A website is a significant addition to any business, so partner with a Maryland web design firm that can create a virtual department to match your company's style. There are many designers who develop websites. As you start your search, decide whether you need a basic site that functions as an informational resource, or an interactive site offering tools, products and membership.

A Maryland website design firm can take a website from concept to completion, but building the website itself is only the first step. A fully functional website is only as good as the amount of traffic it attracts. Therefore, you need to ask yourself if you want your web designer to go further and market your site, a significant service that can make or break your online presence. When picking from Maryland web designers, make sure of the following.

1. Ask to see a Maryland website designer's portfolio, request references and make sure the designer has enough experience to make the website you desire.

2. When checking the designer’s references, ask past clients about the designer’s professionalism, response time and organizational skills.

3. Certainly, budgets and time tables change; but sign a contract so you can stay in control of the design process.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Decide which services you need from a MD web design firm

Website designers differ not only in style, but in the services they offer. Some design companies limit their services to simply designing a site and filling it with client-provided content. Other designers will go further and use your ideas to design, layout and write the copy for your site, and then carry out a search engine marketing strategy. If you can afford these services, and trust your web designer, this will save you significant time and hassle.

I recommend: Mays & Associates and J.W. Howard Design Inc. can both handle your project, from web hosting to marketing. Their services include web design, search engine marketing, web hosting, web maintenance, support and consulting.

Opt for a Maryland web site design company that specializes in e-commerce

If you want to sell products online, then e-commerce is for you. Many MD web designers include e-commerce development in their services, but their prices are really dependent on the volume of products you wish to sell and the merchant services you plan to offer. Database driven e-commerce solutions require additional software and coding, so make sure you're clear about what you want so your designer is clear about the charge.

I recommend: Groove Commerce specializes in e-commerce, from site design to ongoing optimization; they assist in launching, managing and marketing e-commerce sites. Bumble Bee Studio also offers a wide variety of e-commerce solutions.

Figure out who will maintain your web site design in Maryland

If you are web savvy and have the time, or maybe you already employ a web savvy person, then you may consider self-maintenance. This will definitely save costs. Most design companies have a content management system (CMS) set up so you can to maintain your own website, should you desire to do so. This option usually requires no programming skills and ultimately saves you money.

I recommend: WorldFire partners with Hannon Hill to deliver a system that offers effective content management for small to medium sized businesses. Dualvision offers content management tools that can be built into both new and existing web sites.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The copy for your Maryland web design should be informative, but not too extensive. More importantly, it should contain search engine optimized (SEO) content, so your site pops up when customers search for the product or service you company offers.