Choosing to update and redesign your company website is an important decision. But where do you start? A Google search for small business web design or Montreal web designer will give you thousands of options. But choosing the right company for your needs means you need to know the right questions to ask.
Based on our experience, here’s the top 10 questions we suggest asking any potential web design company.
- What services do you offer?
Many web design companies offer web development, hosting, e-commerce solutions, digital marketing services such as social media, SEO, Google Ads and email marketing. Most businesses can benefit from a variety of web marketing services. If you don’t already have a company to help you with your digital marketing, many companies that provide web design also provide full web services. At Sparrow Digital we are a full-service web agency, helping companies with their online presence. Make sure you know what your web design company can and can’t do. - How do you charge for your services?
The pricing structure of web design varies from one company to the next, so ask whether a flat project price or hourly rate is used. Keep in mind that price is based on experience, expertise and the scope of the project. It’s important to know exactly what you’re paying for when given a project quote. They may not be able to give you a good estimate until you discuss content and features of the site. Expect to pay between $60 – $125 an hour, depending on their skill and their location. A quality website with good graphic design and layout will cost around $2,500 – $5,000 for a simple business website. If you add a blog, e-commerce, newsletter, SEO, contrent-creation, or logo design, expect the price to be higher. Ask them how they bill you. Will they invoice you monthly, or when certain milestones are reached? Do you have to make deposits? - What will you need from me to get started?
Typically, you need to provide any images, text, or other content you want on your site. If you choose to have the text done by the agency’s copywriters, you’ll need to provide basic information. If you provide your own copy, it may need a few tweaks for better search engine optimization or design presentation. Whatever the case may be, you should be notified in advance of any revisions needed to your copy and why they are needed. - How long does a project usually take?
Typically, the turnaround time for a website design is based on the scope of the work required and how quickly you provide them with needed information, such as text and images. But you should ask for a projects average turnaround time if they have all the content. It’s also worth discussing what happens if they don’t meet their target date. - Will my website be optimized for mobile?
Mobile websites are a must for businesses with an online presence. Find out how the web design firm approaches the mobile component of web design. For instance, a responsive design may be used to accommodate all visitors, whether accessing it from a desktop computer or a mobile device. Or, a separate mobile site may be included as part of the initial website design. The important factor to determine is the breadth of experience the web design company has in developing mobile applications and the reasoning behind the approach it takes. - Do you have case studies that show the results your web designs provided for businesses?
A website is not just about having an online presence with a site that looks good. It’s about getting a return on investment and having that website deliver business results. Ask for case studies. These case studies should provide specific results, such as increased online sales by a certain percentage, increased leads by a certain amount, or boosted the conversion rate by a certain percentage in a specific time period. - Can I see some examples?
You can get a great idea of how your website may look by reviewing the web design portfolio of any team you’re considering. Keep in mind your content and specific branding will influence the final design. From seeing examples of the agency’s work you can see the types of projects they’ve worked on and see how certain features were built. Look for a company that has a wide range of designs. This shows that a company can listen to their clients, considering the brand and doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to the design process. - Will my website be built to expand as my business grows?
You’re making an investment in your business. It’s important to know if your new website can grow with you, every website will change over time. The type of platform used to build your new website and how the site is constructed can have a significant impact on how easy content updates will be in the future. Ask how this will work for you. - Do you offer on-going maintenance after my site goes live?
It’s important to understand how you’ll keep your site up to date as time goes on. Websites also need to stay current with changes to technilogy to keep them working as intended. Make sure there’s a plan in place.
- How will we measure results?
If you’re investing in a new website, chances are your hoping to see a benifit from the new design. Web design should look great but also deliver results. Ensure that you have this discussion before the web design begins and know how your web desgin company will track and share these results with you. In general, Google Analytics is the first step to monitoring website performance.
You might also want to check out our services page. Let us help you develop an effective website solution for your business, tailored to honing in on your prospective clients.
