Five Questions You Should Ask Before You Hire A Web Designer

If you have made the decision to hire a professional Web Designer, or retain a digital marketing firm to build your website, here are five important questions you should ask before you sign an agreement. Web Design is a big investment and in this digital age probably the single most important promotion for your company. Before you start, you should have a clear understanding of what you are paying for, what you can expect and how long it should take.

Do they have a portfolio you can see of past work they have done?

Before hiring a website design firm be sure to ask for samples of recent work completed. Ask for samples of work that are as close as possible to what you are looking for, like flash or a certain type of layout. It is nice to know before you start that the style of work from the designer you are looking at hiring, is likely to meet your expectations.

Who will own the finished product?

This is an important point. At the end of the day, you should own the finished product and the rights to your website. Ask to see a copy of the contract and make sure that there are not any rights and limitations to the ownership of your website.

How many pages are included in the cost?

If you know that you are going to want 10 pages you need to make sure that the contract is going to provide for at least that, if not a few more. The extra page costs can add up very quickly so getting details, such as number of pages, out the way at the beginning is a good idea.

What is the cost?

Of course, knowing what the full cost is up front is vital. Specify from the start what your budget is. You may have found the best web site designer in the world but if they do not fit your budget it is not going to work. Ask for an itemization of all costs, any extra or hidden costs, anything that could add to the final price tag. Is updating or page additions included? If not how much do they cost? If you are going to want to add to or have changes made to your website, is this included in the initial cost or is there a fee associated with this? If not, will the web designer provide training on how you can update your site yourself? If you have the type of business that is going to need a lot of updating, fees for page changes can add up quickly.

And most importantly What makes your services different from another firms, in short why should I hire you?

This is a question that any website design firm should be proud to answer. They should want to let you know what makes them different or what sets them apart!

Make sure you are satisfied with the answers to your questions before you make the big decision to hire a website design firm to work on your businesses website. You only get one chance to make a good first impression!