Every online business needs to have a website. Even companies that have brick-and-mortar stores should have their own website. Once the website is up, a web design company has to be hired to ensure that the site functions well and looks great. Your website performing well is essential to your business, especially if it’s online-based. That is why you should avoid making a mistake like choosing the wrong web design company. To develop a strong online presence, you will need to hire a reliable, experienced, and professional company that does not cut corners. Businesses sometimes don’t due their due diligence and just go with a company that looks big, but is really run by outsourced web designers in Pakistan. They also sometimes go for the companies offering the lowest rates, which results in a website with broken functionality. We are going to go over some of the most common mistakes businesses make when choosing a web design company. This list will help you stay aware of the common pitfalls and make sure that you avoid them. Here are the mistakes to avoid when choosing a web design company:

1. Going With a Cheap Web Design Company

   We understand that these are tough times financially for many out there. Yet, if you are going to run a business, especially an online business, your website is not where you should be cutting corners. Cheap services will give you what you pay for: bare-bones web design with basic functionality. Not only that, but it can end up being buggy and slow. If you want to add more features to your website down the road, you may notice that it is difficult to do so. This is why you should carefully research any web design company you are considering. Nobody wants to pay more for something than they need to. However, you need to avoid getting enticed by low rates, even if that company says they can create a jaw-dropping site for you. A poorly-designed website could cost you customers and sales, which will end up making it much more expensive down the road if you go with a cheap option. A skilled, qualified, and professional web design business will take time and care when working on your website. They understand how integral your site is to your business. The old adage of “You get what you paid for.” definitely holds true when it comes to web design. Remember, your website is your primary online advertisement method, so it needs to be high-quality.

2. Paying Too Much

   On the other hand, you could also end up paying too much for your needs. Not everyone needs a $50,000 website. Just because a web design firm quotes you a high price doesn’t mean it’s going to be the best work. In fact, some companies artificially inflate their prices in order to appear as if they are better companies than they are. They believe it will make it look like they are incredibly experienced and deliver quality work, when the opposite is true. Knowing what to expect out of what you’re paying for is a good way to avoid paying too much. Decide on your budget, as well as what functionality and features you would like for your website to have. Then, you will be able to make a more informed decision.

3. Not Studying a Portfolio Closely Enough

   A huge mistake that happens quite often involves not looking at a web design firm’s portfolio closely enough. On the surface, it may look like the snapshots shared in the portfolio are of great-looking websites. However, there is much more to a great website than how it looks. It would be best to go to the actual websites that are shown off and see what their features and functionality is like. Do your research and make it as detailed as possible. Find as much information on the previous jobs performed as you can. This will help you make an informed decision. Also, take a look at the testimonials.

4. Not Researching the Company

   This one ties into the previous mistake mentioned. You should be checking the credentials of each web design company you are considering to hire. This means doing a bit of online sleuthing. Conduct a “background check” on the company in order to uncover its history. First of all, are they a legitimate business? Second, are there any reviews about it online? Get as much insight into the company as possible. This will help you avoid scams, companies with poor customer services, and subpar web design.

5. Only Looking for Niche Specialty Companies

   Some web design companies will promote themselves as being specialists in a particular industry or niche. While on the surface this may sound like a great idea, it could actually lead to getting a carbon-copy website. Most web design firms that decide to focus on a specific industry or niche do so because they believe that is where the easy money is at. Again, take a closer look at what is in their portfolio. Are many of the websites looking virtually the same? Is there repetitive content or are the elements the same? Does it appear as if there is a template being used that is simply tweaked a little bit? If any of these are true, then keep searching for another company to hire. What you want is a website that stands out from the rest, matching your brand.

6. Not Knowing Web Development vs. Web Design

   There are two major requirements for a website to be created: web development and web design. Both of these are necessary for a website to look great and function well. Web development involves the code that runs the website. It is what delivers functionality to it and is the behind-the-scenes stuff that visitors to your website don’t see. Web design is everything involving the design elements and how your website looks. It is what visitors directly see and interact with. Sometimes, businesses make the mistake of equating web design with web development. When you hire a company to make your website, make sure they have both web designers and web developers on board.

