How to Choose a Web Design Agency

Whether you’re looking to create your businesses first website or bring your current one up to date with a fresh new design, choosing the right company is a big decision. What they create will become the first impression most people get of your business, and first impressions count.

There are several things you should consider to make sure the company you work with are a good fit for you, and to maximise your chances of creating an online presence you are truly proud of. Below are some top tips on what we think you should consider.

Be clear about what you need

While you don’t need to get all technical, having a good idea about what you want your website to achieve is crucial. Do you need an eCommerce site or is it just for information and to generate leads? Does it need to sync with any other systems you use? Considering how your website fits into your business can be useful, as a modern website is an extension of your business and should help you achieve your goals.

You may well have seen things on other sites, such as videos, that you want included in your new site. Giving the web design agency as much information from the start helps them to design and build a website that will meet or exceed your expectations.

Look at their portfolio

Don’t forget, their own website is essentially part of their portfolio. Any reputable web design agency should have plenty of examples of previous work.

• Do they use a variety of styles?
• What industries have they already designed for?
• Do any of the websites in their portfolio have the same features you’re looking for?
• Are they familiar with your market?
• Do you like the websites they’ve already designed?
• Are their websites easy to navigate?
• Are the sites they design responsive, so they work on any device?

If you like the look of a web design agency but they don’t have any examples in your industry, then you can ask them what they would do for your company. They may well have experience in your industry that isn’t in your portfolio, or a proven approach that will work for your industry.

While the end results are always important, it’s good to know how the experience was for the customer. Look at reviews or testimonials about previous customers experiences. Are they good communicators? Was the client happy with the level of service? What results did the agency deliver for other clients? How long have they been trading?

Another important part of an online presence is understanding the market. Are the websites they have built targeting people with the same culture and from the same area as your target audience?

How capable is their team?

Does the web design agency have a team of people that are qualified and experienced in their own specialities? If you want to get the most from your online presence, it’s better not to have a web designer writing the copy for your website. Their team should include individuals that specialise in every aspect of your site, such as online marketing, web design, graphic design, copywriting, video production, and any other relevant features for you.

An experienced team should do more than just build you a website. They should have processes in place to make the whole design and development process as simple as possible for you. They will provide ongoing support after your website is live and online marketing services to ensure your website gets in front of your target audience.

What platforms do they use?

A single solution or platform rarely suits every website, so an experienced web design agency will use multiple platforms to provide their customers with the best solutions to their needs. Sometimes it can be dictated by compatibility with other systems you use, sometimes by the features you want included on your website, but they shouldn’t be trying to fit square pegs in round holes.

Do they provide value for money?

Providing value for money will be different for most people. If you have the time and the inclination you may well have written all the content for your site yourself, or like the majority of self-employed people, you’ll be too busy and want the web design agency to do everything. This means that value for money for most people is a balance between top quality work within a reasonable timeframe with the minimum amount of hassle for them.

Speak to them about their processes and what they need from you. You’ll quickly build an idea of the services and work they provide and what is expected from you, which will give you a clear picture to decide whether they provide value for money.

Initial contact

When you contact a web design agency for the first time, whether by email or phone, the time it takes them to reply or provide the required information can be a sign of how keen they are to work on your project. Even a busy company should reply within a reasonable amount of time just to let you know how their availability is and provide a timeframe.

Speak with the experts

All of this sounds fairly simple, but having a great design, a brilliant logo, and the knowledge to maximise the potential of your website site post Covid-19 needs experts on your side. Our team of award winning experts have all the skills required to create the perfect web presence in a way that can be tracked, tweaked, and maintained, ensuring you remain successful into the foreseeable future. Using professionals like Juvo ensures you have a team of specialists on your side to ensure every aspect of your website gets the specialised attention it deserves. Why not get in touch with us at Juvo and let us help you to stand head and shoulders above the competition.