The process some business owners use for choosing a creative team goes something like this: gather a bunch of web design quotes and choose the cheapest one.
I can understand why some men and women would choose a creative team in this way. A lot of the websites you see look more or less the same, so why not find a professional who is willing to do the job at the lowest rate?
Unfortunately, there are a couple of problems with this line of thinking. The first is that a website isn’t like any other product you would buy for your company. In order for it to be effective and profitable, it can’t just be adequate – it has to impress customers and help you stand out from your competitors. Otherwise, you just have an online brochure rather than an online marketing piece.
The second issue is that all web design quotes aren’t the same. When you look at the prices provided by two different creative teams, you can’t naturally assume you’re comparing apples to apples. Here are a few of the most important reasons why…
Some Web Designers Don’t do Custom Creation
As I have noted in the past in my blog, there is a big difference between custom web design and having a pre-built template that just has your content plugged in. It’s important, when comparing different web design quotes, to know whether you’re getting a truly original website or not. Also, you’ll want to be sure you own the resulting work, instead of licensing it from your design firm.
For most businesses, custom web design is well worth an extra few dollars. But, if you’re only focused on the figures you see in a web design quote, you might miss the bigger picture.
Some Web Design Quotes Include More Services Than Others
Web design is important, but in the long run it’s the quality of your internet marketing plan that will make or break your company online. If you aren’t visible on Google, have no presence on Facebook, and can’t muster any email subscribers (as examples), it won’t matter how great your pages look.
Unfortunately, some web design companies don’t include any sort of search engine optimization, content creation, or ongoing support in their web design quotes. The same goes for details like web hosting and online security setup. So, it’s important to know what you’re paying for upfront.
You Have to be Careful of the Fine Print on Some Web Design Quotes
One thing I’ve noticed in last few years is that a lot of companies will offer web design quotes that seem unbelievable until you start to look into the fine print. It’s at that point you realize the low, low fee you’re being offered might not include revisions, mobile compatibility, or other “extras” to make your website functional. Add those in and you end up paying a lot more.
Other firms include terrible payment terms or other legalistic details that can catch unsuspecting clients off guard. The point – besides the obvious recommendation to only work with ethical and trustworthy creative firms – is that you should examine the fine print of a web design quote very closely.
Gathering web design quotes for your next project? Contact the award-winning team at Biondo Creative today for a free project review and proposal!