Monday 31 July 2017

Responsive Web Design Company: Easy Way to Spot One

It is not enough to have a website. Its responsiveness determines how accessible it will be and the quality of the user experience it offers. Every brand must endeavor to hire a Responsive Web Design Company that can deliver a quality product; a website that boosts the profile of the brand and the products they offer.

Every Web Design Company claims that they offer the best services. The challenge lies in differentiating between pretenders and companies that can actually deliver what they promise. Here are tips that will help you identify the best design company for your website.

  • Look for Accreditation
Experienced software developers test and accredit designers and developers who offer services linked to their products. An accredited company, a partner or one licensed to offer particular services gives you confidence and a guarantee that you will receive quality services. Accreditation is an indication of training and experience. Check other credentials like training and experience in web design and development. It is uncertain to work with a company whose credentials are unknown.

  • What does the portfolio say?
A reliable and professional Responsive Web Design Company will always be proud of the work it has done. Such companies display their work on their portfolio so that the public can scrutinize it and make a judgment. After identifying companies that you can work with, you should go through their profiles to establish the one with the most impressive portfolio. Some may refer to the portfolio as ‘our clients’ or ‘our work’ among other titles. The idea is to provide you with the opportunity to get a feel of the work they have done. Remember that if this work is impressive, the chances of getting equally impressive work increases. A company that is not ready to showcase what it has done is not worth working with.

  • Can you meet face to face?
This is a rare proposition because in the era of IT face to face meetings are becoming rare. However, there are numerous advantages that come from having a face to face conversation with the developer. This is an opportunity to discuss the details of your project. These details include your perspective on its implementation, so that together the two of you could develop a plan for delivery. You also test your instincts on whether the person and team, in general, are trustworthy. After all, people have established companies that are used to swindle unsuspecting persons. You can explain your perspective in details when both of you sit together at a convenient location. You never know who you are speaking to or what the person has understood of the ideas you convey over the phone or via email.

  • Better Price
The pricing regime and payment terms will give you a hint about the professionalism of any developer. Since every project is unique, you should expect to receive a negotiated and customized price. However, there are instances where you might be faced with an unexplained lump sum figure. Others demand a huge down payment even before the work has commenced. This should be discouraged. In fact, you should insist on an escrow account that safeguards your money. You maintain control over the money and only release it once you have received satisfactory work.

  • Are you getting the right answers?
Research a bit on web design to understand the kind of product you need. This will cause your mind to generate certain questions about the product you are about to receive. During your conversation with the designer, it is your responsibility to ask questions about the project. Some of the questions include the features to be incorporated, customer experience, ongoing support and off-course the price at which you will get the services. This helps you avoid getting copy-paste designs that do not meet your personalized specifications. It also gives you an idea of what to expect, besides what you have thought about your project. By the end of the conversation, you should know better about web design, as well as about the product you anticipate to receive.

  • Is anyone making a referral?
The designer's portfolio is a good source of references. You may also ask for the designer to provide you with references. Try to contact these clients and inquire about the services that the designer you choose offers. If the clients can recommend the designer, the chances of getting quality services improves. If they are hesitant to recommend the designer, it shows that the services offered were substandard. You should, therefore, look elsewhere.


The responsive web designcompany you choose will determine the quality of the website you get. Due diligence will help you to avoid receiving poor services and from being fleeced by fraudsters. With a good website, your online investment will pay handsomely and deliver excellent value for money.

Saturday 29 July 2017

An Amateur Guide to Hiring a WordPress Development Company

WordPress is one of the fastest growing template platforms for businesses online. This is partly because of the availability of readymade templates that can be deployed in minutes allowing you to setup your own basic portal. This saves time and money when it is compared to having a developer code the website for you from scratch. What then should you hire a WordPress Development Company for?

Any serious brand considering digital presence must first appreciate that online experience and quality are important. Even with WordPress, you need to provide a unique portal and a platform that is attractive as well as customized for your product. This is the main reason why you would need the services of a development company. Here are detailed reasons why you should hire a developer.
  • Customized Appearance
There is something captivating about a unique website or portal. It sticks in the mind longer than an ordinary one. This is one reason that would compel visitors to return to your store. By hiring a professional WordPress Development Company, you can incorporate features like colors, layout, images, a checkout system, etc. that are unique to your business model. When a person lands on your page, there will feel at home and familiarity that makes your store or portal attractive. It will increase the chances of future business.
  • Better User Experience
Template platforms like WordPress are built for a universal user. However, an electronic shopper does not desire an experience similar to a person selling recipes. The demographic you target with your product is also important when you are determining the kind of experience you should offer. Some people need a lateral display of content while others are comfortable with images. How you display content, and the amount of content you put on your website would influence whether your website would appeal to your category of buyers, or repel them. These considerations cannot be captured when you download a template directly and begin to use it. The developer makes these considerations on your behalf and then customizes the site. It takes experience and creativity to identify the best features for each market category.
  • Integration
There are plug-ins meant to facilitate transactions and other engagements on your website. They include links to financial institutions, social media, partners, etc. You might also need to integrate accounting and online traffic measurement tools. You can use the same portal for surveys as well as for collecting data about user experience, sources of traffic, visitors mannerism, etc. You require a professional to get work done properly.
Security is one of the most important elements of online business today. In the era of identity theft and cyber attacks, you need a portal that offers the best security features that are available in the market. An experienced WordPress developer has interacted with the platform and can help you secure your site. A loss of customer details, or money will significantly affect returning visitors and lead to a collapse of your business.
  • Experience
One might wonder about the logic behind hiring a developer to work on a website that is already built. In fact, it is possible to download a template and set up a website for your business. Challenges would arise when you attempt to integrate additional features that are necessary for your website to be able to achieve the goals you desire. Through experience, a specialist developer will know the features to incorporate, based on your business model and the requirements you outline for them. When working on your own, you will be including features on a trial and error basis. This exposes you to incompatibility and denies you the opportunity of using some of the latest and most effective features that WordPress plugins offer. Relying on experience allows you to benefit from the experience that a seasoned developer brings to the table and aids in the development of a futuristic website.
  • Continuous Engagement
WordPress development is a continuous process. You need to incorporate new features as your business grows. You also need to make improvements to the user experience from time to time. New features will emerge in the market and require addition if you are to remain competitive. With a dedicated development company, your site will always be updated and responsive. The company will be working full time to improve the performance of your website.


People face challenges while trying to determine the cost of services when hiring a WordPress Development Company. There is a notion that such companies are expensive. However, professional companies offer a customized package based on your needs. There is a package for every budget. This allows both budding entrepreneurs and multinational companies to have exciting platforms to transact regardless of their budgetary allocations. After all, you can upgrade as your business grows or downgrade based on changing priorities.