BEFORE you pick a web designer,

ASK these 20 critical questions.

A guide from the good apples at Genovesi Web Design and Marketing

You’re likely to encounter two types of companies: One that takes your order and calls you when your site is complete, and the other that collaborates with you and supports you after your site is launched.

So to get you prepped in your picking process, here’s 20 critical questions to ask before you pick a web company.

Do you design custom websites or do you use ready-made templates?

Truth is it depends on your needs. Those companies

on a strict budget that need something simple

shouldn’t expect to pay higher fees for a custom site.

On the other hand, if your organization needs special

attention when it comes to standing out, or demands

an amplified online personality, custom is the way to

go. Either way, your web partner should be able to

accommodate your needs.

Question #1

How long will it take to finish my website?

The size, or scope, of the site will determine how long

it will actually take. What’s important to note is it really

will be largely affected by how quickly you supply them

with the content (photos, text) they need to populate

the site. Providing all of it up front dramatically speeds

up the process. The range could be anywhere from 4

weeks to 3 months, or longer if the site is expansive.

Question #2

How much input will I have in the design of my site?

There should be an initial sit-down to discuss your

business goals and strategy. Hearing how the company

was formed, evolved, and the culture that developed

out of it will influence the design. This will be the

greatest contribution you make in the creative process.

After that the company will create a design to suit.

Once you approve a design the bulk of the creative

process is done after which there will be a series of

“tweak” discussions to refine it. The bottom line is it

should be a collaboration. After all, no one knows your

business like you, right?

Question #3

What do you need from me to get started?

When developing a website, it is always “content first”.

That means the company you hire will need all photos

and text in order to populate the site. These will drive

the structure of the site. Given that, the earlier you

supply the content, the faster the process will go.

Question #4

Who provides images for my website?

Usually there will be blend of images you supply and

images that are purchased from a stock photo agency.

Images you provide will create a feeling of authenticity,

contributing to trust (which your site visitors are

evaluating you on). Stock photos will more than likely

be necessary to communicate other messages on your

website. Ask up front if this cost is included or if they

will be extra.

Question #5

Who provides text for my website?

Like the images, you will likely supply all text for the site.

But if you need a helping hand in that area your web

partner should be able to provide it for you, though it

will likely be at an additional cost. Keep in mind that

any text you provide might need to be tweaked to add

specific keywords that are necessary for proper Search

Engine Optimization (SEO).

Question #6

Can you create a logo for my site?

Make sure you hire someone who is not just a web

developer, but they must also be a designer. For too

long the web “design” industry was dominated by

developers because they were the ones who already

knew how to code. Those times are long gone but the

developer who fancies himself a designer may not be.

Be sure the designer or company you work with has

got some mad design skills. That way the answer to this

question will be “no problem-o!”

Question #7

Will social media be a part of my website’s design?

Social media is huge, you know that. Everyone does. So

yes, it should be a natural part of the website to have

links directing potential customers to your Facebook

and Twitter pages, and whatever other social media

your industry typically uses. Also ask if your potential

web partner offers guidance or management when it

comes to social.

Question #8

Will my website design be consistent with my established brand?

Branding is a whole industry in itself, and your brand

should be treated with the same level of importance.

Your branding is not just your logo and the colors

you use. It’s your company’s personality and culture.

It’s what consumers are saying about you over lunch.

It’s a perception. I know, deep, right? If you have an

established brand it should carry over to your website.

If you don’t have one, this should be part of the services

that your prospective web partner offers.

Question #9

Will I be able to see the website as it’s being created?

No one likes surprises when it comes to their

business. Birthdays, sure. Business, not so much. You

should definitely expect to see the site as part of the

collaborative process. Ask about it up front, and if it’s

not offered, you can make the call whether or not to

let them run with it if you feel really confident in the

company’s abilities.

Question #10

Will my website be compatible with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets?

