The range in quality amongst web designers is terrifying. There are a lot of scam artists out there, and although there is not one sure fire way to distinguish between a true professional and a subpar web designer, this list will help guide you through the hurdles of determining the caliber of a design company:

• Experience: Graphic design is becoming increasingly popular and with this increased popularity comes more under qualified freelancers and design companies. Consequently, finding a company who has a solid reputation that has been tested by the passage of time is more likely to be a quality company. Fly by night companies fail because they do not offer a valued service, if a design company has many years under their belt, it can be an indication that they are the real deal. Furthermore it is important that the company is experienced with the type of website you want. Do they have more experience in template based sites, web designs in flash or ecommerce web design?

• Credibility: Who are their past clients? If they have any big name clients, they most likely will advertise it as it adds to their legitimacy.

• References: What do past clients say about them? If a designer allows feedback posts on their site, take a look at them but remember that the web designer may be able to delete posts that are not favorable. It may be best to Google the company’s name and see what the rumor mill has to say.

• Meets Deadlines: It is hard to tell if a particular web design company frequently meets deadlines, but if in searching the web you find complaints about punctuality, this is a point of concern. Talk to past clients and determine if the design firm in question consistently met deadlines. (You can find past clients by perusing their portfolio. Portfolios are generally readily available.)

These elements are things to consider when you are selecting a web designer but offer no guarantee that they will be a qualified choice. As with all long term investments and projects, doing as much research as possible, asking a lot of questions and talking to various references, will hopefully prevent any missteps along the way.

Monique L. Myers is a writer, surf instructor and an art enthusiast based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, an online resource that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs.