Websites may be more affordable and accessible than ever, but let’s face it, many people and businesses still make costly mistakes. In most cases, it stems from what I believe to be poor planning, preparation, and marketing, and that includes hiring the right web designer for the job. Your website is your authority online and can have a huge impact on your reputation and bottom line. For online business it is literally everything. Mission critical is choosing the right person or company who not only understands her needs, but also has the technical, creative and marketing skills to turn her vision into a reality.
Instead of wasting valuable time on lengthy interviews and reviews, I recommend you cut to the chase and examine the three most critical areas for you: site ownership, site maintenance, and search engine optimization/marketing (SEO/SEM). Get these areas wrong, especially the last one, and everything else will be meaningless. Get them right and everything else is negotiable.
Once you’ve narrowed down your search, which should include at least three companies, interview each one paying close attention to the answers to these three mission-critical questions:
Who will own my website?
In short, the answer to this question better be you. Too often, companies find out after the fact that they own nothing more than the content they provided. This is very discouraging and all too common. Some web designers take ownership of their work and may require the purchase of hosting. Upon completion and payment of the site as per agreed terms, you must own and control the domain, hosting account and website and obtain a backup copy of the site for your records. Beware of proprietary content management systems (CMS), free site builders, and monthly hosting fees over $10. Few companies have specialized needs that require proprietary software or hosting. As an owner, you want the freedom and ability to pass on to other designers and web hosts should you choose to do so.
How will I make changes to the site?
Building a website is one thing, editing and maintaining it is another. Many businesses want the ability to maintain their website once it’s completed, but few are truly prepared to do so. Ask the designer in question if you’ll be able to add or edit content and pages on their own, or if you’ll have to rely on them to make edits. If you can do it on your own, you will either have to learn a complex editing program or you will be operating on a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) type of platform. Make sure you get a modern built-in editing program, if possible. Site owners can maintain open source CMS like Joomla, Drupal and WordPress with minimal support as needed from the web designer.
Is search engine optimization and marketing (SEO/SEM) included?
Too often, businesses assume that search engines will find and index their new site after it’s published, but it’s a dangerous assumption that can lead to significant frustration and added cost. The truth is that most web designers are not qualified to optimize your new site for search engines. This is why more companies are looking to marketing and advertising as well as creative service companies for their web design. SEO and SEM will be ongoing for the life of the website and it is very important to discuss this with a potential web designer. If they can’t incorporate SEO strategies before or after the site goes live, they can refer you to a qualified SEO consultant.