Your website is like your home, and a web design company represents the builders you would hire for your home. Think about the qualities you would look out for in a builder and those qualities are similar to what the right web design company should offer you. You want a great website that does everything your brand needs it to do and more. You can't hire just anyone for this task. Read on to learn how to choose a web design company.

• Vet their experience

It's vital to take a look at the web design services the company has provided to past clients. Ask to see examples of their work and use these examples to get a clear insight into what you can expect. You can also contact these past clients to ask about their experience with the company. Try to ask if they are happy with their contract and the job done and if the user experience the company created was good as expected.

• Know the cost

Ideally, you would have a budget for the web design of your website, but finding out the cost with the companies you are considering will help you make a decision. The trick here is not to choose the cheapest company or even the most expensive one. Imagine spending $300 on a'cheap' web design and end up not experiencing business growth. Now, imagine someone else who paid $5000 for 'expensive' web design and they experience outstanding growth – who seems better off in the long run? This scenario can easily be reversed. The lesson here - don't choose based on price alone. Weigh all options equally and decide on what works best for you.

• Ask who will be working on your site

An important part of choosing a web design company is knowing exactly who would be working on your website design. Some companies outsource some of their work to external freelancers or junior employees when the cost is low. When something goes wrong, they just spread the blame around leaving you with no one to hold accountable. Ask for the name or names of employees assigned to your project. This way you can direct questions, requests, and hold them accountable.

• Know the timeline

Yes, you should allow for ample time to work on your web design but that doesn't mean the project should drag on forever. Get an estimated timeline from the company and make sure you check during the project to ensure that the company stays on track.

• Policies and updates

Every web design company has its policies on various matters concerning your web design and their service. Be sure to get clarity on any such policies. Ask about their policy for updates as well. Some companies will use a content management system (CMS) to help you make direct changes when needed.

At the same time, the company might want to keep such needs in-house. You can get familiar with CMS (such as Wordpress) to help you make changes yourself or leave it to the company. Discuss this and come to an agreement.