Denver Web Design - The Code Nerds - Buyer's Guide to Top Quality Web Design

How Do You Choose A Web Designer? A Buyer's Guide

Are you a local home service contractor in Denver? Discover how to get high-quality web design that helps your business grow!

Buyer's Guide to Top Quality Web Design

Are you looking for help with web design? Good, because you've come to the right place!

Home service business owners simply don't have the time to develop the technical skills needed to create a professional, well-functioning website that delivers an exceptional user experience.

Are you a local business owner? How do you find a good web design company to get your website up and running fast? What should you ask?

Read our guide on How to Get Top Quality Web Design.

Discover essential tips to choosing a web design agency that fits your needs and can create a dominant online presence for your home service business in Denver.

Buyer's Guide to Web Design

When To Use a Web Developer

There are many situations in which you might need web design services. Here are three common ones:

You’re starting a new business and need a website.
Your current website no longer offers the functionality needed by your business.
A simple off-the-shelf template website doesn't provide the solution you want.

How Do I Find The Best Web Developer For My Business?

The right web design team for your business is critical! Choose well, and your new website will be one of your most valuable assets – and help grow your business. Get it wrong, and it will be a source of frustration and headaches.

5 Questions To Ask Web Developers

Costs: start by asking about the pricing structure. Ask to see examples of websites at different price levels - and don't be afraid to negotiate.
Add-ons: there are some typical extras apart from the design elements of a website. SSL certificates, hosting, or advanced functionality could all cost extra. Be clear about what a design package includes and what the designer charges for separately. What about data security? What is the developer’s approach to handling sensitive data such as credit card details and other payment methods? How do they protect against DDoS attacks?
Estimated Project Timeline: when can you expect results? How long will it take to set up/configure the site on your hosting package? Will it be a staged roll-out? You must be clear about what and when it will be delivered (live online and usable). Expect 4-6 weeks for a straightforward custom website design. A site with more complex features may take longer, and the designer may release it in stages or as upgrades to the initial website.
Communication/responsiveness: who will you coordinate with? Ideally, you want to have one point of contact. You don’t want to deal with a different person every time you call or inquire about progress. Are they quick to respond to your queries via email/phone/social? What about their availability? Your website design will likely take up a big chunk of your time; make sure they will deliver within the time frame you need.
Satisfaction/guarantee: what kind of assurance do you have that they will deliver on time and within budget? Are there financial penalties for going over budget/time? Any such conditions should be in writing.

Verify the Experience of the Web Development Team

Some new web designers are great at what they do – but others lack the experience to create a top-notch website. Although experience doesn’t always equate to better results - as a consumer, a proven track record shows that you’re dealing with a legit web design team.

Vendor Reputation

How long have they been in business? It is best to hire an experienced team that has built many websites. It will ensure you get good quality work.

Do they have a portfolio? How did they build those sites? What do their past customers think of them?

Any testimonials or sample work you can see? The web developer should be keen to show you some examples of their previously created websites.

Ask them to explain what they did and why it worked so well for the business owner who originally commissioned them.

Can they provide a list of past customers? Call them and find out how positive their experience was. Find out if they have experienced any challenges with their site – for example, is it difficult to update or edit content? How about technical support, downtime, or other issues?

Review existing client sites to get a feel for what your site could be like before finalizing any deal.

Technical Abilities of the Web Development Team

Are they able to build specific things that you need? You might want to include specific functionality such as membership areas, blogs, shopping carts, lead generation, or other features.

Can they build your site using content management software (CMS)? A good CMS will allow you to edit the site later when updates are needed.

Are they experienced in the latest web design skills/languages such as responsive web design, search engine optimization (SEO), CSS3/HTML5?

Customer Support

You can spend a lot of time and money on your new website. So ensure you choose a web design team you feel comfortable collaborating with. Some key things to consider include:

Will you have a dedicated project manager?
Who will you deal with for any issues with your project?
Do they have an SLA (Service Level Agreement)?
How will they support your website when it goes live and beyond the initial launch period?

Make sure you're confident in their ability to deliver what they promise. As mentioned earlier, speak to previous clients about their experience with the web developer to get a feel for what you can expect in terms of service.

Other Services You May Need

Your website should be the fundamental tool at the center of your digital marketing strategy. Get the most from it by using additional services which can help grow your customer base and revenue.

