How to Choose Best Website Management Services?

Business owners who hire a website management service to build or rebuild a website don't just make decisions about a product. They also make marketing decisions. 

The look and speed of a website affect how long a visitor is there, how often that visitor will return, and even if that visitor does return. 

Fully managed E-commerce services are no different from other service businesses. Some will provide great value and others will destroy someone's dreams of online success.  

It is no exaggeration to say that a management service can charge thousands, even tens of thousands of pounds for work that can be done for hundreds of pounds. Many concrete examples exist.  

It is no exaggeration to say that some of these services will provide expertise in one area but not enough in another. I've seen quite a few websites that look good but lack marketing savvy, especially with search engine optimization. Some of them are not optimized for search engines.

Outside agencies will naturally pursue the contract because it means more money for their own company, even if they lack key skills. They can make up for their lack of skill by hiring a contractor or doing it themselves. It's an understandable thought, but it poses a risk to the client's business. 

Project size is important.

In addition to website development and marketing skills, an outside agency needs experience in the scope of the project. A company that only builds small sites is a risk with a large site costing tens of thousands of dollars.  

A new or rebuilt location for a small business or nonprofit organization may require just a general contractor who can do a little bit of everything but may not be an expert in this particular skill or other. 

A large project will require a larger contractor with many employees with all the core skills or a general contractor who can provide subcontractors. 

At this point, it's not like building a house. 

Some important steps make it easier to hire the best website management services while avoiding mistakes that can cost a lot of money or end up with a completely messy project. 

1) Define project goals 

Website development can be broken down into a group of goals based on key functional areas. They are:

Technology: What software will be used to build the website? Will the vendor provide training on how to use it? Which company hosts the website? How much will it cost per month? Does it automatically back up the website in the event of a server failure? 

Content: Does the text currently exist? Should I write? Who will write? How often should it be updated?

Marketing: Does the vendor offer search engine optimization? Does the site have the potential for an email newsletter? Does the company have a social media account? Does the vendor have the skills to integrate these accounts into the website? 

Advertising: Does the website have any specific content? If so, how will the ad be displayed? Who will sell? 

Design: Who is the website graphic design consultancy? Does it represent the brand? Will it be done in such a way that the site loads quickly? Is it mobile-friendly? 

Design is a great element that comes last in the goal-setting stage. It is risky to focus too much on design as it can overshadow other business goals to their detriment.

2) Research skills

Look for agencies that communicate on their website a skill set that corresponds to these goals.  

A reputable SME will often post employee biographies on their website. If so, take a look at each of them to see if they can fit the project's needs. 

Then go to specialized search engines and lookups to see what else they've done and where they've worked in the past. Check out your LinkedIn profile for more information. 

Look for an About Us page or something similar. If the seller doesn't post any bios or especially if he doesn't list the main ones, run away quickly. He's either a lousy salesman, lives abroad, or is hiding something.  

3) Understand the price

The turnkey solution will have a fixed monthly price. These solutions are best for the smallest projects with the fewest needs. They are also good for new businesses that don't have enough money for a powerful website. 

One provider found under search engine results advertised a starting price per month. It includes hosting and “four service requests” per month. This low entry point is just a template solution that won't help the business much. But it was a start. 

Most businesses have needs far beyond the basic per-month form with half a dozen pages. They will also have their own needs. 

The best way for a company to get an accurate and useful price for their project is to create a project plan that they send to potential suppliers. Since demand often varies, the supplier will, in turn, need to provide a customized price. Try to get at least three quotations to compare. 

4) Watch out for terms of the contract

Contracts should be part of any project to protect the business and suppliers while defining essential definitions, requirements, and schedules. 

Definitions should use terms that describe each task that is part of the project, such as "marketing" with a breakdown of all marketing tasks, "content" with a description of the provider and publish content, etc. 

It should have a start date and an end date and an exit clause in case of problems. Some providers will offer contracts with a 90-day withdrawal clause that must be in writing. Ninety days is a long time to wait – and to pay that supplier – in the event of a problem. Instead, try trading for 60 or even 30 days.