How to choose a web design company?

1. Know thyself

Ask yourself a question: What do I really need?

The answer to this question will be the starting point in the process of bringing your decision. You will have to determine what kind of a website you really need (e.g. personal website, business website, e-commerce, portfolio, blog website, online community/forum, Q&A site, nonprofit/religious website, etc.) and how complicated (big) it will be.

Set your goals and know what kind of message you want to deliver. If you cannot communicate your message well, or if the other side does not understand what exactly you want, the odds are that you are going to have to make it simpler.

2. Set your budget

Knowing your needs and your budget (especially if it is limited) will be the most helpful thing. Of course, you should not go for an agency which offers outdated design for a lower price but look for one that will give you a reasonable and an adequate solution comprised of quality and good pricing. This means that if you have a limited budget, it should not affect the end-product. The true beauty of web design is that it can always be updated – and redesigned – so when your business and budget grow – you will be able to make things bigger on your site as well.

3. Know your competition

Some businesses monitor their competition, while other do not. The former are more successful than others, and this is a proven fact. By monitoring, we do not mean something complicated. If you see that your competition has certain functionalities on their website and they are more successful than you, it would be great if you would follow their lead and do the same.

Not being a copycat or something like that, but create a unique design with (almost) the same functionality on your site. Say your competition has got an advanced search or is running a blog on their site – this means that these things exist because they are demanded by their customers. Your steps? Include them on your site, that is – choose a web design agency experienced in these things. If they are experienced in backend development and SEO, you should hire them!

4. Follow trends

Just like in every industry, trends change. A lot. Not day-by-day, but gradually. So what was popular a while ago will probably not be popular in a few years. So unless you plan to brush up your site every once in a while, you should probably search for a visionary web design company - who have developed hindsight and see the current and future web design trends.

5. Find a renowned web design agency

Winning prizes is always a clear mark of quality.

If you want your future website to win prizes, that will stand out from others in terms of creativity, that will set new standards or at least follow world trends, then you need an award-winning agency, which won prizes itself.

After you have determined what kind of a website you want and after you have drawn the exact budget, you can start searching for the best web design agency for you.

6. Geolocation does not matter

Winning prizes is always a clear mark of quality.

First off, geolocation no longer matters. Even though some prefer doing business on the local, web design companies now run their business on a global market, competing with world-famous brands and corporations. And this is the true beauty of the internet.

What you need is the best quality for a good price. Web design companies gain credibility through their client’s reputation (see below) and projects they have done for them. Equivalently, whether the web design company is from France, USA, Serbia, UK or some other country will not be that important. Just do not be afraid to step out from your courtyard and look over the fence to see what the neighbors are doing.

7. Portfolio as a measurement of success

Winning prizes is always a clear mark of quality.

We have saved the best for the end. So, the last factor, but not the least important, is the portfolio of previous webwork.

A portfolio portrays a design company’s orientation very clearly. It should give you a clear picture of whether they pay attention to design, big, complex systems, and development, or if their services are complete or not. Thus, make sure to find an agency with a solid portfolio, whose clients are renowned and whose work is done having in mind the client’s needs.

8. Start describing core values of your business

In order to even start search for Web Design Agency, you need to outline objectives, experience, goals and end results that you wish to accomplish. Throughout our blog we stressed out for several times how is important to write specifications of what you want and how to do it. For better and more efficient selection of Web Design Agency you need your specifications if you are not sure how look here. Still not certain from where to start and what are your options write down what are important attributes, values, brand recognition, mission and vision statement of your product/service. Agencies that start building from that are the ones that should go into further selection process. This will signal you that those Web Design Agencies have team of experts with different skill sets, and therefore offer package of Web Design Services.

9. Each website as well as business is result of team effort

You are designing or redesigning your website includes set of experts involved in process, like: web designer to design website, web developer to make it work, graphic designer to design your identity, and Internet marketing/SEO specialist so your website would attract as many as possible attention. This leads us to second step in selection process, look for “our team” on Web Design Agency website, then you will know that you have team is more likely to understand your goals, customers, needs and can turn it into cohesive, optimized, customized strategy that suits your needs.

10. Your business is unique so should be your website

Another step in selection process of web design agencies, look for a web design agency that offers a custom made, responsive website. Look for Portfolio section on theirs website and go through their works and experience. In their portfolio and Web Design Services also look for responsive websites and check them on your phone. Nowadays each business has to be visible and adapted for mobile. Looking through agency portfolios try to narrow selection on agencies that can recognize and visualise your core values, competitive advantage, brand, and mission and implement them into final product (web design and development of your website).

11. Get to know your teammates

Get to know experts that are drafted for your team, some agencies actually do not employ experts but when they get hired to do a project they go out hiring freelancers. Explaining of your goals, objectives and project tasks to teammates with whom you do not communicate directly makes process time consuming and tiring. Having team that will provide you with web design services and be at your reach to communicate with each teammate individually or organize a group meeting provides open ended cooperation.

12. Content development services

Also, you can do selection based on content development services. Presumably you are typical client and do not and will not have enough time to create, maintain and add content to your website frequently and on regular basis. Then in selection process look for Web Design Agency that can offer you development of strong digital strategy and content. Proficient web design agencies will include in their offer services to achieve UX, SEO and digital marketing objectives. Agencies should be able to offer you additional content for ongoing campaigns like blog posts, graphics, videos, rich media etc. Expert web design agencies provide and offer digital marketing strategy, tools, SEO optimization, SEM, Social Media Management and Marketing, content writing etc. These services secure continuity of content and nimble maintenance of website.

13. Get to know your teammates

Get to know experts that are drafted for your team, some agencies actually do not employ experts but when they get hired to do a project they go out hiring freelancers. Explaining of your goals, objectives and project tasks to teammates with whom you do not communicate directly makes process time consuming and tiring. Having team that will provide you with web design services and be at your reach to communicate with each teammate individually or organize a group meeting provides open ended cooperation.

14. Scope of your involvement

Forecast your abilities, participation and involvement in supporting website changes internally. Understand and determine which web design services you will need after website is launched. Easiest way around that is to write down objectives for website to achieve, let web design agency to strategies how to achieve that, and offer you to maintain those achievements and upgrade your web presence of your business over time. This is another selection step that you should apply when looking for web design agency to hire.

Your goal is to find web design agency that adds value to the web project. An agency whose web design services will bring rewarding experience to everyone user involved.

The selection of web design agency is something that requires careful consideration. Once decided, you’re entering into a commitment for the duration of the project lifecycle.

Allow web design agency to guide and manage your account providing know-how, expertise and anticipating your long-term needs. They are experts in their field and have much better understanding of your needs, wants, and if you hired right web design agency even your customers, competitors, market.

Next step is better understanding of web design services and what web design agencies offer and do to be able to better pinpoint and explain your requests.

Congratulations! You have found the right web design agency.