Who Should You Seek The Web Design Services To Develop Your Website?

By Author: Michael Fisher
Total Articles: 3
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Unless you're a web designer and programmer, chances are you're in the dark about how to get your website online. Once you've chosen a web hosting plan, you have to have a design, but who should design it? It can be hard to choose the person or people you trust with your website. Here we list the three possibilities with pros and cons:
Independent Designer / Design Firm
PROS:
Design is all they do on a daily basis
Chances are the work will be top quality
CONS:
May be hard to get one-on-one time (if part of a large company)
Turn around time may be slower than desired
Pricing is often much higher than alternatives
They might have their own specific style that they don't deviate from (so research into what kind of design the firm or contractor does is may be required)
Designers Within Your Web Hosting Company
PROS:

They have a vested interest in your business (for example, EarthLink offers web design services to compliment their web hosting plans ...
... and would prefer to support you in all areas than in only one) and an "extra" desire to make you happy (note: if a design firm loses your business, they only lose one kind; if your hosting company loses your design business, they may also lose your hosting business!)
Quality will often be top-notch
Pricing will be lower than design-only firms or contractors
Other services (such as internet marketing) may also be available, with costs being cheaper since features are bundled
CONS:
Turn around time may be slower than desired
Yourself, With Tools
PROS:
There are many tools (like Net Objects Fusion) that can allow you to create your own website on your own time
Turn around time is up to your personal time commitment
Cheapest of the design options
CONS:
You will have to learn how to use the software/program
Your needed website features may quickly move beyond what you can create
There is a chance the website will come across as lacking in design (although PC Utilities said "you'd be hard pressed to know that the pages weren't the work of a professional designer" about the Net Objects Fusion software)
What option do you think would work best for your business?