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  • WEB 2.0h No!

    January 8th, 2008

    Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the SEO water, the web goes and shifts the tides on you. And not just some small subtle move to the right or left, everything is upside down and cattywampus.

    Web 2.0 has changed the whole ballgame. It not only places the Internet user squarely in the middle of things, but it gives that user the means and power to create and manipulate data. Web 2.0 dramatically changes how we view and use the web. Actually, in many respects, it creates a whole new Internet.

    What the heck is Web 2.0?  What does it mean? Is there a precise definition that all webmasters can get their heads around and understand? The reality is that it’s a pretty nebulous concept.  Many believe Web 2.0 is just another one of those contrived buzzwords, signifying mostly marketing hype!  But it is more than that, and if you are using your website to deliver information about your business or attract clients, you want to understand how this new platform affects your site.

    The simple definition can be found in the word “you”! Time magazine probably summed it up best by making reference to the “you” in user generated content. Web 2.0 can be seen or manifested in such “user centered” sites as YouTube, MySpace, Del.icio.us, Digg, Squidoo…Web 2.0 uses special scripting languages to construct interactive platforms that can be used to create all this user-generated content.

    You might hear this referenced as AJAX, and no this does not refer to the popular cleaning agent under your kitchen sink! This AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) comes from Google and if you have used applications like Google Earth, you will realize how powerful and revolutionary they can be, not to mention a whole lot of fun.

    How all this new media plays out is anyone’s guess but all webmasters should optimize their sites for this new Web 2.0 and take full advantage of all the SEO possibilities presented by this brave new Internet.

    Here are a few SEO suggestions you can try:

    1. RSS/Blogging.
    Having a blog and RSS feed will place your site into the mix. Each category you create in your blog will be seen as a tag by such sites as Technorati. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and your RSS feeds will get your content distributed across the web. A simple and easy way to tap into the new Web 2.0 universe.

    2. Create some Google Juice!
    Join as many of these highly interactive sites as you can: MySpace, YouTube, Del.icio.us, Digg, Wikipedia … one of the best is Squidoo, where you can create Lenses on different topics that interest you. Of course, link back to your sites in your posts and creations in these user-created content havens and watch your PR ratings go way up.

    3. Use Interactive Scripts.
    Place interactive JavaScripts and platforms on your own sites. Have membership forums, polls, blogs, feedback forms, user-contributions… to build unique content driven sites.

    4. Tagging (Folksonomy).
    Be constantly aware of the tags (keywords) you’re creating with your blogs and sites. This can have a very beneficial effect on your traffic and rankings. Closely relate these tags to the content on your sites and build higher rankings in all the major search engines.

    5. The Long Tail.
    Especially important for affiliate marketers, you need to cover special niches where there is less competition and content. These narrow niches make up a large portion of the whole vast web, creating content in these unique areas will get your site included in the search engines a lot quicker and keep them there a lot longer.

    6. Holistic Web 2.0!
    Be constantly vigilant in placing your sites in the whole Interactive Game, building links and partnerships with the important YouHubs: MySpace, Del.icio.us, YouTube, Digg, Squidoo… the more connections you have, the more your own sites will prosper.

    The Next Generation

    No doubt, Web 2.0 will play an ever increasing role in the development and evolution of the web. Make sure your sites are optimized and in the You game. Create blogs, RSS feeds, interactive forums, membership areas, user-generated content, and your sites will reap the benefits of this new Web 2.0 generated SEO gold rush.

    To learn more about how to get your site ranked in the Top 5 on Google and Yahoo, contact Digital Peabody, a Denver Web Design firm, with offices in Denver and Chicago.

  • Save up to $1,000 on Logo Design When Your Website Designer Creates Your Logo

    December 28th, 2007

    Getting noticed by potential clients and customers is essential in today’s business market.  And we all know that there are different ways that people are likely to notice you.  Sure, you could hang out in a plaid leisure suit and try to get passing folks to stop rolling their eyes long enough to hear your pitch. Or you could don a custom tailored Armani suit and have people stop and inquire about how you might assist them.

    New businesses and even established companies have to vie for customer’s attention. One of the most effective ways to get recognized it is to have a memorable, timeless, consistent, and recognizable company identity.  Your reputation for quality business is a part of that, as are referrals from existing clients.  However, when it comes to attracting new business, in this day and age, you want to have a public image that is clear and effective.

