It's not often we're astounded by the trends shaping the web design world, but a recurring theme we see time and time again is starting to make our heads spin: Quality web design is undervalued.
Sure, business owners understand that they need a website, and they may have a general idea of how they want that site to look, but things change when the time comes to commit to a designer. Once the concept of web design turns from an abstract concept into a real decision, questions about the bottom line inevitably hamstring the process.
We get it—nobody wants to be left holding the bag when an investment falls through. This understanding leads many site owners to hedge their bets by going with discount developers, with the rationale being that cheap is safe. But here’s the catch: While cheap is safe from an investment perspective, it’s no way to achieve high-impact web design.
The truth of the oft-quoted wisdom “you get what you pay for” is especially evident in the creative arts. Few creatives charge less than they think they’re worth. Hiring a cheap developer means receiving products commensurate with the price.
The top web design firms may have a higher price tag to start out with, but this doesn’t mean they’ll be more expensive over the entire life of the project. Chalk it up to how involved and complicated the web design process is. Cheap developers often lack the necessary expertise and force their clients into inefficient workflows that drain time, money, and patience.
While site owners might be turned off by the price tags of the top web design firms, they need to take the costs of the entire project lifecycle into account. Yes, it’s an investment up front—but it’s an investment that offers guarantees of quality and protection throughout the whole design process.