Killer Steps for Identifying a Web Design Company

You need to make a decision when your firm has to launch or revamp a new B2B site with the capacity to represent your services and products accurately. In rare cases, you might have a full-time knowledgeable web designer or an experienced web developer at your disposal. However, you will not have many options at your disposal and you will opt to hire a web design company that will carry out your daily activities of building an active website. You might not be having the time to manage all the processes and procedures involved in developing a custom site. Below are the steps you will require when making a decision of selecting the right company to build your website.

Managing expectations

First, it is necessary to note what you are aiming to achieve with your site. Take some time to put your goals and points into consideration and come up with ways that they will help you get success. You will have to decide if the site will work as a lead generator or an online brochure that showcases your capabilities and services. Even though your site can work in different capacities, it is crucial to narrow it down to a single primary objective for helping the developer to give it a basic design.

Know your budget and price range

Cost is usually the elephant in the room. It determines whether you will make or break the deal when hiring a web design company. You will get what you can afford when it comes to making a B2B website. When you aim at cutting costs with the goal of saving money, you will not reap a lot of money in the long run. Achieving the results desired in the first step will not be possible. Depending on your budget, you can get a site that has customization options that will meet your requirements. Understanding your budget will help in understanding the quality to expect to get from the development firm.

Additionally, after getting a quote from the developer, you need to understand all aspects included in the proposal. If a company comes with a small budget, be keen to see if they have included image purchases, revisions, coding changes, and copywriting. A robust development firm will state what they are offering at a particular price.

Timelines for completing the website

The world we live in today has due dates and deadlines. You need to give your website deadlines that are attainable and reasonable. If you want a website done within a short period, the chances are that you will not get the right quality. A design agency with experience can give a warm, professional, and custom website after sixteen weeks. A realistic timeline brings forth enough time for designs, developments, revisions, and copywriting. You need to set schedules that will showcase the right online face of your company.

Content is your primary concern

It is definite that you have personal reasons for coming up with a new website or you are revamping the current one. Initially, the aspects that will come to your mind are functionality and the looks of your site. These factors are important, but the most overlooked aspect is content. If your agency is tackling art before content, you have to know that you are in the wrong place and with wrong developers. A serious company will dig deep by asking relevant questions about your customers, industry, and business. If you do not get these kinds of questions, you need to run away because you are in the wrong hands. This is the most crucial step when choosing an agency. They need to generate content first, and then develop the housing that will hold the content.

Do they offer after launch maintenance?

When selecting a web design company that will build your new website, you need to be sure to question them on their plans after launching the site. You need to find out if they will offer post-launch maintenance and monitoring. A good agency has to keep a healthy relationship after launching your site. Depending on your involvement with publishing and maintenance of content, a good company will assist in generating reports that will ensure that your site is reaching the required goals. It is, therefore, crucial to invest your thoughts and time in the expectations and goals that the agency has to deliver. You need an agency that will ensure that you get a return on your investment after your period in focus.

Should I Hire a Wordpress Development Company or a Freelancer?

Wordpress provides you with an excellent platform to grow your business without incurring the costs of security, coding and other web management services. It allows you to set up an e-commerce shop or an online platform for your brand at a relatively low price. However, you will need a Wordpress Development Company or a freelancer to set up the platform initially and to help you build on the platform as your online business needs grow.

The options of hiring a developer or a freelancer are workable. They, however, depend on your preference and the outcomes you expect to have from your website. There are advantages of hiring a company over a freelancer but freelancers also come with some risks. You can take the wisest decision after you understand the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Why hire a company over a freelancer?

A Wordpress Development Company will have an established working culture. It will also have a physical address and a reputation to protect. This is a guarantee that you will get high quality work. The name of your brand could be damaged by poor communication, low quality work, hidden charges, etc. However, freelancers can change identity in a flash and are not bound by branding. This is a risky situation especially when you are facing low quality work and unfulfilled promises. You have no one to turn to.

Companies are regulated through licensing. This makes it easier for a client to seek reprisal in case of a misunderstanding. It is possible to take an entity like a company to court for failure to deliver expected work. This is not possible when you are dealing with a freelancer. No one regulates them and thus there is no place to seek redress.

A company has structures and a number of employees who can work on your project. This means that in case the current technician falls sick or is unable to complete the work, the company makes plan to get the work completed. It provides a guarantee that your work will still be completed even in the absence of an employee. The story is different when dealing with freelancers. Only one person works on your project. Should the person fall sick or is unable to complete the project, you have to start all over again. This leads to delays and may lead to loss of funds.

The possibility of losing money when dealing with freelancers is very high. They operate anonymously and there is no way you can verify their physical address or existence. This exposes your money to loss especially if you associate yourself with an unreliable freelancer. It is different when dealing with a company. You can verify their physical address as well as their registration details. This provides a safeguard whenever you are making payments or transactions.

Why hire a freelancer?

There are obvious advantages of hiring a freelancer instead of a Wordpress Development Company. The first reason is expense. Freelancers offer their services at relatively lower prices when compared to companies. Companies base their charges on operating costs for the entire office, the fact that they have a name, etc. However, the cost a freelancer would charge you is not structured keeping minimal operating cost. This makes their charges cheaper.

Companies have protocols that have to you would need to follow before procuring their services. This is likely to slow down the acquisition of a Wordpress platform. Furthermore, even when negotiating for a lower price, the procurement officer may have to consult with managers. This makes it a complex process that might not meet your specific expectations. With a freelancer, he makes all decisions and operates as though he is under your command. It is very easy to get the specific features without the bother of complex protocols. You maintain a single line of communication that does not depend on the decisions of third parties.

There are websites where freelancers can be put to account. You make payments to the websites yet deal with the developer directly. These are excellent sites to hire freelancers at a reduced price. You will get excellent skills at a fraction of the price you pay to a company. The performance of these freelancers is put in check through milestones, deadlines and ratings. This protects you from poor quality work or losing your money.

Hiring a Wordpress Development Company remains the best option for any serious e-commerce business. You have a guarantee of quality and delivery on time. You are also sure that you are dealing with reliable professionals. It is easier to address disagreements with a company as compared to with a freelancer.