provide simple, end user-driven web site development for a sensible, fixed price.

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