The appearance of a company’s website can provide a good idea of whether or not they are worth your time and money. However, don’t get caught up in fancy graphics or elegant designs. While these are signs of professionalism, they are not always the signs of a truly successful company. If you’re looking for a way to spot a decent and up-front company through their website, look for the following:
A Clean, Straightforward Design
Flashing banners and gaudy, dancing animations are a surefire sign that something is awry. You can more readily place your trust in a site that is neat and organized and provides vital information upfront. You shouldn’t have to search very hard for the information you need.
A Logical Interface
Again, you shouldn’t have to spend hours figuring out how the menu works or how to navigate a company’s website. If they don’t know how to organize their site, how do you think they’ll do with system administration and your network?
Clear Contact Information
Contact information should include more than just one email address. You should be privy to who works there, where they are located and how to reach them in several different ways—by phone, fax and email. If content looks to be missing or if the only way to contact the company is through a form or an anonymous-looking email address like “admin@such-and-suchwebsite.com,” you may want to move on to another site. Note: An address that takes this form is not a sign of a poor company in and of itself, but paired with a complete lack of additional information, it may be a red flag. Watch out.
