Choosing Your Web Design Company - Who Do You pick? Who Should You Avoid?

So you've taken the plunge and decided to get your business online. But what now? Which of the multitude of web design companies should you pick? Which should you trust and which should you steer clear of?  

In short, these aren't easy questions to answer!

With so many companies to choose from, you can be left confused, flustered and frustrated when searching.  So many companies promise the earth but actually fail to deliver. They play on the fact that you might not know exactly what you want and don't have the time to research the most reliable and ethical company.

With this in mind, it's easy to see why so many businesses make the wrong decision! Make sure you don't make the same mistake! Don't turn to a company that will design you a flashy looking website for pennies that won't actually ever generate them the sales enquiries they desire. Want to know the best tips for choosing the right web design company? Look no further!

Do your research

The most important thing you can do is spend some time researching various companies that you find online. While they might promise the earth and claim to be the 'very best web design company', quite often this is far from the truth. Do they have testimonials from genuine clients on their website? Do they give you a detailed breakdown of their prices? Are there valid reviews (or complaints) on online forums or review centres? How long have they been operating?

All these are things you need to be aware of when viewing their website or searching for information on them online. It's vitally important that you answer these questions before moving forward in your decision making process. If you find a web design company that has genuine testimonials, are up front when it comes to prices and doesn't have complaints listed on other websites, then you're off to a good start.

Ignore false promises

Many web design companies claim to design unique websites every time. However, if you look at their portfolios, the majority of the websites they've created look very similar. That's because they use templates to save themselves time and money. One of the most important things you can do is find a web design company that knows your industry well. You need them to design a unique website that stands out from the crowd and is truly tailored to suit your individual needs.

A lot of web design and marketing companies also state that 'we will get you to the top of Google'. Beware - no company can ever guarantee this! Even if your website looks amazing, if the correct (and Google-approved) Search Engine Optimisation has not been carried out, don't even think about getting sales enquiries! SEO takes time and those that promise you quick results are either lying or are prepared to use techniques frowned upon (and caught) by Google. There's nothing worse than untrustworthy and scrupulous SEO companies ruining decent search results.

Find a web design company that does it all

While having a beautiful looking website is essential, it's not the only thing you will need to ensure potential sales enquiries. Expertly written content is also a must.

However, there are very few web design companies that provide proven copywriting services alongside expert web design. Most will give you the design and expect you to write the text yourself. While you know your business and industry well, you might not know how to write the content to attract customers to your business. This is why it is imperative that you find a company that specialises in not just web design but also copywriting and SEO too.

Cheap doesn't mean better

When you go online, everywhere you look web design companies are saying 'cheap websites', 'affordable websites' and 'websites for under £100'. This is only possible if they are using simple templates that look the same as the rest. Plus, they'll leave you to write and search engine optimise everything yourself! Ignoring these sorts of sites is the best possible thing you can do. While many of us are out for a bargain, websites are one area where 'cheap doesn't mean better'. Look at your website as your main marketing tool. It's worth spending a little more on your site if it has the potential to create an upturn in your sales.

Can you contact them when needed?

Is the company approachable? Are they happy to speak to you over the phone or face-to-face?

In the technological age we're now in, most companies prefer to do their dealings via email only. This is especially the case for web design companies. If you can, try and find a company that is more than happy to speak to you face-to-face. If not, make sure that they have contact numbers so that you can talk to them during the design process. It's not always possible but what can make this even easier is if you can find a web design company local to you.

Make sure you can trust them

We've said it before, but making sure you can trust the web design company is absolutely imperative. The best way to make sure before you have any dealings with them is check their website for genuine testimonials. If they've got some, visit the website of the person mentioned. Is the website still registered with the web design company? If yes, then you know that the client trusts the company.

We hope these tips have given you a real headstart into choosing the right web design company for you. If you're looking to have a new website built, look no further than SDG.

At the Smart Domain Group, we pride ourselves on offering all our clients the highest quality web design and marketing services. We've been in the industry for over 16 years and have an existing client base that's well into the hundreds. As well as providing stunning designs, we also write all the content for you and our talented and experienced copywriters and marketing experts carry out comprehensive search engine optimisation to ensure that our clients are as high as possible on the search engines. Don't believe us? Check out our Testimonials for comments from just some of our happy clients. Also, please feel free to browse through our Services pages and even check out our Portfolio page for examples of our work.