How NOT to get taken advantage of by a web designer

Ok, lets face it. You are an expert in YOUR field, you're not a web designer, and probably have little interest in being one. So why do you find yourself talking to the potential web designer for hire and have that fleeting feeling that you're suddenly at the car dealership being upsold on the premium paint and wheel package that they claim you really, really need?

Ok so maybe all web designers aren't out to get you, I know personally I sure am not. My direction is actually the opposite and to save my potential clients from these characters out there slinging around terminology and telling you that THEY will get you on the first page of Google for a nominal fee (similar to that of your first born's college fund.)

Here's some quick pointers:

1. SEO - otherwise known as Search Engine Optimization: It is one of the ways to help you get your name out there on the web. It is also the highest mark up product in the business. I'm sure I upset a few designers out there by sharing this dirty little secret. This doesn't mean it comes free, but watch out for people with big claims and big price tags. You can most likely find the same service much cheaper if you look around. My personal recommendation is to keep your SEO work in the States as much as possible, things can be done cheaper overseas but things can and will get lost in translation as well. ASK your seo person if they outsource? A little outsourcing here and there is fine I guess, but if your entire campaign in being ran overseas then I start to get worried.
2. PPC -otherwise known as a pay per click campaign. Its a way of instantly getting your name out there on Google. However, keep in mind, these campaigns make no permanent traction. When you stop the campaign, you stop the visibility for your business. Think of it as a short term solution to the long term seo options. You set up a daily budget and you can determine your key words that people can search for. Some people have decided that PPC campaigns make sense for them for the long term because of their ROI, but each case is different. I personally like it as a short term solution, unless you start to see so much business from it then it makes sense to keep it running.
3. Web design - So you just met with a designer who told you needed everything under the sun and it was going to break the bank. Run for the hills in my opinion. I believe a designer should act as a technical consultant, sharing ideas and suggestions. I can learn about your business all day long, but ultimately YOU are the expert. Only YOU know what is best for your business. And if I had a dollar for every time I saw a proposal a client shared with me where another designer suggested some big fancy product they didn't need I would be writing this from some sunny tropical beach right now. Hey, Im just saying :)

Hope that helped give you some insight into the world of web design! I welcome any questions or suggestions on future posts...