How To Choose A Web Design Agency – Top 10 Tips

Often a full-service solution for businesses (including social media management), web design agencies come with a variety of benefits, one of the main types being outsourcing your website creation.

In this post, we’ve put together the top 10 tips to consider when deciding to hire and do business with a web design agency.

Step 1 – Work out your goals and needs

First thing’s first, understand what your goals are not only about the way you want your website to look, but think further into what you actually want to achieve with your website. Is it leads, contact form submissions to estimate quotes for jobs, sales? These types of questions will be answered by understanding on a deeper level what your business is all about and how it operates.

By understanding your goals and needs solidly, communication between the web designer and yourself becomes naturally easier.

Step 2 – Check whether the agency works in your business sector

If you’re interested in hiring a web design firm that has designed coffee shop websites in the past and you own a coffee shop, this may be of significant interest to you to seek and do business with a web design agency that has experience in web design for your sector. Some agencies may be more experienced in designing financial websites for enterprise-based businesses. Would that be a suitable option for you with a construction-based business?

Step 3 – Get Advice from Friends and Family

Digital agency web design can be significantly costly, whether you are choosing a monthly subscription package or are paying a four figure one-time fee. Its important not to feel overwhelmed as this may lead you to choose the wrong fit for you. Instead, why not exchange ideas with your friends and family, mentioning this is what I’ve seen, I might choose them to design my next site but this other firm offers XYZ, etc. What do you think?

You may find your friends/family will come up with different opinions and ideas you didn’t consider before.

Step 4 – Know what your budget is and stick by it

This step is especially important – to maintain mutual expectations between yourself and your web design agency, when it comes to pricing for your next website.

If you already know what your budget is, such as $400 maximum, and the agency is pricing their service at $700, you could negotiate with them to drop to $400 and see what they say in response.

Step 5 – Work out if mobile web design is included in the service

Mobile-responsive web design is a necessity in today’s digital landscape. Did you know that more people are using their mobile phones to access the Internet today than laptops?

This means that if your website is poorly designed on mobile devices like iPhones or tablets like iPads, the visitors to your website will be more inclined to leave and do business/reach out elsewhere on a website that IS mobile responsive. You don’t need to know the technical ins and outs of mobile-first web design, the web design agency will be able to do that for you.

Therefore, double-check whether mobile responsiveness is included as part of your web agency package, or whether its bundled in as a separate expense.

Step 6 – Check whether they consider and can deliver on your ideas

Critically, you’ll also want to know whether the agency CAN deliver on your ideas. They will be the experts – they will know whether they can build and design what you are looking for. The last thing anyone wants is confusion during the web design process about what is or isn’t possible.

Step 7 – Optionally, Check Their Credentials

For your own reassurance, if you are concerned about whether or not the web design agency has the credentials they are showcasing, you can always ask the agency whether they can provide proof of the certifications displayed.

Step 8 – Double-check what you’ll actually be getting. Do you need it?

As we mentioned in the beginning of this post, web agencies typically offer a whole plethora of different services for businesses. This means that they might bundle in social media management, web presence management as well as web design. But what if you don’t have social media profiles for your business, and don’t plan to in the near future?

In a case like the above, it isn’t worth proceeding unless the agency can offer you custom web design for your business only.

Step 9 – Agree or question any of their ideas

Everything looks great and to your expectations? Great, then follow the next step. But anything that raises your eyebrow about the agency that you’re unsure about? Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Step 10 – Sign Any Paperwork or Proposals

The last step here is dependant on how the web design agency does business. Often they might send you a proposal or paperwork they want you to sign.