Website Design and Dreamweaver

The Internet or World Wide Web, which only really came to life for commercial purposes in the early 1990s after having been founded by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 (yes, that recently), has become an indispensable method of marketing any business. It has grown in leaps and bounds in the past two decades to become a phenomenon that we cannot live without. As such, few companies can afford to be without a website.

Deciding to have a website designed is the easy part; ensuring that your website is an excellent reflection of your company's image, philosophy and branding policy is not as easy. Choosing a web design company can be a little tricky, but if you know the criteria upon which to base your decision you can save yourself time, money and frustration.

It is not a good idea to go with the first web design company you come across, via an internet search or advertised in the media, as you could get stuck with a website that does not function as effectively as it should, poor service, and high bills. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with what to look out for when searching for someone to design what will be your internet presence.

If you are interested in website design, or you are looking to expand your existing knowledge, then a training-Dreamweaver course would be highly beneficial to you.

Below are a few important points to consider when you look for a website designer:

Experience and style

When shopping around for a website design company or individual a good place to start is with their own website. If theirs is eye-catching and appealing then that is a reflection of their creativity and style. Their portfolio of work completed will give you a good idea of what they are capable of delivering and what experience they have gained. Links from their own website to those of their clients should be provided as this will indicate their confidence in their product as well as their clients' satisfaction.

Functionality

The backend architecture is equally as, if not more, important than how the website looks. A professional website design and development service ensures that your website runs smoothly and efficiently, to its full potential, and offers a great user experience.

Search Engine Optimisation

SEO is a key factor in the success of any website, and a good website design company will design your website with this in mind. A beautiful website is useless if no-one will ever get to see it because search engines cannot read the format in which it was designed. It is also important that the designer explains clearly their website marketing methods so you know how they will go about optimising your site.

Deadlines

Probably the most important factor of choosing a web designer is their ability to work within given deadlines. How to test this? By giving a small deadline, such as a reply to an email, and checking the response time. This will give you an indication of the commitment you can expect to receive to the keeping of deadlines. It is far better to work with a company or individual who 'under promises and over delivers' than one who practices the reverse of this adage.