In today's article, I'd like to share a very informative article which was written by another professional writer. Read this article throughly and enjoy the knowledge.

By L R Lindsay
"This is a quote"...
Submitted On November 20, 2012

"You may not be aware that the website design and development industry is unregulated.

That means here isn't a standard set of ethics that website design companies are forced to adhere to, so you must learn to protect yourself instead of trusting that companies are being governed.

In order to ensure you're dealing with an ethical website design company, be sure to ask these 10 questions before you commit.

1. Who owns the website I am paying for?

Shockingly, a lot of web design companies will license you the website you're paying for instead of transferring ownership to you. This means if you ever change providers, you can't take your site with you.

Ask the company to show you specifically in your contract where the website ownership is stated.

2. Do I receive a backup of all the files necessary for my website to work?

Make sure you get this on cd, as it enables you to take those files to another website design firm if you would like to.

3. Will I receive access to my ftp and hosting control panel?

Just as important as your website design files in terms of changing providers with ease, make sure you get the following:

a. FTP login url, username, and password

b. Hosting Control panel url, username, and password

4. Who owns my domain name?

Your domain name is "http://www.yourcompanyname.com" it's best to register this and manage it yourself at a company like godaddy.com but if not, make sure you are shown the documentation that lists you as the "registrant" and "admin" contact.

5. Are any guarantees my website will rank on search engines?

Often times there will be additional charges for this service that aren't included in the website design and development price.

It's much better to get a full idea of the costs before you sign up.

6. Is there a long term contract I will be asked to sign?

Make sure you are comfortable with committing to this company for that period of time. Also ask about their contract cancellation policy.

7. Are there monthly or yearly fees? What service will I be receiving for these fees?

Some companies will charge ongoing maintenance fees, which don't get you anything if you aren't updating your website design regularly.

8. Who will be responsible for creating/providing my website content?

The content of your site is the text, images, links, videos etc that will be going on your website.

This is the number one reason that website development is delayed or halted. Make sure you have the time to create or provide your own content or hire a website design company that will take care of this for you.

9. What is the project timeline?

Make sure the website design company's delivery date will work for you. There are some companies that will take months to get back to you on one small detail.

10. Do you have any references?

Just about anyone with a laptop and some coding knowledge can design a website, but are their customers happy with the results?

Make sure to check out online reviews of the company and ask for references from their existing clients.

By asking these 10 questions, you could save yourself hundreds of dollars in redoing your website design and hours of hassle trying to recover what is rightfully yours. If the company is hesitant to answer any of these questions or gives you the runaround, pick up and move on to the next prospective firm. There are so many businesses out there that will be glad to answer these questions for you; dealing with one that won't is simply a waste of your time and money.

Learn more about Web Design

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L_R_Lindsay

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7388682

©2014 SparkNET   All Rights Reserved Worldwide"

Thank you, L for allowing us to share this valuable information with our readers.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me directly for a free "no obligation" consultation.

"Let's Build a Powerful Business Together"

Adrian C Sheffield - Author, Mentor and Consultant

Private Line: 214-221-5689

See Yesterday's Article For Additional Helpful Tips.

Author Resource: Adrian C Sheffield - Author, Mentor and Consultant in assisting customers with their writing issues and wants to promote their site to "Top Positions with the search engines". Phone: 214-221-5689, Skype: acsheff20