Words to Wise on Web Design

The Internet is the first place consumers and businesses turn to when they need a new product or service or want to check out a new company. This is why your website plays a key role in generating new business leads. Your website is a reflection of your company brand and influences much of what the public will think about your business.

Website development is not a new concept, and yet as I browse the Internet, I frequently come across websites that are outdated in design and clearly have not been updated in years.

You may have a professional, thriving business, but your prospects would never know, since according to your website, you're stagnant. If your website hasn't been updated, your business looks outdated, or worse - looks like you might have gone out of business. So how do you keep your website looking professional and up-to-date without a headache and spending a fortune? Find the right Web developer. The technical development of a website has not changed much in the last few years, but the way businesses are working with developers and the service standards you should expect have changed drastically.

Here are the elements you need to look for when choosing a Web developer:

A culture of customer service. Web developers are easy to come by, but you’ll find yourself in a customer service nightmare if you don’t choose wisely. They should answer their phones when you call and return your emails promptly. And you should never feel like you have to pester them to get what you want.

Quick project turnaround times. Projects that drag on don’t satisfy anyone, but it’s easy to let it happen if a project plan isn’t created up front. A detailed, realistic action plan needs to be created so both you and your developer are on the same page throughout the process.

This should include your goals and vision for the website and how your developer will make them a reality; a realistic timeline to complete the project; and specifics on how it will integrate with your existing business applications and network. Having everything mapped out in advance will greatly reduce the number of speed bumps along the way.

Affordable design and unlimited maintenance. In the old days of the Web design, you would have to pay thousands of dollars to have a site developed, and then you would have to pay for every change that you wanted the developer to make — even if it was as small as swapping out a graphic or adding a landing page. That has all changed.

Today, you can have a site built for the same price as an iPod and pay a small monthly fee for unlimited content changes.

You should be able to make a call or submit a content change request to your developer and have it completed the next day. You should also be able to do it every day if you want to without paying extra. Look for Web developers that are competitive in price and provide monthly service packages.

Full-time dedicated resources. Make sure the developer has full-time resources dedicated to website design and development. Many Web developers outsource pieces of their projects and when this is the case, things often get lost in translation, the project generally takes longer than expected, and nobody takes responsibility if problems arise.

Full-service technology provider. Many websites are connected to other systems within a business. Since IT systems, Internet connectivity and websites are interconnected, it makes sense to simplify and let one company handle all things technology-related for your business. Dealing with your Internet service provider, troubleshooting problems and issuing payment are easier when you have one point of contact. Website services have come a long way in recent years and now is the time for businesses, especially small and medium-size companies, to take advantage of them.

So instead of having an outdated website, or the hassle of keeping it fresh, you should be able to pay month-to-month with the freedom to cancel anytime, and get all of the design, updates, hosting and support for one affordable price.

As featured in March 12th issue of The Press-Enterprise.