In my line of work I spend a lot of time consulting with small and medium business owners.  One of the most common topics of conversation I run across is disappointment in website development and performance.  This can be particularly disappointing since this is typically an area where a substantial financial investment is made.

 Here are 3 tips to help in choosing the best website development company for your business:

 Tip #1 Ask the Right Questions

We all know time is money and the sooner you get your website up and running the better right?  Well, not necessarily.  I often find that too much focus is spent on how fast your website will be complete and what the price tag will be.  Of course those two questions should be on your list, but they should not be your determining factors.

 Place more value on these questions instead:

• Do you have references I can speak with?
  • You want to exchange emails with a couple customers, and of course visit their websites.  If they can’t provide you with references you have no way to gauge their work.
  • After your site is up and running, will you need them for simple edits?
    • If you want to post weekly/monthly updates, add or change pictures, add an accolade to your home page, will you need to hire them or is there a SIMPLE tool in which you can make basic edits?
    • Are there any other ongoing costs?
      • Every company has different terms in regards to what support they will offer you after your site is up and running.  Some even require monthly fees to fix problems in ‘reasonable’ time frames.
      • Do they apply the most recent web strategies when building websites?  If yes, what are they? 
        • The web is constantly changing and you want to make sure your site has the most up to date strategies for Google and SEO purposes.
        • What sets them apart from their competitors?
          • Any reputable company should be able to tell you why you should choose them.  Find out what sets them apart and why you should pick them.  Their answer should be more detailed being fast and cheap.

Tip #2 What Does Finished Look Like?

Once you have found the website development company that is right for you, the next step is figuring out what finished looks like.

You need to set clear expectations around what purpose you want your new website to achieve for you.  Also, remember that you need to be specific, your website developer does not see the vision you have in your head.
Talk through the answers to these questions so you’re investing your money in a project you will be happy with:

• Is your main goal to have an online brochure with few pages and posts?
• Are you looking to create a second stream of income via online sales?
• Are you trying to build your brand with more of an online presence?
• Are you looking to provide more of a support system for your customers via an online portal?

Tips #3 Results Will Not Happen Overnight

 Unfortunately, your new website alone will not bring more clients and customers.  There is so much competition online today that you have to do much more than just having a site built.

Although there is not an exact formula, the basic principal is:  the more quality traffic you have to your site, the more clients and customers you will gain.  You will need to set aside an additional monthly budget for online promotions and SEO to drive traffic to your site.

Some website development companies may offer monthly packages for this type of advertising or you can hire an alternate company.  If you have the time, you can learn how to do some of this yourself.

I hope these tips help in finding the right website development company for you.