Choosing a web design company in today's competitive market can be difficult, especially if you are not sure what to look for. The first step is to ultimately know as much as possibly about the website that you are looking to develop, in order to find a company that specializes in the tasks you need performed. For example, if you're looking for build web site that sells product, you'll want to find a web design company that develops e-commerce (online store) websites. The more you know the easier it will be for you to talk with prospective companies.

Ask Question & Get Answers

Asking questions is very important when interviewing a design company. You'll often find a low-end web design company unable to answer questions or you'll find that the representative doesn't seem like they know what they are talking about. This is obviously a sign that this is not the company to go with.

There are a few questions that I feel should always be asked that I have outlined below:

1) Do you have examples of websites that you have developed, possibly a website similar to what I'm looking to do?

2) Do you have examples or reports for website that you have performed Search Engine Optimization for? This is very important if you are looking for SEO services along with your website development (I often suggest this).

3) What are your average rates? Do you bill by project or by hour? If hourly, how much do you charge hourly?

4) When performing updates on our website in the future, how much will updates cost?

5) How long has your company been in business and how many client do you have? This question is basically to be sure that the company is busy and will not be going out of business anytime soon. Even if a web design company is new, it's not a bad sign as long as they have many clients.

6) Do you have a development team, or is your business a one man operation? Working with a team usually produces the best results as each task is performed by a professional that deals directly with the specific field.

Pricing - What is Reasonable?

As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for”. Often this is very true. When going through the estimate process you'll probably find numbers on both sides of the spectrum. I've seen estimates of $1,000 to $10,000 for the same project and there is a reason for this. Many companies put a lot of work into designing quality websites, while others may build the site to merely function. Be sure to find out exactly what you are getting for the price. Spending the extra money on a quality website should payoff in the long run.

Portfolio and Website Samples

Be sure to check out websites that the company has built before. Be sure that the design style of the company matches the style that you are looking for. But, remember that some clients of the company may have asked for a specific design that you may not find particularly eye-catching. Looking through a good amount of examples to get a real good feel for their work. Also, when working with the company you'll be able to make references to websites they have already developed, letting them know which features you like or dislike. This is always very useful for a web design company.

Free Estimate

A free estimate is a great way to get an idea of pricing while also “testing” the company. I call this a test for the company because they should be able to develop an estimate for you in a timely manner. This will tell you a lot about the company's customer service and will give you an idea of what you can expect when working with the company. If a company does not offer a free estimate, be weary, although developing website proposals at times can come with a cost when the proposal is large.

If you follow the guidelines above you'll have a much more successful experience in developing your website.