    Starting up a new business is an expensive endeavor, and often areas like logo design fall into the “we’ll do something temporary now and fix it later when we have some cash flow” category.  But this is one of those areas where you can’t afford to skimp. First impressions are everything, and your logo is going to be the first thing most people see.  And, you want to make sure that first impression is a good one!

    Even if you have only a moderate budget, you don’t have to settle for an unprofessional, unimaginative logo. With few exceptions, you are going to need a website as well, even if it is just a single page with information about what you do and how to find you.  Building in logo design as a part of your website design can be a great way to have your cake and eat it too.

    Most professional web design companies, like Digital Peabody, have quality graphic artists on staff. When you are interviewing web design companies (read this informative article on how to hire a web design firm) talk to them about the idea of branding.  Let them know that you are looking to create a cohesive marketing and communication plan, and ask if they have the resources to do that for you.  Ask that when they create the bid for your site that they include the cost of designing a logo.

    The average price of a professionally designed basic website is around $4,000. If you were to hire a graphic artist to create a logo along with a corporate identity package you are likely to pay around $2,000. Chances are your web design company will underbid that when it is included in the cost of a larger project. It is likely that you can have a custom logo designed for only $1,000, half of what you would pay elsewhere. That’s a great deal considering how important your company’s branding is to your success.   

    Contact Digital Peabody today to discuss how we can help you create the perfect public image.

  • SEO Services – Why You Need a Search Engine Optimization Maintenance Service Plan

    December 11th, 2007

    These days it is not enough to simply have a new website designed, have the website optimized by SEO Professionals, and expect it to continually rank well. To ensure that your website will continuously improve its rankings, you need a  search engine optimization maintenance plan. There is a very simple reason for this: rankings attract more visitors and make more sales. If you leave your site alone after the initial optimization, you are likely to quickly lose the new business your website generated from the initial optimization.

    The bulk of the work was done when you first optimized your website. Now you want to maintain that success and even improve upon it. The good news is that SEO maintenance tends to cost much less than the initial optimization. The cost, of course, depends upon your website and the industry it caters to. Typically the more competitive the industry, the more expensive it is to maintain your ranking.

    Here is a list of features which are included in Digital Peabody’s SEO maintenance plans:

    Ranking Analysis – Search engine rankings fluctuate. Not only are your competitors trying to out rank you but the search engines also change their ranking formulas. More sites are added to the web each day so you need a professional website company to monitor your search engine rankings for each of the major search engines.

    Traffic Tracking – To stay on top, you need to know where your web visitors are coming from and what keywords are being used to find your site. If the majority of your traffic is landing on one particular page, you need to know so that you can put your most important message or best products on that page. Understanding your traffic is all about keeping your ranking and using that information to increase sales and improve services.

    Keyword Research – The thousands of websites that are added to the internet each day influence the ranking of keywords. Keywords that received high rankings a few months ago may not do so today. In other words, high search engine positions for your most important keyword phrases is great but if you are not receiving any traffic from those phrases, you will need to evaluate the keywords that you have used. Attaining a #1 ranking for keywords that no one will search for, is not very helpful.

    Researching New Keywords – For the reasons stated above, you must maintain good rankings. Analysis of the current keywords used on your site plus researching new ones is important to your business. But you don’t merely identify a list of keywords. You need to add updated the content of your website to include the new keywords. Often times this includes minor changes to the page titles, meta tags, and text headings. Sometimes it may involve additional sections to the site, rewriting content and reorganizing the website’s structure. The degree of changes needed to accommodate new keywords is dependent upon the specific requirements of your website and market.

    Competitive Analysis – An integral part of search engine optimization is determining what keywords your competitors are using. Since competition is always changing, you need to continually know where your key competitors are currently ranked for the same keywords you are using for your website. It is also a good idea to know how many competitors you have within each of the major search engines.

    Inbound Links     – The more inbound links or links that point back to your site there are to your site, the better your ranking will be on the search engines. You need to routinely increase the amount and quality of the inbound links to your site. This requires extensive research of other sites related to yours and requesting to add or exchange links with them.

