10 Questions to Ask your Prospective Web Design Firm

Most businesses and organizations looking to build a new website or redesign their existing one aren’t familiar enough with the industry to ask appropriate questions before hiring someone to take on the project. And even if they ask all the right questions, they simply don’t know the language well enough to understand the difference between a good answer and one filled with smart-sounding acronyms.

So, we thought we would share the top 10 questions to ask a prospective web design firm and offer some insight into the type of answers you should receive. Feel free to add any you think we missed.

1. Are your websites custom-designed, or do you use templates?
We have our own opinion on this one, but in reality, it’s a matter of personal preference. If you are looking for something that uniquely and accurately presents your brand, your best bet is to hire a firm who will design your website from scratch. If cost is an issue, or if you don’t put much stock into your online presence as it is (a big mistake in our opinion), then a design template may suffice.  

2. Do You Offer Any Consulting Services?
There are firms that will simply accept your wish list with no questions asked, deliver the site and then wash their hands of the project. Other firms may advise you on establishing and managing your complete online presence — from your website to search engine optimization and social media. And finally, there are firms who take a much broader, strategic approach. These folks will help you work through questions like, What are your overall communication objectives? What do you hope to accomplish through this new website? And, Do you have a plan to drive new and repeat traffic? In this case, you are paying for more than just a product or service, you are paying for a higher level of expertise.

3. Do you outsource any/all of your services?
This is an important question to ask because it will determine whether you have direct, quick and easy access to the people who are actually tinkering with your site. Essentially, if all design and development is done in-house, your questions and any potential issues are more likely to be addressed without any unnecessary delay. Furthermore, it can be difficult for a web firm to manage and hold accountable any staff who are not part of that organization, which could create additional challenges.

4. How do you account for search engine optimization (SEO)?
Plenty of firms will claim to be experts in SEO, but don’t be fooled. There is no magic formula that will automatically rocket your site to the top of a search result. Instead, your chosen firm should be well-versed in constructing a correctly built site that can contribute to search engine rankings through the use of valid XHTML and CSS, as well as layouts that give preference to content. Constantly updated and relevant content when presented in a properly constructed site, will increase your page ranking, as will limited (if any) use of Flash and Ajax. In short, just remember: Content is king.

5. How do you ensure your sites meet ADA Accessibility Standards and are 508 Compliant?
More than a decade ago, Congress enacted Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which deals with making technology more accessible to people with disabilities, including the visually impaired. To avoid costly and unnecessary lawsuits and/or a public relations nightmare, your site should meet these standards. It is a simple process, but many developers are still not familiar with the guidelines. For example, all images on the site must be supported by compliant alt-text. Limiting the use of Flash and JavaScript will also make your site more accessible to the disabled and visually impaired.

6. Tell me about the content management system you use.
A content management system (CMS) allows you to easily update all of the content on your website, even if you don’t know how to manipulate code. Typically, your web design firm will offer you either an off-the-shelf CMS or a custom-built version. An off-the-shelf program is a package solution that generally gets the job done but often limits the design and functionality of your site. A custom-built CMS, while slightly more expensive, can be tailored to meet your exact needs. Any problems that arise with a custom-built CMS can usually be addressed quickly and easily, whereas problems with off-the-shelf products need to be handled through that company’s customer service. However, thanks to the continuing influx of new tools and plug-ins, your web developers might have the capability to build custom applications on top of existing CMS platforms, offering you the best of both worlds and likely the most cost-effective option.

7. How do you ensure your sites display and function appropriately across multiple browsers and platforms?
Your web design firm should be familiar with HTML and CSS standards set forth by the W3 Consortium (W3C) and know how to test for syntax errors, cross-browser validation and future compatibility. This is important because your website visitors use different browsers (Explorer, Firefox, etc.) and different platforms (Mac, Windows, etc.) to view your site, and you want to ensure that your site displays and functions the same way for everyone. Proper coding also helps with search engine visibility.

8. Can you provide me with a few references, as well as a list of sites you recently completed?
It’s always beneficial to check out your prospective firm’s past work, where you should pay special attention to aesthetic appeal and ease of navigation. You may also want to call a few of their references. Here are some questions to ask:

• Were there any delays in the launch of your site? Please explain.
• Can you rate the firm’s customer service on a scale of 1 to 10?
• Did you run into any technical problems? If so, how quickly and effectively were they addressed?
• Were you pleased with your overall experience?

9. In general, what do you charge for your services?
This is an obvious one, but it is important to note that you generally get what you pay for. In web design, the cost is typically relative to the experience and expertise of the design and development team, as well as the time it takes to ensure a quality product. The amount your organization wants to spend on a website will ultimately depend on the value you place in your brand and its online presence. In other words, what is perceived as cost-effective to one business can seem outrageously expensive to another.

10. Why should we hire you over another firm?
This may seem like a cliche question, but the answer will give you a feel for what the firm believes are its biggest assets, be it quality, cost, value, customer service, experience or any number of other strengths.

Hope this helps. Feel free to add your own questions below or comment on any of ours.