Choosing a website design company isn’t simply about finding the best-looking portfolio or the cheapest quote. You’re choosing a company that needs to understand your business, build something technically sound and support what the website may need to do in future.
A simple business website and a platform requiring eCommerce, customer portals or system integrations need very different levels of expertise. Here’s what to look for before making your decision.
1. Start With What Your Website Needs to Do
Before comparing website companies, define what you’re trying to achieve. Do you need customers to find your services and enquire? Sell products online? Allow customers or dealers to log in? Connect your website to a CRM, accounting platform or another business system?
You don’t necessarily need the company with the largest team or longest service list. You need one whose capabilities match what your business actually needs. A good website company should also be able to help you define those requirements if you’re unsure.
2. Look Beyond the Portfolio
A portfolio is useful, but attractive screenshots don’t tell you whether a website actually works well. Open some of the company’s live websites. Check them on your phone. See how quickly you can understand what the business does, find important information and take the next step.
Also look for experience relevant to your project. If you’re building an online store, review their eCommerce work. If you need a portal or integration, beautiful brochure websites aren’t enough evidence that they can deliver it.
3. Make Sure They Can Develop What You Need
Website design and website development aren’t quite the same thing. Design deals largely with appearance and user experience. Development becomes particularly important when a website requires more advanced functionality such as:
- WooCommerce or eCommerce
- online ordering
- customer or dealer portals
- CRM or ERP integration
- third-party APIs
- custom forms and workflows
If your business may require these capabilities, discuss them before appointing a supplier. You don’t need to build every future feature now, but choosing a suitable foundation can prevent an unnecessary rebuild later. For more advanced requirements, Swart Digital develops custom business systems alongside conventional websites.
4. Compare What Is Actually Included in the Quote
Two website quotations can have very different prices while appearing to describe the same project. Before comparing totals, compare the scope. Check whether the quotation includes design, development, mobile optimisation, content loading, forms, SEO foundations, performance optimisation, analytics, testing and launch.
Also establish whether there are additional costs for hosting, software licences, maintenance or future changes. The cheapest quote isn’t automatically poor value, and the most expensive isn’t automatically the best. What matters is what you’re actually receiving for the price.
For a more detailed breakdown, see our guide to how much a professional website costs in South Africa.
5. Make Sure You Own and Can Access Your Website
Before the project starts, understand who will control your important digital assets.
This includes your:
- domain
- hosting
- website administration
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- relevant software or plugin licences
You don’t necessarily need to manage every account yourself, but you should understand the ownership and access arrangements. Changing suppliers shouldn’t mean discovering that you can’t access your own website or domain.
6. Ask About SEO, Speed and Mobile Performance
SEO shouldn’t only be considered after a website launches. Page structure, URLs, headings, internal links, mobile usability, performance and indexation can all influence how effectively a website performs in search. This is particularly important when replacing an existing website that already ranks on Google. Existing URLs and valuable pages may need to be preserved or redirected correctly.
Ask how SEO and performance are considered during development, rather than simply asking whether the company “does SEO”. You can read more about why website speed matters or explore Swart Digital’s SEO services.
7. Find Out What Happens After Launch
Websites need ongoing attention. WordPress, plugins and integrations change, security issues emerge and businesses regularly need content or functionality updated.
Before choosing a website design company, ask:
- Who handles updates and backups?
- Is ongoing maintenance available?
- How are future changes charged?
- What support is provided after launch?
You may manage some of this internally. That’s fine. The important thing is knowing who is responsible for what.
8. Think Beyond What You Need Today
Your website requirements may change as your business grows. A company website may later need online ordering. Enquiries may need to feed into a CRM. Dealers might require individual pricing or customers may need access to documents and account information.
You can’t predict every requirement, but you can choose a platform and development company that gives you reasonable room to grow. This is one reason Swart Digital uses WordPress development extensively for business websites while also developing custom functionality and integrations where WordPress alone isn’t the right solution.
Planning a Website?
If you’re already comparing website companies or quotations, we can help establish what your website actually needs before recommending an approach.
Discuss Your Website Project →
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Website Company
You don’t need to interrogate a developer with 30 questions. These will reveal most of what you need to know:
- What exactly is included in the quote?
- Who owns the website, domain and accounts?
- Are there recurring costs?
- Can we update the website ourselves?
- How are SEO, mobile usability and performance handled?
- What happens after launch?
- Can the website support future integrations or functionality?
- What happens if we eventually change suppliers?
The quality and clarity of the answers can tell you as much as the portfolio.
Website Design Company Red Flags
Be cautious about guaranteed Google rankings, unclear ownership, unexplained recurring fees or a supplier who recommends expensive functionality without first understanding your requirements. The opposite can also be a problem. A company shouldn’t recommend rebuilding an entire website if the existing foundation is perfectly usable.
If you’re unsure which applies to you, read Should You Redesign Your Website or Build a New One?.
Choosing the Right Website Design Company
The right website design company isn’t necessarily the cheapest, the largest or the one with the flashiest portfolio.
Look for a company that understands what your business needs the website to accomplish, can demonstrate the relevant technical capability and clearly explains the scope, ownership, costs and ongoing support.
Ultimately, you’re not just choosing who will design your website. You’re choosing who will build an important part of your business’s digital infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a website design company charge in South Africa?
Website prices vary according to the size and complexity of the project, level of custom development, content, eCommerce requirements and integrations. Compare the scope of quotations rather than price alone.
Should I use a freelancer or a website design company?
Either can be suitable. A freelancer may be ideal for a straightforward website, while projects involving several disciplines, custom functionality, integrations or ongoing support may benefit from a broader development team.
Should a website design company understand SEO?
Yes. Ongoing SEO can be a separate service, but website structure, performance, mobile usability, URLs and migrations can all affect search visibility and should be considered during development.
