How to Build a Website or How to Hire Someone Who Can

So, as I’ve already said, price should be one of the least important factors of who you trust with your business. But in the real world, it is not always a way to view it. So here are a few tips that might help you make the decision when the time comes to get a professional web designer to work with you.

Does the company you’re considering have a professional looking website?

This seems like a now brainer, however I can’t tell you how many times we look at a competitor’s website,  only to find the website is a one-page WIX built site, with very few clients listed, if at all

Is there an attention to detail?

Is spelling correct? Are images properly sized and not distorted? If the website has flaws, this is often indicative of a few things that range from how thorough a company is; to their overall ability to write an effective website. If they can’t execute these things on their own website properly, how do you expect them to execute it on yours?

Does the web design firm demonstrate an basic understanding of Google’s best practices?

• Check the website’s title tag and see if it is indicative of what the company does, rather than their company name. Or worse, does the title tag say home.
• Is there long-form content displayed in usable bite-sized sections for the end user?
• Is there solid technical knowledge? Again, if their experience is WIX, it would seem to imply very little technical knowledge.

Saying you know SEO does not mean you know SEO. Probe down on that.

• SEO is a way of life. It is a series of principles and not something you ‘do’. Often how someone talks about SEO shows me what they actually know about it. In this vein, if they talk about adding keywords to pages, chances are they don’t know SEO. If they say yes I know SEO ask them what that actually means to them. If they start talking about meta tags, its an immediate red flag in my opinion. If they start talking about how to set the site up that sends signals to Google, chances of success are much better.
  

  Look them up in LinkedIn.

• This might sound stupid, but look at their work history. Claiming you’ve been in the industry for 20 years should have a trail of proof. That does not include being the IT helper at your summer pool job when you were 16 (I actually saw this on someone recently). If someone says they have a web design company for so many years their LinkedIn profile will show that. Recently, I went and looked some up that had been claiming to take business from our company, only to find they quit their full-time job 3 weeks ago and they never had their own company, and their experience was side hustle. Do your research.

Ask for a W9.

• This shows a few things. First, do they have a tax id #?Real companies, people that will have lasting presences that will be around to support your business have legit corporations. I would suggest if there is no corporate structure steer clear. It’s an immediate red flag.

Ask if they are insured

• Again this ferrets out the gig economy guy or the guy that is doing this a side gig. True companies carry liability insurance whereas that is what a responsible business owner will do. It also should give you peace of mind that you are indemnified should there be a severe problem.

Don’t go by the reviews.

• Yeah, I know we talk about reviews. I am here to tell you they can easily be faked. Call the people on their website portfolio and ask about the company. Do they even have a portfolio?  See if the people speak favorably or not. My clients and even some past clients are often some of my best advertisement.

Does the person speak as an SEO expert.

• Do they show a deep breadth of knowledge. Have they won awards or had notable experiences?

If SEO, ask them about their clients.

• • What is their last win? Was it recent? Who are their biggest clients? How long has the client stayed a client. For example my oldest SEO client has been with me 12 years.. My second oldest has bene with me 8 years and so forth.

Review their own websites, even if it’s just for a Web design selection.

• Is the website SEO friendly/pass an audit? We have a free website audit tools. Also Google in its web.dev platform. It rates speed. And in their lighthouse plugin for chrome, it rates the SEO efforts.
• Is it a full website with a well-developed and well-posted blog that shows the company is up to date and a thought leader. Or, is there three posts that cover 2 years?  The level of commitment to their own website can be an indicator their commitment to their own. Now, of course they can say “Well, I’ve been working on my clients and have no time,” but that is also indicative.