7. Not Determining Your Specific Needs

   This is a common mistake businesses make, especially new ones. Depending on what your needs are and what kind of website you want, you should make sure that you have specifics written down that you share with the company you hire. If you don’t, you either will not get the functionality and design elements you were hoping for, or you won’t get someone on the project that is an expert in your niche. You should provide as much detail as possible when speaking with a web design company you will potentially hire. Otherwise, once you hire them, they will deliver a website that is not like you expected it to be.

8. Not Thinking About Maintenance and Upkeep

   In a perfect world, once a website was up and running, it would run smoothly forever. However, that is not the case. Websites require regular maintenance, updates, and upkeep of all kinds. When choosing a web design firm, make sure you hire one that provides these types of services. Also, you will want to make sure that it will be within your budget to keep doing so. While increasingly rare, it is also possible for your website to get hacked. If it ever does, you want to know that you can quickly speak with someone who can fix and secure your site so that your business is unharmed.

9. Not Having Total Control of Your Site

   This is not as common of a mistake as the others on this list, but it happens often enough to mention. Some web design companies don’t give over all the keys to a company’s website over. This results in a company not having complete control over their own website, making them dependent on the web design company. When you are looking for a company to hire for your site, make sure that they will be giving you total freedom to make whatever changes you desire, at any time. You shouldn’t need to provide them with a reason. After all, it’s your website! Also, if you do run into a snag when updating something on your own, they should be willing to offer up technical support if you need it.

10. Not Getting Enough Hosting Storage Space

    For the amount of money that you will be spending on your website, you should be getting plenty of web hosting storage space. If a company isn’t providing you with enough, you will likely run into problems down the road. A great web design company offers plenty of storage space for their clients, ensuring any needs can be met.

11. Not Setting Deadlines and Criteria

    If you are not setting achievable and concrete criteria for your website, it is likely you will get something back that looks nothing like what you envisioned. Also, having a set deadline and milestone timeline is going to ensure you see specific kinds of results at certain progress points. Outlining a website provides the ability to monitor your site’s progress. If the company cannot agree to your terms, and is acting like the timeline is going to be vague, then it is time to move on. Your criteria should include things like your site needing to be responsive, being able to handle a certain amount of bandwidth, have a specific launch date, have regularly-held maintenance, and other things. There are many steps that are required for crafting the perfect site for your company. Web designers need to have a firm grasp on what your vision is, in both specific and broad terms. Wireframes will be developed for your site, which may have to be revised several times. The website itself has to be developed and built out. Finishing touches will need to be done as well. This is all why websites usually take a few, or several, months to complete. You won’t want to cut corners on how long it takes if you want a great website. Companies have are experienced in web design will understand how long is a realistic amount of time to create a website like yours.

12. Wrapping Up

    Not that you know what mistakes to avoid when choosing a web design company, you can rest easy knowing that you can now pick a solid and reputable company to create your website for you. When done well, a website for your business will increase your leads and sales. This will allow you to grow and expand your company. It all begins with a stellar website that looks and functions great. Take time to study all the options available to you. This could make or break your business, especially if it is online-based. When you shop around, you will get quotes that usually range from $500 to $100,000. Sometimes, you can’t even tell that a web design company that looks like a full-fledged operation is a one-man show that just looks big because of how it is presented. Some web design companies merely churn out template websites with minor tweaking for a few hundred dollars. There are also giant agencies that won’t even talk to you unless you have at least $100,000 to spend on your website. Lounge Lizard is somewhere in the middle of the web design market. We successfully sell on our value proposition of not just creating a website. Anyone can do that with a template. What we do is go deep, crafting a strategy, brand voice, and story, coupled with smart direct-response strategies that are aligned with the objectives of our clients. We combine all of this with high-end web design, which ends up delivering way more than “just another website.” We pride ourselves on being brand tenders, marketing mixologists, and highly-talented designers and developers. If you want to learn more about how we can help you by creating an exceptional and high-quality website, contact us today. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

About the author: Lounge Lizard’s BrandTenders always serve up something distinct. We mix a potent combination of digital marketing strategy with a generous splash of creative juices and blend in technology-focused, customized solutions as a chaser.