    SEO maintenance should be an integral part of your business plan. Since a website is often the first introduction people have to your business you must make sure that they will find you. After the initial optimization is done, you, therefore, need to continuously maintain and improve upon those results.

    To find out more about Digital Peabody’s Search Engine Optimization Maintenance Plans, please call Lauren Engel at 303-468-5707 or 312-933-3430.

  • How To Build Trust with Your Online Customers

    December 10th, 2007

    Over 99% of consumers check to see who is behind a website before you purchase something from a website. When there is no contact information or anything about the owner or company, most consumers will move on.

    Unfortunately everyone has heard a few too many stories about corruption on the internet and nobody wants to be the next victim.

    As a website business or website owner, your first job is to protect your client and conduct your business in an honest way. To convey this to your customers, here is a short list of things you accomplish this:

    • Provide Contact Information – When you need help the worst thing is not being able to reach someone who can help you resolve the matter, right? At the very least place an email and regular address on the website. But since most people prefer to talk to a real person rather than use email, you should provide a telephone number. Answering a few questions might be enough to win a customers trust.
    • Include an “About Us” Page – Let your customer know all about yourself and/or your company. Another nice touch is to include some photos of staff and facilities. In short, the more you can establish a personal bond with your potential buyer, the greater your chances of success.
    • Include Testimonials – Over the years we have found that testimonials are a great way to showcase your business, its services or products, and establish credibility. It takes a lot of time to get fresh testimonials but it is always well worth it.
    • Use Secure Transactions – For e-commerce secure transactions, know as an SSL Certification (Secure Security Link) is a MUST. If a consumer is providing you with his or her credit card number, home address, or other personal information should be able to do so without worrying about have the sensitive data compromised.
    • Explain Your Policies – Be upfront about your policies, terms, and conditions. This way you clarify most of the issues prior to the transaction and both parties know what to expect. Put your customer’s fears at ease and you will have a happy customer.
    • Accept Refunds – Always accept reasonable return and refund requests. Deal with them promptly and professionally, no matter how the customer acts towards you during the process. It may be a hassle, but this instills a lot of trust. A customer’s biggest fear is that he/she may not receive what he wants or may not be able to return it.
    • Provide a Guarantee – If you provide a guarantee for your product or service it will place your customer’s mind at ease. The longer the guarantee the better.

    If you follow all of these tips, you will make more sales based on the credibility and trust you have established from your website.

  • Why Does Your Company NEED a Website?

    December 9th, 2007

    In the United States, it is exceedingly rare to find someone who isn’t online. Just about everyone uses the internet. Some people shop on it; some people us it to gather and analyze information; some people use it to make new friends; and some people use it for business needs. Everyone is online line for one reason or another so there is absolutely no excuse not to have a web presence. If you are still wondering what an intelligent website can do for you, take a look at the results of a recent study conducted by the world-famous Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center from Georgia Tech University:
    Nearly 85% of all U.S. households have Internet access, and more than 90% of users say they find businesses and services through internet search engines.

    Now, let’s get into the numbers.

    According to the U.S. Census bureau there are over 300,000,000 in living in the United States. Roughly speaking, that means that well over TWO HUNDRED MILLION people use the internet to find businesses. No matter what you think, that’s a heck of a lot of people.

    Let’s be really conservative and say that only 1% of the U.S. population is interested in your business or services. That’s 3,000,000 people. We know that 85% of that group are on the internet. That’s 2,550,000 people. Of that group we know that 90% are potential customers searching for your business or service. That means that potentially 2,295,000 customers can find your website!

    Clearly, no matter what you do – big or small – a professional website is an absolute must for your business.

    Are you ready to get started?

    If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!

  • What is RSS and Why Is It So Simple?

    December 9th, 2007

    RSS, it’s so easy that SIMPLE is its middle name. RSS is short for Real Simple Syndication. Syndication means to supply for simultaneous publication. In the print world things like newspaper columns get syndicated because it is an easy way to distribute news. On the internet, RSS is a perfect way to distribute any type of content that is frequently updated such as news, blog entries, podcasts, articles, or job listings, lost & found items, personals, and headlines.

    It gives internet users the ability to quickly scan the sites that interest you without being bombarded by unwanted email or newsletters.

    There’s tons and tons of information on the internet. RSS is an automated way to keep current with your favorite website.

