Choosing the right web designer

When searching for a web design company to design a website for your company, you want to be sure you choose the one that’s right for your needs.  You will find that there are big web design firms, freelancers, marketing companies who offer web design and IT companies who dabble in web design as a side business to generate additional revenue.  Which one is the right choice?  Well, that really depends on what your needs are, what your budget is and how much time and effort you want to put into the site.

Big Web Design Firms

These big design firms generally offer high end websites at a high end prices.  They have high overhead because they have a physical office, staff to manage the office and a team of designers, programmers and support staff to keep everything going.  They usually work through project management software which means you usually have to communicate through a web based system versus just picking up the phone and talking with one person.  This process can be great for larger jobs to insure that the project stays on task and on target but looses the personal touch that a freelancer offers.  The finished project looks and works well and when it comes time to make minor changes, the firm bills you accordingly at their standard rates once they are able to get to the changes you need.

Freelancers

Freelance web designers can be a great alternative to big web design firms but you must use caution because many freelancers come and go without warning.  A freelancer who has been established for years and has a good portfolio of clients, like Pensacola Web Designs, can generally produce the same or better results as the big web design firms but at a fraction of the cost.  The process of designing the site is more personal with email, text and/or one on one conversations.  After the site is launched, minor changes are done quickly and generally without cost.  You get more bang for your buck with less hassle and your site costs less to maintain.  Just be sure to do your homework and choose a freelancer with a proven track record.

Marketing Companies

Marketing companies, like the phone book company or those that offer cookie cutter websites, are everywhere.  They pay tons for ads and cold call offering results that they can’t deliver.  I have seen many clients who fall for their claims and end up going with a custom designed website after struggling to get the site and results that they want, and were promised.  They are lure you into their plans by offering low monthly rates but “get you” by making you agree to a contact.  Avoiding these type of web design companies is my best suggestion because I have seen too many clients who get burned and end up contacting us to build a new site for them.

IT/Computer companies

Lets face it, the days of the computer store are gone.  Amazon and Best Buy have caused many local computer companies to either shut their doors or look for alternative income to support their business.  Web Design is one of these service that they now offer and they hire designers who don’t have the experience necessary to provide you with the website you are looking for or they sub the work out to an overseas company.  Either way, you will pay more for a lesser quality website than going with a well qualified freelancer.

The Conclusion

So, as you have probably come to the conclusion from reading above, our suggestion at Pensacola Web Designs is to choose a freelance designer like US!  We have been serving customers across the U.S. for over 18 years and have many loyal customers who have been with us since day one.  Our IT experience and understanding of the whole world wide web, servers, databases, DNS, domains and disaster recovery solutions affords us a level of knowledge that others do not have.  Our dedication to providing our customers with a high quality website at an affordable website is what has kept us in business.  We hope you will contact us to discuss your web site project and look forward to helping you with any questions you may have.

If you don’t choose Pensacola Web Designs to build your website, there are a few others who have been established and who can probably build you a good website.  If you do go with another company, be sure that they are offering you everything that we offer our clients.  From our experience, they can’t or don’t unless you pay extra.  If you still choose another company, we will be glad to help answer any questions you may have if you feel your project is not going as planned.