For example:

Website maintenance/management/technical support: you should consider what you need to keep your new site running smoothly. Depending on the size and complexity of your site, you may need assistance with server management, security updates, and technical support.
Digital marketing services: many home service contractors use PPC and Google Local Services Ads to complement their website. Consider what other services you may need to optimize your website and drive business growth. These could include Google Ad Words, SEO, PPC or pay-per-click advertising services, social media marketing, blogging, and generating leads.
Social Media Management: as well as a social media strategy for your business, many websites also offer tools such as Twitter and Facebook feeds. Ask the web development team how they can integrate your social media strategy into your website.
Online Payments: a secure payment system for credit cards, debit cards, or PayPal, is an essential feature of any website. Customers can be sure that all transactions are safe and secure. Online payment also avoids the need for operatives to deal with cash transactions.
Local SEO: do you want to integrate Google My Business, Google Analytics, and other SEO tools into your website? Make sure you get an explanation about how these tools will help your business grow.
Lead Generation: every home service contractor would love to have a never-ending flow of new leads coming in via email or phone. Can the web development team help you to create custom calls-to-action, landing pages, and lead ads designed with your business goals in mind?

Red Flags to Avoid When Choosing a Web Developer

When considering who to hire, here are some typical red flags that should make your run for the hills!

No Clear Development Plan

Can the web designer clearly articulate a plan for designing your website? If not, it's a big red flag. You need to know in advance what they are building and when it will go live. Talk to them in detail about any post-launch content updates you need on an ongoing basis.

Non-Responsive Web Design

A large percentage of searches are done on mobile devices, so it is essential that the site they design works well across all devices, including smartphones and tablets. If it looks like a mobile website copy-and-pasted onto your PC screen, then it's non-responsive. A fully responsive website is the norm nowadays – anything less won’t cut it!

No Basic SEO Package

A design not backed by good SEO practices is a sign of an amateur web design company. For example, good optimization will compress images, serve critical content elements first, and submit sitemaps to search engines. A good SEO package will also use your researched keywords in titles and header tags, among other things.

No CMS Package

All sites should have a content management system (CMS) to allow you to implement updates once the site is live.

No Lead Generation Features

Your website can be a valuable source of leads for your business, but only if you have some kind of marketing automation. Marketing automation could be a Lead Magnet, Email Sequence, Online Survey, or maybe a "Tell Us More About Yourself" pop-up, etc.

Which Type of Web Design?

There are two common ways to approach creating a website: custom design and template design. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Which one is best for you? It depends on the level of functionality and complexity needed to meet your business growth goals.

Custom Design

Pros

You have complete control over the final design.
Personalization: you can have a fully customizable website to suit the individual needs of YOUR business. Add custom content and features to drive your business growth.
The more you pay, the better the results (and often faster development time, too).
It's unique! Nobody else has a website the same – a critical advantage for branding!

Cons

Can be more expensive than off-the-shelf options unless you get discounts.
If your web developer lacks experience, you can run into all sorts of issues.

Template Design

Pros

Many websites use a pre-prepared template. It means it's quick and easy for a web designer to create your site.
You can get started very quickly (usually in a few days).
There's usually less upfront cost than with a full custom design.

Cons

The design isn’t unique like a custom website design.
Templates don’t provide the flexibility to include advanced functionality and features or unique branding elements.
The limitations of most templates mean that your business will likely outgrow the website quickly. You might see some fantastic and helpful features on other sites but might not be able to include them on your website.

Final Thoughts

Creating a new website or restructuring an old one is a serious business investment. Ensure that the correct procedures are in place to get the most from your web design budget.

At The Code Nerds, we understand what our clients need for their business to grow.

Our experienced web designers and developers aim to deliver three things:

We do all development work in-house - we don't outsource.
Your designated Project Manager will act as your single point of contact throughout the entire project life-cycle.
We promise you'll be 100% satisfied with your website.

Want a customized solution?

Click here to learn more about our web design services or contact us directly at (720) 616 7211.

Read the full article here https://www.thecodenerds.com/buyers-guide-to-top-quality-web-design/

Denver Web Design -The Code Nerds

3327 Brighton Blvd STE 51 Denver, CO 80216

(720) 616-7211

https://www.thecodenerds.com

https://www.thecodenerds.com/buyers-guide-to-top-quality-web-design/

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