Shopping for a website can be a difficult experience.  With everyone in the world claiming to be a web designer these days it can be tough for a small business on a budget.

You can break all the web designers into 3 distinct groups.

1. Independent, inexperienced web designer. The high school student. Someday they will be a great web designer.  But right now, they are young and inexperienced.  You can grab a website for cheap, if you’re willing to sacrifice quality.
2. Resellers. The absentee. Certain large companies offer the ability to resell their services.  These individuals will simply sign up with some large company and sell the service as if it were their own.  These services can be relatively cheap and produce a decent “cookie cutter” website.  This means that a you have no control over the design you choose being sold to 5, 10, or 100 people.
3. Professionals. The company. A business that is devoted to creating websites.   The web design process is well defined and you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.  Typically, most companies will be able to deliver a quality website.  But as with everything–shop around.  Not all web designers are created equal.

The world of web design usually sticks to the old adage, “You get what you pay for.”  So what should you look for when shopping for a website?

1. How does the design company’s website look? If they can’t design a professional looking website for themselves, chances are, they won’t for you.
2. A lot of design companies look good because someone else built their website. Be sure to ask the design company if they designed their own website.  If they didn’t, why not?
3. Owning a website is a lot like owning a home. You need to perform maintenance, make upgrades, and put on a fresh coat of paint from time to time.  Will the design company take care of maintenance and updates?  How much will it cost? Knowing this ahead of time can save you a lot of money down the road.
4. Where will the website be stored? Do you need to provide your own web host, or does the design company provide web hosting?  If they do, how much does it cost?  A lot of design companies will charge a lot of money for their web hosting when spending a lot of money isn’t necessary.
5. Clear outline of design process. Building a website can be a complex act.  It is good if the design company has a clear process in place that will allow you to follow along where you are in the process.
6. How long will it take? Small websites should not take longer than a month to complete.  Be wary of any design company that will take longer:  They may be overwhelmed by too many clients and their service may be affected because of it.
7. How will you communicate with the design company? Do they have contact numbers?  Are they accessible?  How will you submit updates?

At Ephective we offer two separate tiers of web design service:

• Affordable, entry-level websites for small businesses and others on a budget. Ephective Hosting offers custom made website packages that can fit any budget.  Head over to Ephective Hosting and get a free, instant online price quote for your website project.
• Upscale designs and advanced projects. If your web project requires a special touch, our high-end design studio might help you to lead your industry in the world of online.  Ephective Designs offers special designs and special programming projects.

• Previous Entry: Hello world!
• Next Entry: Turn your business website into new business – 6 ways to let your website work for you