There are a lot of web design companies in Michigan. Google search results can tell you that – but which ones are the good ones? And more importantly, which ones are the bad ones? To make the process easier of sifting through all the web design companies in Michigan, I’m going to give you four main focus points to consider in your decision.
Is the Web Design Company Reputable
Always do some research on the web design companies you consider hiring. Check around review sites and see what other customers are saying about them. If you think it’s necessary, you can always contact their previous clients and inquire about their experience with that particular web design company.
Do They Offer Other Services
Some companies just do web design. However, web design companies like ours offers an array of services that are intended to compliment your website and assist you on your road to success. Services like search engine marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and more. Keep in mind that if you want your website to rank well in Google and Bing, you may want a web design company that has search in mind. Some web design companies will stick you with an uncrawlable website with downright bad site structure.
Pricing
Pricing is a very important factor. It’s always a good practice to avoid companies that offer services at a price that’s just too good to be true. $99 dollar websites for as many pages that you want is not a good deal. It’s a scam. However, there are web design companies in Michigan (like Freelance Designz) that offer their services at very affordable rates not in hopes of scamming clients but to open an opportunity to offer much more valuable services like Search Engine Marketing and SEO.
Previous Work
Always ask to see previous work, and when they do show you previous work, look into it. Make sure that they are not just selling people pre-made themes that they bought for $50 and trying to sell them for $500. Also make sure that they are not selling you a website built on a simple drag and drop application that anyone could use with a little practice. Some sites like this is 1and1, SquareSpace, Website Tonight etc. This is text-book scamming and it’s just plain wrong.
Good Talking Points for Consultation
So now that we know how to tell the good guys from the bad guys, let’s go over some really good talking that will assist conveying your message to the web design company. It’s important that both you and the company you choose to work with understands every aspect of your project, goals, and how you expect to reach them.
Content Management
Discussing content management should be the very first thing on your list. There are amazing content management platforms out there that are easy to use like WordPress and Joomla. If you have no previous web design experience but want to manage your own website, a content management system is your best bet. Otherwise you will be stuck learning web design and programming languages like (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, etc). Which is never fun unless that’s your niche, then a static/dynamic website with no CMS would do the trick for you.
Domain Name and Hosting
If you haven’t registered your domain, I suggest doing it as soon as possible and on your own. Never let your web host provider or web design company purchase the domain for you. This can be bad news if things fall through with either the host or web design company. In many cases people have their websites held hostage. So it’s always good to secure a domain and web hosting before even talking to a web design company.
Scope of the Project
It’s a good idea to brainstorm the scope of your project. Put together notes and ideas on what you want your website to do, how you want it to work, and equally important; how you want it to look. It’s important to convey all of your concerns, ideas, and expectations to the web design company. Otherwise, you may end up with something that you don’t want. Also, if you don’t have everything ready when you consult with the web design company and you start hitting them every week or every other day with new ideas for appearance and functions, it will only take longer for your website to be finished.
Graphics and Images
It’s generally a good idea to ask your web design company about graphics and images since very few web design companies in Michigan cover this niche. Most of the time you end up with stock images and graphics that has been used on the web for years. If that’s okay with you, then you should be fine – but if it’s not, then you may want to consider looking for a web design company that offers custom graphic design as well.
Functionality
Functionality is the bread and butter of your website. Make sure that you clearly explain what functions your website will require and always double check with the web design company you hire if they can provide such functions. Keep in mind though, just because it seems simple to you, it may not be so simple in code; most companies will tell if what you’re asking for is impossible. Sometimes though, they don’t so always get second opinions from other companies out there.
Well that should cover the basics. We always offer free consultation so if you have any questions about choosing the right web design company we will help you out with your project or point you to the right people that can. If you’ve already chosen a web design company but are in need a second opinion, just hit up our contact page and we’ll help you out any way we can!
