What should your web company do for you?

Whoa, hold on - why is this in the business blog if we are talking about websites? Well, good question and that is what we want to address today, so sit back and read on...

One of the problems in this industry is fragmentation of skills:
- companies who do design / pretty websites, but have no idea about coding
- companies who can code but their design is dreadful
- companies who put in third party software with templates, but have no idea about coding or design
- companies who do seo* with no knowledge of design or coding, or design / coding with no knowledge of seo

The purpose of a website is to move a business forward, to make money / increase reputation / increase brand awareness / etc. Notice that none of these are to have a website where the design / coding / seo is good, those are just the tools to drive the business' true needs... (this is the business bit!)

It is important therefore, and the main responsibility of a web company, to be producing a website that:
- meets your business needs / grows the business
& supports this with:
- design that guides your viewer to your business' desired destination
- coding that supports the functionality needed for that purpose
- seo that maximises relevant visitors hitting your website for those business needs

So, what is your web company doing for you - how do they fit into this? Do they spend their time talking to you about design / code / seo / etc.? Or do they start by finding out about your business, working out what you are trying to do, understanding your customers and then using their knowledge of design / coding / seo to show you the solution that drives your business forward?

If you are unsure - challenge them, ask them why they are suggesting the solution they offer - ask them how it will build your business - ask them how it will match your potential customers against your offer to lead to a sale...

if they can't answer - come and talk to us!

It seems surprising that any web company can offer bits of this in isolation, yet that is how the majority of web companies work.

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*SEO is Search Engine Optimisation - it has nothing to do with altering search engines, but everything to do with how you set your site up so that search engines, and therefore your customers, can find your website - seen as a black art by many, it is often common sense!