Top 10 Questions to Ask When Selecting A Web Design Firm

Web design is a constantly evolving discipline. The company you entrust to design and develop your website should ideally serve as a long-term, trusted partner that can guide in your communications & marketing choices as your organization grows.

When evaluating firms, here are the top 10 questions to ask to determine if they are the right fit for your company.

1. Does the firm have experience in working with your industry?
   Are they familiar with best practices on standard information you should include? Do they understand your customer base, and what they will be seeking when they come to your site?
2. Can the firm provide turnkey solutions to include content development and SEO services?
   Content still reigns as king, so it’s important for your web design firm to be able to provide strong writers who can populate the pages with compelling messaging.
3. Can the firm provide case studies and examples of sites they have designed or re-designed?
   The case studies will provide insight into the overall design style of the company’s design team.
4. Can the firm provide or arrange for hosting with a qualified hosting partner?
   Design is only one piece of the website development puzzle. Can the firm assist in getting the site launched quickly?
5. What is the overall design process, and what is my role in the process?
   How collaborative is the process? Your firm should be able to provide a detailed methodology that walks you through the site creation from concept to launch, and includes information on review cycles that require customer input along the way.
6. What happens if the site goes down?
   Your web design firm should be available to you to navigate any technical difficulties through the life of the site.
7. Will my site be mobile-optimized?
   You want to select a partner that is experienced in developing sites for all technical platforms.
8. Do you build Search Engine Optimization into your sites?
   All sites today should be designed and coded with SEO in mind. Your partner should have resources specially trained and certified in search expertise.
9. Will I own all content of my site once it is completed, including the domain name?
   Verify with your web design firm that you will indeed own all source files once the site is completed, and that you will own the domain name.
10. Will we be able to update my site once you deliver it?
    Your design firm should provide you with a training guide on how to access and update your site so that you are not dependent on them for updates, if you would like to update it yourself.

Web design is a critical aspect of a company’s overall marketing strategy. Furthermore, it is imperative to establish a comprehensive website contract with the chosen web design firm, outlining project timelines, deliverables, payment terms, and other essential details to safeguard both parties’ interests throughout the development process. Your due diligence will go a long way in ensuring you have selected the right firm that will be with you step by step as you grow.

To learn more about our 20+ years of design experience, please email Adam Levin at alevin@informationexperts.com to set up a meeting.