Creating a website for your business can be almost as complex as creating the business itself. There are many different aspects to owning and operating a website. There’s website design, search engine optimization (where your website will rank on the major search engines), and Internet marketing, among other topics for which you probably don’t have much knowledge about, unless you’re involved significantly with a web-based company.

So what should you to do? Bring in a professional company, that’s what you should do.

But there are literally thousands of them out there. How are you supposed to know which web designer to choose? Below are five steps to assist you in picking your perfect web designer.

Establish Goals- Before you can pick your ideal website designer, you need to set goals for your site. Start by asking yourself a few questions: Why do you want a website? Will you be selling something online? Who are your competitors and what do their websites look like? The best companies will have the utmost respect for your expectations and goals and work with you to achieve them.

Decide on What Type of Website You Need/Want- If you want your new website to use the fancy effects of Flash, but one of your potential website designer companies specializes in pure HTML sites, you’re looking at the wrong company and opening yourself up for a classic sales pitch. If you want a simple site with a shopping cart, let them know.

Designing a Site VS. Building a Site-. Think of this like a car: One group of people designs the car, while a completely different crowd actually builds it. Designers know all of the inner workings, aerodynamics, etc. of the vehicle, while the builder puts each piece together as specified. Finding a company that can work through both aspects and more is an ideal scenario.

Compare Prices- While price is always a factor in website design, you can’t forget to look at what you’re getting for the money. If you’re just in the market for a simple, one page site to cater to your current customers, it will obviously come with a smaller price tag than an all-out site designed for optimizing your future business. Of course, a guarantee will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, as it’s a sign of a company’s confidence.

Review their Experience and Portfolio- Your final decision to hire a web design company should be what they have done for other clients. Their client’s names should be proudly displayed on their website for the whole world to see. You can simply visit a website of one of their proud list of clients and see for yourself if you like their work.