Horror stories have been flooding into us lately from companies who have been fooled by these pseudo firms into thinking they have gotten a brand new website, when their entire site is just a template, composed of generic images, and is posing as other company sites all over the web. To make matters worse, many of these sites are littered with broken links, have little or no CSS or web standards and offer terrible Search Engine Optimisation.  This can seriously tarnish and detract from a business as it promotes a very negative image of a company.

The following is a quick and simple guide to help you differentiate the jokers from the real hard working design companies.

Portfolio

It’s absolutely imperative that you view their previous work. This will give you a clear indication as to what market areas they have worked in and whether they meet your standards or not. You should also consider contacting a number of their clients to ascertain their quality and follow-up support.

Fireball Media has an online portfolio available which is updated on a regular basis.

History

How long have they been developing websites? Choose a web design company that will be there for you now and well into the future. It’s vital to know how long they have been in existence for : firstly, so they can finish the job and secondly, so they will be available for future support and maintenance.

Fireball Media started life way back in 2000 and have been able to adapt to all the latest trends and technologies.

Physical Location

Ensure the design company has an actual physical address (be it office or home) and is contactable at least from Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm. You would be surprised the number of people who are left hung out to dry with a poorly designed site, less money in their bank account and holding a phone saying “this phone number is no longer in use”. Try and meet them face to face at their business location for the initial meeting to discuss goals etc.

Fireball Media are available by phone or email Monday to Friday from 9:30 am – 6pm. We also have an office located in the heart of Carrigaline whereby you can call and discuss new or current projects anytime.

Proposal

Read their proposal carefully. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – even if you are not that tech savvy, remember that its still your money and you have the right to know how they intend to develop the site and its features. Insist on conceptual layouts and that nothing goes live until you are happy with it.

Fireball Media are more than willing to answer any questions a client may have regarding the cost or development of projects.

Expertise & Services

Ensure the company is not in over their heads and that have the experience to bring your conceptualised site to fruition. Web design presently involves a vast array of expertise and does not focus solely on programming or graphic design.  The design company should have a proven record of SEO and best web standard practice.

The area of web design is changing at a remarkable rate. Be wary of companies that offer print or other services as they may be failing to keep pace with changing trends.

Fireball Media are focused solely on the online world and have the necessary qualifications and experience to develop the highest quality websites.

Cost

There should not be any hidden costs. Make sure you can get a company that can offer you domain registration, hosting and content management services as it will save you precious time and money in the future.

Dominick Murphy

Dominick is Fireball's jack of all trades. He's been part of the team since 2007 and has always been focused on great design, usability & SEO.
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