Sometimes if people have never been involved in getting a website launched, they can be shocked at the price range for services. What is the difference between the under $500 website and the $150,000 website? Sometimes the differences of these sites are in the website design, both in the graphic elements as well as the information design
For example, a higher priced site may have more pleasing design elements, slick animated web pages or stockpiles of great information and tools. On the other hand, lower priced sites often have unrelated menu items where things seem unorganized and overwhelming or old, outdated information and no tools to help you finish your internet quest.
How can you protect yourself, and get a website that performs as part of your team?
Website Goals. When you decide to engage a company to do a website for your company, the most important ammunition you can have is clearly defined business motives and goals. Stick to those goals when designing your website. If you clearly define your business goals and how you expect the website to help, then you can define your target audience and better understand what they will need from your website to help you meet your goals. Just as a company would not hire an employee without first defining the expectations and requirements of the job to be filled, you should not launch a website without first defining the “responsibilities” of the website.
Website Job Description. When clear goals, the target audience, the functional needs of the website, and the main content have been defined, a design that suits the needs of your business can be developed. A website should be viewed as a full-time employee for your company. You should know what its job is. This includes considering the tools required for the site to do its job well. If you don’t accurately describe what the website’s job is then you can hardly expect to see it perform well.
If you are wary about the pricing differences in web development companies, you can help protect yourself by fully understanding what it is you want to do, and communicating that clearly when you are choosing a company to help your website succeed.