    What Is an RSS Reader?
    RSS is usually called a feed or web channel. You read the feed through software called an RSS Reader. RSS Readers are a dime a dozen. Actually, they are free – so is the content that you get from them. Using your RSS Reader you subscribe to a feed. There are a few ways to subscribe to a feed: you can enter the feed’s link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. On a regular basis the reader checks your subscribed feeds for new content, downloading any updates that it finds.

    How Does RSS work?
    From a high-level technical perspective, an RSS file is written in a simple (get it? simple) language that is called XML. Think of it like HTML’s simple cousin from the country. Information is put in the file and the recipients of your RSS receive that information through an RSS reader.

    Now, for the BIG Question: How RSS Benefit Your Website?

    • Convenient
      Instead of looking at 20 different websites, you can get an update on 20 different websites at a single glance. You don’t need to wait for a single page to load!
    • Customizable – With a click of a mouse you can add or replace RSS feeds to your reader. In most cases it is faster than signing up for a newsletter.
    • Dynamic – When your website has new content, users know it instantly.
    • Anti-Spam – Since users opt-in to receive RSS feeds, you bypass spam filters, firewalls, and avoid spreading viruses.
    • Unobtrusive – Allows users to see some of your website’s content without needing to visit your site.
    • Fresh – When you add an RSS feed to your site you provide fresh content without lifting a finger.
    • SEO – Search engines favor websites that have new content on a continuous basis. When you add an RSS feed you provide that new content on your site.

    Do You Have Questions About RSS?

    Please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707.

  • The “Must Have” for 2008: Every Company and Organization Should Have A Web Strategist

    December 2nd, 2007

    Every business has a plan, right? Some aim to make money and some want to find world peace. Whatever your goals are, you need a strategy to achieve them. Whether your business is strictly online or completely offline, a website is no longer a good-to-have item. A website is a necessity and a strategy for your website or web product is equally as important.
    That’s where a Web Strategist comes into play.
    A Web Strategist is responsible for defining the near- and long-term direction of your website. In order to succeed at this, they must have a keen understanding of your business, your customers, and the tools that are available to help you.
    This is how it works.
    Whether you are an established business looking to leverage your know brand assets, a small-sized company who needs to adapt to the internet or a new startup looking to quickly get up and running, a Web Strategist asks three crucial questions:

    1. What is your website’s purpose and who is your audience?
    2. How will your website get enduring results?
    3. Will your audience find what they need?

    The bottom line is that a fancy design alone isn’t going to define your company. Or a new marketing strategy. Or a better interface. It’s only when you consider all these elements simultaneously that you have the power to reshape your business into something enduring and category defining.
    In today’s internet landscape, it’s essential for forward-thinking developers to conceive new ideas that strategically speak to your audience. A Web Strategist asks a lot of questions, they study how your audience uses the internet, and they learn about your industry.

    Talk to Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist about our time-tested process that will produce a website that is totally aligned with your audience.

  • Dot the I and Cross the T: A Smart Web Design Contract

    November 30th, 2007

    Ask for a Signed Contract and a Project Schedule

    Like any other business relationship, you should make sure you have a signed contract before the relationship begins. The contract should include the start and completion dates for the project, as well as a firm budget for the project; the complexity of your site will be the primary determinant of the overall cost. Obviously, if you require streaming video and flash presentations, the development time will cost more than a simple, informational site. It is also important to get a flat project rate rather than an hourly rate because then you know what the total cost will be provided that you adhere to the terms of your contract.

    The contract should stipulate how many revisions are allowed; at what point phases are finalized; and specifically what is being delivered.

    Additionally, it should be clear that you own the completed project and domain name (you should require that the contract states that all content and graphics, and the domain name, become your property). Accompanying the contract should be a timeline of the project, as having a schedule will help keep things on track.

    Use a Website Design Firm that is a One-Stop Shop

    Unless you have the knowledge to host your own web server, you ought to hire a web design firm that can provide more than site design and development. One of the best ways to know who the professionals are and who are not is whether they offer additional services like hosting, domain name registration, search engine optimization, and ongoing maintenance. That’s not to say you should wash your hand completely of these processes. Find out what the average price is for hosting a website of your size and bandwidth requirements so that you know you are getting a fair price. For example, our web design and development firm offers hosting packages starting from $10 a month – so there is a package made for all budgets. In addition, they should be able to guarantee reliable uptime for hosting, at least 95%. Receive, in writing, the cost for monthly maintenance and what this maintenance entails. Finally, as your company grows so will your website, and your designer should be able to keep up with those changes. If you are dealing with an individual or just two people, chances are they will not be able to meet your growing demands. If you plan on success and growth you will be wise to seek out a web design company that has a full team of designers, developers, programmers, seo specialists, and strategists.

