Internet
How to Choose A Web Site Company
By Candace Carter
Jun 21, 2008 - 8:11:08 PM

1)       Can the company provide everything necessary to get the web site online and working, or will you have to find other companies to take care of parts of the solution such as domain registration, search engine optimization, updates, and hosting?

2)       Will the site be done professionally with attention to detail? Ask to see working examples, not just screen shots, and see if their sites are legible, easy to navigate, load quickly, and are aesthetically pleasing to look at. Also check for spelling errors, consistency of style from page to page and clear presentation of the content.

3)       What is the process for approval of the work and what happens if you are unhappy with the design created for you?

4)       Will the site function correctly, be viewable by all standard computer monitors, have no broken links or images, and display properly withall of the most commonly used browser versions? What, if anything, is done to ensure the web site works on an ongoing basis?

5)       Will the site be optimised and submitted to all major search engines during set up as part of the service? What if anything will be done on an ongoing basis to ensure continued optimal search engine placement?

6)       How much is the initial set up and design going to cost? Will they quote it in writing in advance of any work being done? Will they provide a clear written pricing policy that you can apply and understand?

7)       When adding new content or changing content, will it be done on a live site, where all mistakes will be visible to the public, or do they have test servers where all work is done and approved before being made public?

8)       What are the ongoing costs of running the web site and what is included in the service? Check that it includes: hosting, domain name renewals, email forwarding, hit statistics reporting, link checking, and updating services. How much do routine updates cost? By the hour or flat rate? How fast will the updates be done?

9)       Do they have happy customers who will vouch for them and that you can get in contact with?

10)   Is any technical knowledge required of you? What must you provide to the company in terms of content, pictures, logos, files? Will the company be able to create and find images, and are they willing to write content?