Web Design Buyer's Guide
Table of Contents
1. Why Web Design Matters
2. Web Design Services
3. What are your Website Requirements?
4. Web Design Costs
5. Comparing Web Designers
6. Choosing a Web Design Company
7. Forming the Design Contract
8. Post-Design Tips
1. Why Web Design Matters
According to research firm IDC in connection with a survey for GoDaddy.com, nearly half- yes, half- of small businesses in the U.S. don’t even have a website. An online presence is key to disseminating information about your company, providing non-local customers with access to your offerings, and creating brand visibility. Most business owners know this, but hold off on setting up a site for a variety of reasons: they think it’s too expensive, they want to learn how to set it up themselves, or they’re waiting until the business makes enough money to support a site- for whatever reason, they don’t think they need a website.
Possibly worse than not having a site at all is the problem faced by many small business owners: having an outdated or poorly functioning site design. According to Nielsen NetRatings (the same company that tracks TV watching habits), viewers of a home page linger for a mere 60 seconds before deciding whether or not to continue browsing a site. Quality web design matters. Like it or not, you’ve only got one minute or less to make a great impression on potential customers.
The best way to ensure quality results- which lead to happier customers, more sales, and better business growth- is to hire experienced, professional web designers for your project. How do you choose a designer? How do you know what to look for? How do you determine if you need additional services, like web hosting services? What kinds of costs are reasonable?
Whether you have a website or are starting a brand new business and launching a web presence for the first time, you’ve come to the right place. This guide details the ins and outs of evaluating your web programming services needs, comparing design quotes, forming a design contract, and entering the post-design web maintenance phase of web development.