    Other Questions to Ask…

    • Can you develop a Content Management System so that I can edit my site?
    • How long will it take for my site to load?
    • Do you validate your code?
    • Can you develop back-end functions (such as a database)?
    • Will my site be compatible for multiple browsers (i.e., Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.)
    • Can you develop secure e-commerce solutions?
    • Do you have the capabilities of using creating hybrid flash, streaming audio/video, etc.?

    Having a presence online is becoming a requirement in nearly every industry. By having a strong partnership between you and your web designer, you will have an effective, attractive and user-friendly website that attracts customers, builds customer relationships and helps your company grow.

    Are you ready to get started?

    If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!

  • How Much Does a Website Cost?

    November 28th, 2007

    Fees for website design and development can range from a few thousand dollars to half a million dollars. In trying to understand what costs are right for you, it might be useful to think of your website in terms of a car. Everyone knows that cars vary widely in price. A Hyundai is a car and so is a Mercedes Benz. But there is an ocean of difference between these two vehicles. In the same way that things like engineering, features, functions, design, safety, and service factor into the cost (and appeal) of a car so, too, does design and programming for a website.

    Even when you select the make and model of a car, the cost of accessories can cause the price to vary drastically. There are choices to be made: 6 Disc CD changer vs. single CD, ipod dock vs. no mp3, dual-sided climate control vs. air condition, 1-touch automatic windows vs. automatic windows, heated leather seats vs. leather seats, and the list goes on and on. Each of these decisions will be reflected in the final price of the car.

    A website comes with “accessories” too. We refer to these as “features and options.” Within each feature there can be any number of variables that dictate the simplicity or complexity required to develop a feature. Just like there is an extra fee for a car with a multi-disk CD player vs. one with a single-disk CD player so too is there a premium for a website that has Flash in the header vs. one that uses basic HTML in the header.

    In nearly every aspect of website development, there are design features and programming options to take into consideration. To help you better understand the individual costs, below is a list of features and options that one takes into a consideration when developing a website. Typically a web design firm will bundle costs together so treat these are estimates. Cost will vary depending upon complexity of each item.

    Website Programming Services

     

    Customization type

    		Details EstimatedCost
    Contact Form 1 – 10 text fields without any controls such as radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes. $200
    Advanced Contact Form 1 – 15 text fields + controls (radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes) $450
    Sign up for a Newsletter Script with the admin panel that includes the list of subscribers and the interface for writing emails. Options to choose subscribers and groups from the list of PHP admin panel, subscribe – unsubscribe $850
    News Script that allows to update the following type of the news content: Text blocks on the existing news page, articles with the full text linking to read more on the main news page blocks $810
    FAQ Script that allows to update ( delete/edit) questions/answers in the FAQ section, add new questions/answers, supports categories, search on the page $820
    Content Management System Script that allows editing all the existing blocks on the page: text, images, titles $1500
    Simple Calendar The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing $130
    Advanced Calendar The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing. An event can be set for the date ( text format). When clicking on the date the pop-up will come up with the event description $930
    Date and Time The recent Date and time shows up on the website $150
    Tell a Friend The script that will send the email from the visitor of your website to his/her friends with comment and link to the website $250
    Google Search The scripts that allows to use Google search engine without leaving your site and show search results on your website $480
    User Authentication and Management Script that allows restriction to specific areas of your website, only registered/allowed users can access this section; includes login page, registration, user management, restriction of the pages ( same for all registered users) $900
    Basic Site search Script that allows web site visitors to search for information on your website; includes search field (one parameter) and search results page $750
    Poll(Voting) Online poll ( up to 10 questions), with possibility to view voting archives $910
    Image Gallery Script that allows management ( add, replace, delete) of the gallery/portfolio or any other section of the website containing 5 or more images and the images description (text format) $1,400
    Mp3 player Adding the mp3 player to your website allowing to play online multiple compositions $650
    FLV player (video) Adding the FLV player to your website allowing to play video file $250 per movie
    E-Commerce Shopping Cart Full functionality of standard osCommerce package ( the structure based on the selected features), installation included $2,000
    Blog Full functionality of the standard Blog package ( wordpress software), installation included $1,600

