There are many web design and marketing companies in Detroit. But how do you choose one that is not only able to effectively capture the vision you have for your new website, but also deliver it on time and on budget?
It never ceases to amaze me the horror stories I hear from prospective clients about how they were burned one way or another with previous web developers. In fact, sometimes the situations have been repeated so often that by the time a prospective client finds us, they are skeptical of nearly everything we say. To be honest, it’s a huge black-eye on the entire industry.
Whether you choose to work with Brown Box Branding for your next project or not, here are some things you should consider that we hope will prevent you from making the wrong choice when choosing a Detroit web design company.
Besides web development, what other services do they offer? There is more to developing a website than coming up with a great-looking design. The platform they choose to build on and their understanding of on-page SEO is essential if you plan to market your site online. Additionally, they should have a team of copywriters and graphic designers since each of these individuals will have various strengths and weaknesses. Relying on one person to make it all happen is a sure fire way of the project ending in your dissatisfaction.
Will the website be mobile responsive? Today, over 50% of those accessing the internet are doing so from a mobile device. Most good web designers understand this, and will approach the project from a mobile-first mentality. Rather than having a mobile version of your site, it’s important that your website automatically adjusts depending on the screen size of the user’s device. This will lead to greater engagement and higher conversion, which means a better ROI for your web design project.
Does the cost of development align with industry norms? “Web designers in Detroit” are a dime a dozen. Search through Craigslist, and you’ll come up with countless individuals who promise the moon for $499. The average website takes between 60-80 hours to build. From a sheer time perspective, is this person really going to work for $7/hr? If so, you need to really question the quality of work since most decent developers won’t work for less than $50/hr.
On the other hand, does it make sense to spend $5,000 for an informational website? In some cases, the answer is a resounding yes, but that response needs to be justified. At that price point, you should be expecting a separate SEO team, expert copywriters, custom graphic design work, etc. Every project is different, but a typical informational website should range between $2,000-$4000 depending on who’s providing the content, how many pages are being developed etc. Keep in mind though, every project is different, so these prices could be way off the mark depending on what you’re looking to accomplish.
References, testimonials and reputation matter. It makes sense that a web design company would have a decent online presence. When you do a search for the company you’re considering working with, what do you find? Are there positive or negative reviews? Have they been featured in any other publications or business review sites? What are people saying? What kind of reputation do they have? Are they active on social media? Do they have a decent following? If the company’s online reputation is thin, that doesn’t have to be a deal killer - ask for a few references from previous clients, and take a look at their websites. Are you impressed with what you see?
At the end of the day, there’s always risk when you choose to do business with someone. However, by considering these points you’ll reduce that risk, and increase the likelihood of experiencing a smooth project and achieving great results from those efforts.
If you’re considering a web design company in Metro Detroit to work with on your next project, we’d love for you to consider Brown Box Branding. Our team of developers, designers, SEO professionals, graphic artists, and copywriters will provide you everything you need to ensure a positive experience and great results. Give us a call today and learn about how we can help you accomplish your online marketing goals!