Summary: An article detailing the important features and services to look for when researching for a Web Design Agency and Web Design Birmingham.

Searching for a suitable Web Design Agency that can deliver a well designed and well built web site tailor made to your brief is not as easy as it appears. Even searching your local area for example Web Design Birmingham will return a whole range of company?s who are willing to pitch for your work and these will range from 1 man bands who design from their living room to much larger organisations and choosing the right one can seem an almost impossible task.

With so many companies using Web Sites as a marketing tool the days of having your company logo dropped into the top of a badly designed page by your brother-in-law have passed. A website is a 24 hr advertisement, brochure and information hub for external and internal customers alike. The modern approach to Web Design is to produce an aesthetically pleasing, informative and easy to navigate online brochure to demonstrate your businesses core service, products and values while complying with legislation that covers copyright and accessibility.

Finding a Web Design Agency that can fulfil all the requirements needed for a well designed web site that delivers enquiries can be a challenge and the way to do this is to have a site that has been visually created by a designer that has depth and creates and delivers the image your company requires. Backed up by a well built site whether that is a brochure site with easy to use well designed navigation, a site that has a content management systems (CMS) that will allow the uploading of documents, articles, images and media or an ecommerce online shop.

Finally using a company that specialises in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) will ensure your website is marketed effectively on the internet focusing on helping your website rank highly on search engines under keywords and phrases that are most important to your business and to your customers. Your site should also be DDA compliant so that it can be read by screen readers as this is a legal requirement for all websites and also assists with SEO.

Most importantly a well designed site that fits your brief fulfilling your requirements targeting the correct audience for your business will provide a return on your investment. The key services a Web Design Agency should be able to deliver are:

Design Having a site that has been visually created by a designer that has depth and creates and delivers the image your company requires.

Usability A well built site whether that is a brochure site with easy to use well designed navigation, a site that has a content management systems (CMS) that will allow the uploading of documents, articles, images and media or an ecommerce online shop.

DDA Compliance Your site should also be DDA compliant so it can be ready by screen readers as this is a legal requirement for all websites and also assists with SEO.

SEO Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) will ensure your website is marketed effectively on the internet focusing on helping your website rank highly on search engines under keywords and phrases that are most important to your business and to your customers.

Results A site that fits your brief fulfilling your requirements targeting the correct audience for your business that provides a return on your investment.

When you are researching a Web Design company whether you are searching for Web Design Birmingham or Web Designers in the Midlands it is worth looking at the way their Company site is designed and the functionality. Then look at their portfolio to see the variation and depth of their designs. This is the best way of getting a feel for the way the company works and the quality of the work they can produce for you.

Then when you are ready to contact the Web Designers you have chosen prepare your brief along with a site map, this will help them in understanding your requirements and enable them to prepare a quote for you as web sites vary in cost greatly depending on the content and functionality you require. Whether you require a new web site or a re-design finding a company that can delivery all these services should make your web site a worthwhile investment.

Paul Rice is owner of Ricemedia, an award winning Web Design Agency specialising in Web Design Birmingham. Ricemedia specialise in bespoke web sites with Content Management Systems, Search Engine Optimisation, Print, Design and Branding.