Now that you have decided to have a new website designed, you are faced with the question, “Who is going to design my website?” There are literally millions of web designers out there and choosing between each of them can be a difficult choice to make. At JM3 Web Design we believe making the most informed decision is always the best decision. This is why we have created a checklist of the dos and don’ts while searching for your new web designer.
Your designer must possess a strong sense of marketing. After all, the goal of most websites is to attract new and repeat visitors. Your designer should have ideas to help you convert visitors to customers. If your designer does not have a good sense of marketing then your site could end up costing you money rather than providing opportunities to generate new business.
Your designer should also specialize in creating interactive and searchable web designs. Choosing a web designer that is committed to their craft and helping you reach your goals is a must. This will pay huge dividends in the time that passes after your website is launched. Making changes should not be a difficult task. Sometimes a quick turnaround time means you are able to take advantage of an opportunity in the market.
When it comes time for the techie questions here is one of the most important questions to ask."Do you design with tables and frames?" If the answer to this question is yes, but only when we are dealing with tabular data or a strong no then you may be on the road to finding a great designer. If yes, then we strongly advise you to do business with someone else. There are millions of websites designed in tables and frames that may look beautiful, but will never be found unless they are in the sponsored links and paying for their placement.
What does your designer do to optimize your website? If they only talk about meta data (or meta tags) then it is time to exit the conversation. Your website should be optimized from the design up. There are many techniques used to optimize your website, but the most important task is to make it easy for the search engines to index each page on your site.
Should I invest in an HTML or a Flash design? This is one of the most commonly asked questions. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to each design. Flash designs are perfect for those looking for interactive sites where the goal is to attract consumers to a new product. It is also the right choice for a company that has a multimedia product or service. The issues that most sites have when they are heavily designed in Flash are long load times and they are difficult for search engines to index. If a company's website is not indexed they typically will need a costly pay per click program in order to have needed visibility to generate traffic to the site. Websites designed in HTML typically have fast load times and are indexed and ranked easier on search engines. This is the right choice of design for companies that count on search engine rankings as a part of their internet marketing strategy.
What about cost? Ah… the age old question is it really worth all that money? In our nine years in the business we can answer that with a resounding "Yes!" Unfortunately, most websites never achieve their intended goals. When a website is properly designed it will have a high return on investment. Your website, once completed, should pay for itself by generating new business time and again. If designed properly you should see a return on investment within a few months…not years! Most site design bids are by project and some are per-page. With either choice, the web designer should have every detail in the contract.
0 comments:
Post a Comment