What should I ask potential web design companies?

Believe it or not, but there’s actually more to a website than a fancy design. Much more.

Of course you’ll want to view the design company’s portfolio to see what they’ve done for others. Go a step farther – ask about the results their clients have garnered as a result of their web design.

Ask how long they’ve been in business. This will help you determine how long they’ll be around to support and maintain your site, and whether they’re a legitimate web design company to do business with.

Also, ask what technologies they’re using in their development. Nowadays, technology changes so quickly that you need a website designed for today and tomorrow’s standards. A company that’s merely keeping up with the game will find their technology often becomes obsolete the day after they’ve completed a website. That’s not a position you want to find yourself in. Would you rather work with a company using cutting-edge CSS technology, built for the future of web design?

Important themes within web design include usability, SEO and HTML structure. If your site is designed by someone not versed in HTML, your site might not be compatible with all browsers, much less readable on mobile devices. Furthermore, poorly structured code can destroy your search rankings. Want to show up at the top of Google? It’s important to choose a web design company that can take your website beyond design to be functional.

New Website Design or Re-work my existing website?

When you have to choose between creating a new website from scratch and re-working your existing website, it usually comes down to a matter of budget. But first, analyze the problem you have with your site: Does it look terrible? Not functional? Not generating results? Never showing up on Google’s search rankings? Assess what’s not working with your current site – it’ll help with your decision whether to re-design or start from scratch.
Now it’s time to analyze whether re-working your existing website will even be able to sufficiently resolve the problem you’re having. Frequently, poor HTML markup is the cause of web distress. But trying to make changes to the code this late in the game is comparable to taking bricks out of the bottom of a house.

If you’re considering a re-work of your existing website, chances are you’ve already paid someone for your current site. It can be frustrating to imagine paying for a completely new website. With On-Target, you’ll get a team who knows what they’re doing and can fix what’s broken on your website: you won’t constantly be addressing issues that arise from a re-design.

A new website design will inevitably cost more on the front end, but can save you money in the long term and will actually help you achieve the goals you’ve created your website for in the first place.

What is hosting, and what does it do for my website?

When your site is finished and ready to be published to the web, you have to procure a domain name and hosting before your site is actually “out there” for people to view. You’re probably familiar with domain names: www.google.com, www.yahoo.com, www.cnn.com. But many people are unfamiliar with the concept of hosting. So, what is hosting, and what does it do for my website?

Hosting is essentially space on a server that is connected to the Internet and publishes your content onto the web. Some use their own dedicated servers. When you go with a huge hosting company, such as www.godaddy.com or www.hostgator.com, you’re paying to lease space on one of their servers. And because they host so many different websites, it can have a negative impact on your SEO. A smart solution for many of our clients is to purchase affordable hosting through On-Target!, which will positively affect your SEO. Contact us to learn more.

Web Designer or Do-it-yourself Web Page Template?

It can be tough to decide whether to hire a web designer or to purchase a do-it-yourself web page template. On one hand, a web designer can truly customize your site, and make it function the way you’ve dreamed. On the other hand, a web page template generally is a cheaper investment… at least, initially.

The problem with templates is that they’re limited, they have problems, and the client has little to no control over it. There are so many more factors besides design that make a website effective today, including SEO, updates, and well-written code. Consistently, clients think they’re saving money by choosing a web template, but eventually have to hire a development company anyway in order to have their website function as they need it to.

Another consideration involves duplication. If a template is for sale and available for your use, how many other companies are using that exact template as well? It might be cheap, but 4,000 other companies might be using it. Ask yourself how many top businesses use a template? Probably zero. There’s a reason for that: there is no substitute for great creative that understands your target and designs a website around the user experience.