14 Questions to ask Web Designers

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14 Questions to ask Web Designers

Question 1: CAN I SEE YOUR PORTFOLIO?

Take a good look at the portfolio. Do you like other sites they have built? See if you can find your way around the internal pages. Design-wise the Internet is different to any other media and clear navigation is an important element. Remember that it is your customers who will finally decide the success of your site, so do not forget to keep their needs in mind when making your choice.

NorfolkBroads.com "Example sites can be viewed at http://design.norfolkbroads.com & www.innershed.com.
We pride ourselves on the ease of navigation around sites that we have designed."

Question 2: WHAT MAKES YOUR AGENCY DIFFERENT?

Some specialise in design, some in a particular technology and some in a specific business sector. A quirky site with animation and sound requires a different approach. So decide early on which path you want to follow and choose a designer with a proven track record. Do not get caught out, as many companies have, by agencies that develop sites only as a sideline to their main business.

NorfolkBroads.com "Web site design is our business and our client list shows a proven track record, utilising a range of technologies across a wide range of business types."

Question 3: ARE YOU REALLY INTERESTED IN PRODUCING MY SITE?

You will get a higher quality service from an agency interested in your business than from one selling just another site. Go for a small but competent design company that is really excited about creating your web site rather than a large one that will run it off in a week. Look for the effort involved in the the quote. Have you been given a basic proposal or has the agency put time into producing a tailored document? A production line quote is indicative of production line design.

NorfolkBroads.com "Every site is individually designed and created with a unique "look and feel" for each client. We work closely with our clients to ensure that we provide a highly cost effective web site solution."

Question 4: WHAT WILL YOU EXPECT FROM ME?

Planning sites is time consuming and the effort required from you may vary. Some agencies build only what you've specified, whereas others give considerable assistance in developing an Internet strategy that will involve input from you. If you are expected to write a lot of text for your new site, then make
sure you do it for the deadline required, then the designers have no excuses if your web site is not delivered on schedule.

NorfolkBroads.com "Upon receiving the copy and graphics from the client, we then "tailor make" your web site. We analyse the information to ensure that what is used on the web site really works."

Question 5: CAN YOU PROVIDE THE FUNCTIONALITY MY SITE REQUIRES?

From integrated e-commerce systems to cool Flash movies, companies now expect their sites to have inter-activity. Most agencies develop sites that incorporate some inter-active features, but the range and quality of these vary considerably.

NorfolkBroads.com "From the largest to the smallest site, we see the importance for web sites to be inter-active and also stress that they need to be easy to use. If the visitor enjoys their visit to the site, then they will come back for more.

Question 6: WILL YOU ADVISE ME ON E-COMMERCE SYSTEMS?

More and more businesses give their customers the option of on-line purchasing. Setting up an
e-commerce site is easier than most companies imagine and it can be surprisingly cheap. Finding
the right system is more difficult. There is a temptation for agencies to recommend their standard solution. Make sure you shop around or choose an agency that has a range of products on offer.

NorfolkBroads.com "We evaluate the best option for our clients. Many businesses are wary of the costs involved, but relatively simple e-commerce solutions can be surprisingly cost-effective."

Question 7: WHAT ARE YOUR PAYMENT TERMS?

A web site is a major investment, yet few companies ask about payment terms until the very end of the decision process. It is now common for agencies to ask for large deposits before beginning development work. Make sure you have payment terms in writing, and have a good look through the agency's standard terms and conditions. You can always ask for clauses to be added if this does not cover any important requirements that you have.

NorfolkBroads.com "We ask for half the design charge to begin creating the site, with the other charges due upon completion and publishing of the site."

Question 8: WHO OWNS THE COMPLETED SITE?

Believe it or not, some web sites do not belong to the companies who think they've paid for them. This is particularly true of the cheaper site deals offered by companies specialising in starter sites.
Do not get caught out by thinking that you will never need to move the site. You may outgrow your web design company, decide that you no longer wish to work with them, or they may even go bust!

NorfolkBroads.com "The copyright of any site we design remains with the client."

Question 9: ARE THERE ANY ON-GOING COSTS?

Hidden annual charges and undisclosed additional costs are all too common. Look out for asterisks in sales literature! Undisclosed costs commonly include annual domain charges and third party fees added to the cost of an Internet name. In some cases, legitimate third party costs will be incurred. These include bank administration charges for e-commerce registration or additional hosting charges based on volume of traffic or bandwidth usage. Make sure that you understand these costs and how they might affect your site.

NorfolkBroads.com "All our charges are clearly outlined on our price lists. We go through all the charges that may be incurred, and explain them thoroughly to our clients."

Question 10: HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

Agree a timetable to work to and make sure the design agency keeps to this timetable. For larger sites where a launch date is critical, consider adding a penalty clause to the contract.

NorfolkBroads.com "We pride ourselves on developing sites efficiently and working to tight deadlines.

Question 11: WILL I FIND MY SITE ON ALL THE SEARCH ENGINES?

Cutting edge design is useless unless the site attracts visitors. Attracting visitors via search engines is a complicated process with no guaranteed success. Unfortunately, design agencies often overlook the tricks that can attract hundreds of visitors a day to your site. Beware the agency that claims a few
"meta keywords" will do the trick! Fortunately, you don't need to put up with a few comforting words when it comes to search engine ratings. Ask for examples of marketed sites, the key phrases the sites have been marketed on, and perform a search in the major search engines.

NorfolkBroads.com We offer a very successful search engine listing service. Making sure the norfolkbroads.com site achieves high positioning under searches relevant to the East of England has given us a comprehensive understanding of the search engines."

Question 12: CAN I MONITOR VISITORS TO MY SITE?

Feedback is vital. Are those pages, so carefully planned, getting the visits they deserve? What really makes the web stand out from other media is the scope it provides for you to monitor and adapt to visitors' needs. Ask the agency to show you a working example of its method of monitoring the hits a site receives.

NorfolkBroads.com "We can provide detailed web site traffic analysis that is updated daily. This allows you to monitor the success of the site and where those visitors are coming from."

Question 13: HOW WILL I MAINTAIN MY SITE?

To keep your site fresh, new content is required regularly, yet some agencies discourage this by charging prohibitively high rates for making small text amendments. Agree an hourly rate in advance for updating pages and make sure you understand what is included in the maintenance contract.

NorfolkBroads.com "We charge an hourly rate and charge by the minute. Minor changes - amending e-mail addresses etc. are often carried out f.o.c. We can also provide full access to the web site for our clients to make their own amendments."

Question 14: HOW MUCH?

The last question to ask! Set yourself a small budget and be realistic about what can be achieved within this budget. Look out for the best value for money rather than the cheapest site around. Beware of the 'too good to be true' deals - that's usually just what they are!

NorfolkBroads.com provides the complete Internet solution for its clients, at extremely cost-effective prices. Most importantly, it"s the Internet solution that really does work!"