How do you choose the best web design company for your business, here are a couple of questions you should ask to help you select.

1.  Give them a fairly specific idea of what you’d like and ask them for the cost.  A good design company will be able to give a straightforward answer.  If you want a restaurant web design, they should be familiar enough to give a good faith estimate without a lot of vague “Depends on..”

2.  How does their site rank?  Do a quick Google search for the keywords that you think they would want to rank high on search engines.  For example if the company is located in Peachtree City, then look up ” Peachtree City Web Design  ” .  If they are not on the first page, find a company that is, don’t waste your time on web designers that don’t understand Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  Many small businesses spend a good deal of money on their website, and spend even more time on making it look a pretty and possible and then don’t spend a dime on Internet Marketing or SEO.  A beautiful site will not bring customers if it does not have traffic.  Conversely an ugly site that does see a lot of targeted will convert well and provide a good revenue stream.

3.  Once completed, do I own the all the rights to the site?  If you are paying for a website, you should own it.  Many design companies use proprietary web-based software, use software that is licensed to the design company or retain the rights to the web programming code, photographs or other key components of the site.  Another tactic some web design companies sometimes use is requiring you to host with them, this means that the hosting rates are probably too high.  If the hosting rates were competitive, they would not have to force people to host with them.   Make sure that the site is yours, lock, stock and barrel.  GOBI is a good example of an Atlanta Web Design company that gets it right.  It’s your website, You are paying for it – you should own it.