The world wide web is just that, so finding an international web development firm is as easy as opening up your web browser. Most designer directories have members from all over the world that specialize in everything from flash to heavy-duty e-commerce websites.

With all the information available online, it can be difficult to know where to start. Check out the following tips on finding and choosing an international web developer:

1. Choose an international web site design firm by reviewing company portfolios in designer directories.
2. Shop for the best international web development companies using online service marketplaces.
3. Visit country-specific web development directories.
   

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

Compare portfolios before deciding which international web site design company to hire

One of the best ways of figuring out which international web developer to hire is by looking at their body of work. There are some great design directories that highlight companies from all over the world.

I recommend: Check out the portfolios of international web designers, identity designers, as well as animation and illustration studios at Digitalthread. Netdiver has a great selection of portfolios from international design artists.

Find the best international web site developers on freelance networking sites

There are a number of international service marketplaces that allow you search for web designers. These sites always include the location of professionals and design firms that show up in their search results. This is one of the easiest ways to find international web design companies.

I recommend: Guru is one of the largest international service marketplaces. They list the location of each freelance web designer, so you can easily find web developers by country. Elance is similar to Guru. Both sites show location, total earnings, hourly rate and rating of each freelancer that shows up in the search results. Elance offers the additional option of sorting your search results by location, which allows you to easily break down available web development by country.

Find designers in Europe, Australia, and elsewhere in country-specific web development directories

There are numerous web directories online that are focused on a specific country. By visiting one of these directories, you can find web development by country. This ensures that the company you hire will know the ropes in that particular location.

I recommend: Ezilon is a directory with over 100 European web, graphic, flash and banner designers. You can search the top Australian web designers by city on WebDesignFinders.net, created by AnVision. Killersites.com lists web site developers in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America and the Caribbean. Design Firms offers a directory of web developers by country.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You can spend a lot of money on a website for your company. In an increasingly Internet-focused world, often you will never meet the people that make up your international web site design company face to face. Researching a company is about more than just checking out their online portfolio. Don't be afraid to ask for references, and call former clients to find out about the level of service and customer support that you can expect. Don't ignore any red flags. Nothing could be worse than getting your website designed and online, only to experience problems and have zero support on the back end.