Getting a web designer to build you a web site is like buying any other service – you get what you pay for.

You could pay anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars to just a few dollars for a new web site today.

However, by choosing the cheapest designer, are you really getting what you need? This is an important question. Do you require a web site just because everyone else seems to have one or is there any real value in having one? For example. can your business benefit by having an effective online presence?

Today’s web designer needs to wear quite a number of hats to be able to build an effective site for their clients. Because the landscape of the Internet is ever-changing, designers must keep abreast of the latest developments in server-technology, scripting languages, database-technology, open-source options, success-stories, search-engine-optimisation and general Internet Marketing as all of these are likely to have a strong impact on the success of a web site.

As with all other professions, this knowledge comes with a cost attached to it. A designer who knows and applies this valuable knowledge when creating a quality web site is likely to have a higher fee than one who has only the basic skills to put a site together.

Which would you rather have building your site?