Introduction
You need a website, but how can you tell the professional business web site developers from the guy overseas that will generate terrible work and take your money? The answer is fairly simple if you know what kinds of questions to ask. In this article, I will outline why you should create a website and how to find a web designer for small and medium size businesses. Professional web site developers are just that – professionals. They have experience related to web site development and know what they are talking about. A professional understands small and medium size businesses for it is likely they are one too. They understand the intricacies of your market and can take a more personal touch with all of the work they do. Most importantly, they speak to you in your language, not theirs. They won’t try to overwhelm you with industry jargon and lingo.
Why Create a Website?
Creating a web site is a form of advertisement for your business. Would you pay for the development of a radio or television commercial if you were not sure you would get a return on your investment? Why risk your professional reputation by trying to get the cheapest site possible just so you can put the yourbusinessname.com on your business card?
One way to check a web Developer’s work is to take a look at their portfolio. This is one way that you can gain insight into their design style, the type of customers they work with as well as site health of their created sites. It is always good to see that a web developer’s sites are active as well as ranked on Google or any other search engine. In the ever changing online market, it is important to make sure that you are found online.
These are some of the basic questions a professional business web site developer should be able to answer:
- How will you measure my ROI (Return on Investment)?
- How will my site bring value to my business?
- Let me see how well you understand my target audience…
- What time of the day do most people visit?
- What search engines are they using to go to my site?
- How long does someone stay on my site?
- Which pages do they visit?
- Where do they go when they leave?
- What are the demographics of my typical online customer?
- Has my search engine ranking changed?
- Will my site be monitored 24/7 with guaranteed 99.8% reliability?
- Are broken links corrected?
- What is my conversion rate (how many potential online customers have turned into actual customers)?
- Why did my customers visit my business online?
- How will you help me increase my business over time?
How to find a web designer for Small Businesses
If you are having trouble finding a web designer for small and medium size businesses, visit the sites of your competitors or other local businesses. Most reputable web developers list themselves and include a link in the small print at the bottom of the sites they have created. Call the businesses whose sites you like and ask the owners if they are satisfied with their Internet presence. Additionally, consider using a web developer who is local. They should be able to meet with you in person and can have a better understanding of your business and the local area. They will have insight to the local market that a web developer abroad cannot grasp. Additionally, by choosing a local web developer, you are pouring money back into the local economy rather than some rich CEO buying a third lake house.
At Fitzgerald Tech Solutions, we are local Chicago based web developers with a passion for connecting businesses with the online resources they need to increase revenue and grow at an accelerated pace. We specialize in being the go to web designer for small and medium size businesses in Chicago. We have done over 75 different sites and have over 10 years experience in the web hosting industry. If you are interested in connecting with us to discuss building a website, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We would love ton hear from you.
In all, it does not boil down to who can get you the cheapest or quickest built site when it comes to smaller businesses. You will want something that will help you grow and stand out in your market. In the ever changing internet world, it is important that you put time in upfront to make sure that your website fully describe all you do and communicates your values to your customer. Choosing a web designer for small and medium size businesses can be a daunting task, but rest assured that when you choose the right one, you will be happy for years to come.
Matt is the founder and CEO of Fitzgerald Tech Solutions. He is well versed in web design, system administration, and all things tech.
