A top-notch web design agency can be quite a challenge to come across. However, when you do discover one, it has the potential to become one of the most invaluable components of your company’s marketing strategy. Here’s a guide on how to select a web design agency that accomplishes the task with precision.
Whether you’re in the process of creating your inaugural website or revamping an aged site for a contemporary look and feel, a proficient web design agency will bestow upon you the ideal online representation that aligns with your brand. However, this prompts the question: How does one initially locate a reliable web design agency?
Selecting a web design agency necessitates a comprehensive exploration of potential agencies, assessing them in accordance with your personal criteria. It’s a multifaceted procedure, but you can streamline it by adhering to these straightforward measures.
1. Find web design agencies online
To identify the ideal web design agency for our needs, we must begin by researching and compiling a considerable list of potential candidates.
A valuable starting point is to explore websites that rank and assess various web design agencies. These platforms offer valuable insights into the landscape and can guide us toward selecting the most suitable agency.
Typically, these platforms employ a team of experts or utilize advanced algorithms to impartially evaluate factors like skills, expertise, dependability, and pricing offered by each web design agency. While their assessments may not be flawless due to possible company changes, they provide a solid overview of the industry’s current state and its key players.
With a roster of potential agencies at hand, the next step involves scrutinising and evaluating them individually to identify the ones that resonate with our preferences.
2. Look at each web design agency’s website
This step holds significant importance when it comes to the process of selecting a web design company. Let’s delve into what to assess on a web designer’s website.
If a web design agency’s website appears outdated, outmoded, or simply unimpressive, it’s likely not the right fit for our company.
The rationale behind this is straightforward. Competent web design agencies should be adept at crafting a stellar website for themselves. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean their site must precisely match what we envision for our own platform—each company has distinct requirements, resulting in varied website functionalities. However, it does imply that we should be able to access all the desired information with just a few clicks from the agency’s homepage.
Efficient information retrieval is pivotal in creating a successful website. Websites that force users to navigate through numerous clicks to locate what they seek tend to repel users. When our objective is website creation, this is a scenario we definitely want to avoid.
Beyond navigation, we should also examine the agency’s website for factors such as loading times, high-quality images, visually captivating graphics, and even videos. While these components might not be obligatory for an agency’s website, their inclusion showcases an understanding of their significance and purpose.
These visual elements enhance the user experience—an observation you might have made while browsing various agency websites. However, even with all these elements, an agency’s website should maintain a sense of organization.
The chosen color palette should be coherent and not overwhelm the senses. Similarly, each element should have its own designated “space” with ample room to breathe. Just as excessive navigation complexity can deter users, cluttered websites can lead to user aversion and ultimately result in lost business opportunities.
Lastly, it’s essential for each agency to present testimonials from past clients, complete with the client’s name and website URL. This information empowers us to assess the present state of their clients’ websites, providing valuable insights into the agency’s capabilities.
Now that we’ve thoroughly evaluated each agency’s website, the next step entails conducting further research to facilitate our decision-making process in selecting a suitable web design agency.
3. Find reviews about each web design agency
Understanding what a web design agency brings to the table through its own website and client history is crucial. However, a more pivotal step in the process of selecting a web design agency is evaluating the insights provided by review websites.
Review platforms like Yelp, Google, and even Facebook can furnish valuable information regarding an agency’s conduct, professionalism, and overall dependability.
Agencies with lower ratings should naturally raise doubts about their capability to fulfill their commitments to clients. On the other hand, agencies boasting higher ratings indicate a widespread sense of contentment among their clientele. This suggests a greater likelihood of receiving substantial value for your investment.
To access reviews, commence by searching for each agency on Yelp. Generally, an agency will have a Yelp listing containing a few informative reviews.
You can also uncover reviews by searching the agency’s name on Google. A small box should emerge on the right side of your search results (on desktop) or at the top of your screen (on mobile) featuring the label “Reviews.” Simply click the link underneath to access Google reviews.
Finally, Facebook also hosts reviews. Locate the company by searching for it and visiting its business page. On the left side of the agency’s news feed, a small blue box with a star rating will be visible, denoting the agency’s quality. Click on it to peruse the reviews.
By leveraging these three review platforms, you’ll have the necessary resources to refine your selection and narrow down your list to a handful of outstanding web design agencies.
4. Make a list of must-haves for your website.
Establishing a set of non-negotiable criteria prior to engaging with agencies is a strategic move that streamlines the vetting process. This approach not only ensures you don’t overlook any priorities during the sales discussions but also accelerates the identification of prospects that perfectly align with your requirements.
Apart from fundamental prerequisites such as WordPress proficiency, responsive design, and seamless integration with third-party systems, consider formulating an additional wishlist encompassing elements that might not be absolute deal-breakers but could sway your preference towards one agency. This supplementary list might encompass aspects like logo design, secure hosting, content creation, ongoing digital marketing, and expertise in print design.
5. Contact each web design agency directly
Now that you have a few agencies on your list, you should contact them directly with questions about how your businesses would work together.
The best agencies will talk about creating your website from the ground up. In most cases, they’ll want to build your company a custom-made website. Regardless, an agency should ask you almost as many questions as you ask them.
Those questions should be about what you expect, what you want, what your goals are, and more. A good web design agency aims to fully understand each of its clients so that they can deliver the best results possible.
A good web design agency will also reply to your questions politely, professionally, and intelligently. They’ll give straightforward explanations and explain any unfamiliar terms that come up, so you’re constantly in the loop.
If you talk to a web design agency that talks around you in circles with vague, jargon-heavy terms, consider using another agency. Once you’ve vetted your agencies by talking directly to them, you’re ready to make a choice.