    Website Design Services

    Customization type

    		Details EstimatedCost
    Image animation HTML picture in the header or body $160
    HTML header animation Graphical customization $450
    Header flash loop development (text/images, up to 4 slides) With customer’s images $1250
    Adding buttons Flash menu $210
    Adding rollover effect Flash effect $280
    Creating a drop-down menu One level $420
    Creating Corporate Identity Logo – print and web version $1,500
    Design a unique flash template Homepage design $1200
    Unique banner design Depends on banner size and details $300
    Unique icon design Per icon $450

    Are you ready to get started?

    If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707.

  • Hiring a Good Web Designer: The Dos & Dont’s

    November 28th, 2007

    Unless you have been living under a rock or in Pakistan where the government can curtail or even cutoff your internet access, you know that the internet has changed the way we acquire goods, services, and information. If your corporation doesn’t have a website today, it is like you don’t exist.

    However, even with this never ending explosion, many small and mid-size businesses are still hesitant about adding a website to their marketing plan. I am not telling you this just because I produce websites. I am telling you this because common sense dictates that I do. It is the common sense in me that says having a good website will not only give your customers access to your services 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, but it will also expose your company up to a wider customer-base.

    Unless you feel confident about designing, developing, and programming your own website, you need to hire a professional website development company. But, before you interview web development companies, you should first determine what your goals are for you website, including:

    • Are you strictly interested in e-commerce?
    • Do you want to attract more customers?
    • Do you want to give your existing customers better service?
    • Do you want repeat customers?
    • Are you interested in showing video, commercials, interviews, etc.?
    • Are you looking for an informational site that would introduce your company to individuals or companies?

    Once you determine your goals, you are ready to begin the process of hiring a web development company. But, simply doing a Google search won’t do; you must find a web team who will help promote your professional image to your customers while making the online process as easy as possible for you. Below are some basic steps to take in order to find the website development company who will build the perfect site for you:

    Do Your Homework: Examine the Competition’s Websites

    Before you hire a web designer, you should have an idea of what you want for your web site. Sometimes the best place to start is with your competition. Research your competitors’ sites and take note of who designed them (it is usually listed at the bottom of the home page). Take notes about what you do and don’t like about their sites. What do you think of the design of their website? Does the functionality in their website make sense? Do they offer shopping or are they purely informational? Is there enough of what you are looking for or too little?

    Then take your research a step further. Start combing the internet for any type of site that you like. A good starting point is reviewing a web design company’s portfolio. Two of the best web design portfolios are: Digital Peabody Portfolio and Unleaded Software.

    Do Identify Your Individual Business Needs

    Once you have done your homework and have selected a web design firm that meets your needs, you ought to present your business’s key objectives to the web design firm. In addition, make note of your customer-base, as they may look for certain functional or design aspects in your website. Think about the types of information that you need in your website. For example, if you have a new or growing business you may want a section about “Employment Opportunities” Or another example is a “Terms and Conditions” section that explains your company’s policies. Each business is unique and will have a different set of requirements for a website.

    Once you have a solid definition of your requirements, and your likes and dislikes in terms of website design, you will be able to present them to a web design firm. Hashing out all of this before you chose a web design firm will help you get exactly what you need in your company’s website.

    Do Research the Web Designer

    It is very important to work with someone you trust, so before you begin interviewing designers you should review designers’ on-line portfolios to see if you like their particular style. Ask the designers to explain design decisions in the portfolio and request a brief description of the overall process. In addition, make sure you check references. Ask the references if the web design firm meet their expectations, satisfied their timeline, and were they easy to communicate with. One of the reasons why you should work with a professional web design firm vs. a freelancer is that the professionals tend to be significantly more responsive than somebody who works by and for themselves. Talent is one thing – but reliability is equally as important. So while professional web design firms may cost a little bit more than freelancers do, the peace of mind that you will have is priceless.

    Are you ready to get started?

    If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!

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