Choosing a web design agency for your company can be an uphill task, requiring a lot of research and carefulness.
Fortunately, we’re at hand to help you pick the right one for your latest project. Here’s everything you need to know before choosing a design agency for your website.
1. Look at their portfolio
Any web design agency worth its salt will have a diverse portfolio to showcase their past projects.
A portfolio is essential as it gives you insight into an agency’s design style. This enables you to gauge the agency’s compatibility with your business. In addition to looking critically at an agency’s portfolio, take a good look at its website too. You ought to at least like what you see on the agency’s site before you settle on it.
Does the company do for its site what it proposes to do on yours? For instance, do they follow the best practices when it comes to UX design? Are they using up-to-date technology and tools? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you should consider hiring that agency.
For example, The Hatch has worked with the likes of Ted Baker, B&Q and the V&A on their websites.
Read: 9 Best Web Design Agencies in London
2. Consider the costs
Pricing for web development services can be something of a challenge, especially if you are not particularly tech-savvy. It would be best if you asked about the cost to make an informed decision with questions such as:
- Do they charge at an hourly rate or for the project as a whole?
- What is the estimated final price, regardless of the pricing model?
- Once you pay the agreed sum, will you own the website fully?
- Is the total price inclusive of SEO and a content management system?
- Does it also include designing and coding the site, or will you need to hire an independent programmer to code the site?
When it comes to choosing an agency, make sure you get exactly what you have agreed to pay for.
Read: The Average Cost of UK Marketing Agencies in 2020
3. Think about support
Another consideration while shopping for a web design agency is the kind of support they offer their clients. You want to choose an agency that is responsive to your concerns and needs.
Ask the agency how they handle client support:
- Do you need to get a ticket and wait in line?
- Can you call and have your issue addressed promptly?
- Do they offer a warranty?
A warranty often points to a trustworthy agency that is willing to guarantee the quality of their work. Besides, having a warranty ensures that you will get free corrective services if you encounter problems with your site after launching it.
Read: How Much Time Can You Save By Hiring An Agency?
4. Is the company approachable?
Make sure the agency you choose makes you feel comfortable if you bring up any concerns.
Consider the size of the agency you’re looking for and the level of growth you want to attain. If you are a small business owner and choose a bigger agency, you might feel overlooked as they have more active clients, which would make it harder for you to raise concerns as they come up.
Also, pick a company that encourages face-to-face meetings (or video conferencing during the pandemic!) People tend to communicate better when they meet in person.
5. What tools does the company use?
There’s a host of tools that web designers use to make websites and wireframes, and manage their projects. Ask an agency what they use. For example, at Adzooma, we use Jira for project management but other agencies may use:
The same goes for CMSs such as:
The best web agencies will have experience with popular tools and work with you to make sure communications channels remain clear and open.
If you’re looking for a tool or software provider for your business, Adzooma Marketplace have the solution.
6. Is the agency receptive to new ideas?
You want to hire a design agency that listens to your ideas and needs. This is important for two main reasons. First, you know what you want and what your business goals are. Second, you know how best to sell your product to your intended audience, so your input will be invaluable to your website’s success. It’s still a two-way street with ideation so make sure you’re receptive to their ideas too.
The designer should also generate ideas about how best to meet your needs and increase your online presence. They should seek to integrate your ideas into the project and know how to do it well.
Read: How To Find A Good Marketing Agency
7. Recommendations
Before you choose an agency, ask for at least three references. Listen to what past clients think of the company. Were they happy with the work? Were the designers easy to get along with? Did they deliver the work on time? Did they create responsive web designs? What about accessibility? Was it easy to contact them when they needed to?
The answers to these questions will help you in choosing the right web design agency.
8. Do they have experience in your niche?
When it comes to design, nothing can substitute for experience. Choosing an agency with expertise in your niche is advantageous.
Will the company outsource some of the services? Or will they delegate your project to junior staff who have minimal experience?
You may also consider getting a designer who has worked on diverse projects because they will be better able to reach a wider audience.
9. Have they worked with major brands?
Although working with leading brands does not equate to the perfect fit for your business, it is an indicator of the quality of work they do. It shows that they are respectable and you can expect excellent services from them.
Check an agency’s case studies to see who they’ve worked for and what results they achieved. The latter will always be more important because it shows evidence of how they work. The fact they’ve attained that level of success with a major brand is an added bonus.
Conclusion
This checklist will help ease the burden of choosing a design agency for your business.
If you follow the tips shared here, you will find it easier to pick a company that is an excellent fit for you.
If you need a web design agency, we have a fantastic selection on Adzooma Marketplace, check them out today.
