When you start building your online business and search for a web design
company that will implement all your needs for the web site you must
understand that it is a very serious step because you are entrusting your
business along with its reputation and future.
That's why it's very important to make the right choice. There are several
factors that must define your choice, and one of them is portfolio of
previous web design works the company has done. It can tell you more than
all words and promises, just be attentive and try to analyze. I will tell
you what you must pay attention to:
1) Presence of portfolio
Yes, it seems to be obvious that web design company must have own web site
with portfolio of previous works. But don't be astonished too much when
you see one without it. There can be various reasons for this but I
wouldn't recommend you to tempt fate. Portfolio is like a "face" and it's
pride of web design company, it must be full, substantial, and routinely
updated?and IT MUST BE!
2) Total number of works
This can tell you much however there is no standard number that will
guarantee you are going to deal with web design guru. Yes, 50 successfully
finished projects is better than 5, but their quality is also important.
Compare the number with period of time during which the company operates
in the market and calculate average number of projects per year, month, or
week. Remember that average web site design takes 2-4 weeks to be finished.
What this information can give you? Firstly, you can see that the company
has got enough expertise. Then this shows that it has stable flow of
works, adjusted schedule of development process, and enough staff to
perform it, so if you commit your web site design to the company you can
be sure that the work won't be for them like a bolt from the blue or
well-paid but not feasible overloading.
3) Type of works
Look attentively at each work in the portfolio. How many projects are
similar to the one you need by type of site, technology used, industry,
and look and feel? At least 2-3? Good! More than 5? Excellent!! None?
There can be a reason for this - owner didn't want to make it published,
or web site is no more live - so if all other works show professionalism
and expertise, you should ask the company if they have ever done the task
you need.
If you need any particular technology to be used for your web site
implementation it's more than necessary to see examples how the web design
company worked with it. However sometimes it happens if the technology is
not common used and very popular that the web design company hasn't had
chance to work with it for commercial purpose but it might be used for
internal projects development, so you will loose nothing if ask the
company to show you some examples if they exist.
If you need a web site for exact business, for example dating site or real
estate site, it's also better to view such previous works in the portfolio
because there are can be specific features and it's better to make sure
that the web design company is experienced with them. Also some web design
companies make demo packages that also can show you the abilities and
experience.
4) Quality of works
Learn carefully each live site (or the ones which are similar to the site
you need). How long does it take to load the site home page? A few
seconds? Great, the web designer knows how to optimize images. A few
minutes? It's normal if this is a Flash site because usually the whole
site is loaded at one time, not only the home page; or it's a Flash intro
which goes ahead entering the site and also can load longer because of
movie and sound.
But if a simple HTML web site loads more than 2-3 minutes and you can't
see all images or they are shown partially, you must be watchful. Check
another HTML sites from the portfolio - if they are also loading for ages,
it's better to search for another web design company because this one is
not professional.
All of the aforesaid is correct only if bandwidth of your Internet
connection is normal and usually you don't have problems with loading web
sites.
Test the site for user-friendly navigation, pay attention to colors
combination, and estimate general impression from the site - all this must
reflect professional work. But sometimes a web design company is forced to
design a site strictly according to the customer's wishes, so if the
customer lacks for good taste the site also looks tasteless. There can one
or two such sites in the portfolio, but not all!
5) Happy owners
Web design business is a highly competitive area and as in any business
there are honest and dishonest players. Sometimes it happens that you see
the same site in portfolio of two different web design companies and it's
difficult to find the truth to which of them the work really belongs. Some
quirky companies place cheap templates in their portfolio with fake
owners' contact info.
That's why it's very important to know real references of real owners of
the web sites the web design company has made. Ideally this info must be
accessible on the web design company site under Portfolio, Testimonials,
or Clients sections. Try to contact ALL of the persons listed there and
compare their opinions. You may get to know some interesting facts.
6) Own site of web design company
And finally compare the own site of the web design company to web sites
presented in its portfolio. Are they similar by quality, technology used,
and overall feeling? If the works from the portfolio look much poorer than
the own site this can mean that the own site was ordered from another web
design company, more professional. Yes, it happens sometimes in web design
business that start-up amateur company commits its web site design to
"older" professionals. In such case you better to continue searching for
another web design company.
So these 6 rules can help you to make the right choice. Don't be afraid to
spend longer time for search and analysis, finally you will only benefit
by getting perfect web site that will give new prospects to your business
and make it more successful.
Julia Ramyalg
Marketing Director of IT-Inventors - professional web design company
Services: Affordable custom web site design, E-commerce web site design,
Content Management Software, Real estate web site design.
View Portfolio and References
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