Wow, this is a biggie! 71% of internet browsing is done

on smartphones rather than desktop, according to

comScore. Making sure your site is “responsive”, or

optimized for viewing on desktop, tablet, or mobile is a

must. Nevertheless, don’t assume your prospective web

partner will achieve this. If they hesitate when you ask,

don’t take a chance, move on to the next one.

Question #11

As my business grows will my website be able to expand with it?

Absolutely it should! The whole idea is that your new

web design partner is going to build you a site that will

GROW your business. Your site is not merely a billboard,

but rather a marketing tool designed to help increase

your revenue. After the site is built, any expansion

necessary should be built with the current site. There

should never be a full redesign to expand (unless you

want one!).

Question #12

Will you build search engine optimization into my website?

“Yes” should be the answer, at least at a very basic level.

SEO is really an ongoing, lengthy process, but it should

be set up with on-site SEO to start. The company you

hire should be able to help and guide you through

more advanced SEO techniques in order to maximize

your site’s traffic. Oh, and stay away from companies

that promise immediate higher rankings for internet

search. Although it may give immediate results, search

engines like Google will eventually penalize these sites

by removing them from any future searches.

Question #13

Do you offer domain name registration?

Any web company worth its salt should handle this for

you. It’s very simple and inexpensive, and though you

could do it yourself, we’d recommend you let them

handle all aspects of your website process as it makes it

simpler (and takes the stress off you!).

Question #14

Do you offer web hosting services?

This is going to be important factor in your decision-

making. You’re putting your trust in the web company

to create a site that represents your brand, your image.

Hosting goes hand-in-hand as you’re trusting that they

will have guaranteed uptime (hopefully 99.99%!) and

high-speed page loads. Are they going to handle the

back-end stuff for you, or are they going to hand you

the reins and say “good luck”? You definitely want to

know.

Question #15

After my site launches do you offer on-going maintenance?

The wonderful thing about websites is that they can

be changed on-the-fly. That’s good news because the

internet is dynamic, constantly changing and flowing,

and your site needs to be able to change with the

flow. There is no “done and done” when it comes to

your website. Make sure your potential web design

partner offers ongoing maintenance and if so, what the

associated costs are.

Question #16

How do you measure results after my site launches?

If your website’s traffic isn’t monitored and analyzed,

you have a billboard. Your site was not meant to be

looked at and forgotten. It was meant to be a dynamic

marketing tool that helps to increase your business.

Ask the prospective web partner if they offer analytics

and what kind of services they offer to get measurable

results from your site.

Question #17

Will any of the work be outsourced?

Sometimes, in order to be able to offer quality service,

aspects of the web design process such as copywriting

or coding can be outsourced. Ask if this is the case and

how it will affect your total cost.

Question #18

How are your services priced?

In talking with a few different web design companies

you might see varying pricing structures. Ask if they

charge a flat fee or if an hourly rate will be used.

Beyond that, keep in mind that “you get what you pay

for” so a web design firm that has a fantastically low

price will surely mean you are getting stripped down

service. Not something you want to endure while

engaging in a crucial part of your company’s marketing

strategy.

Question #19

What’s included in the price?

This should not only be discussed up front, but it

should also be something you get in writing, in the

form of a formal proposal. You don’t want to find

out at launch time that hosting is not included.

Awkward! Some web companies may offer hosting or

maintenance services in which case you’ll need to ask

what that cost is.

Question #20

We know, you can go online to hire a web company simply

and quickly, and maybe even more inexpensively. So why

should you hire us? Because we are local. We are your

neighbor. You know, homegrown. Surely you can call, email

or message us. But guess what. You can also MEET with us.

That’s right, in person, over coffee. We’ll meet, shake hands,

and talk about your business goals and needs. Try that with

a faceless online company 1,200 miles away!

At Genovesi Web Design & Marketing, our philosophy is one

of collaboration. When you hire us to design, build and host

your website, you are hiring a partner. That’s because we

focus on treating your business like it is our business. You

are not simply a transaction, but rather we view you as an

ongoing relationship that we will nurture and provide for. 

Pick us now.

Genovesi Web Design and MarketingGWDandM.com

info@GWDandM.com(845) 629-3418