Factors to consider when choosing a web design company
Don’t take any shortcuts with your website design and build. By researching web designers and asking the right questions, you could save yourself time and money!
Building or upgrading your website involves many important aspects in order to ensure you are receiving the best possible result for your business. Developing a website can often be a tedious and frustrating experience if a business does not undertake appropriate research of the web design company that is undertaking the project.
Seeking out the best team will save you time and money in the short and long term plus you’ll be receiving an exceptional website that you and your customers will love.
In order to help you in your journey of finding the best web design company for your web design project, we’ve put together a list of considerations that you should utilize when approaching a web designer.
What is their specialization?
Web designers offer a range of specializations when it comes to building a website. This should be your first step when obtaining a web designer as it helps narrow your search to companies that can deliver on a specific website that suits your business’s needs.
If for instance your website predominantly focuses on eCommerce activities with a significant range of products on offer, then looking for a web design company whose focus is purely on the development of eCommerce websites would be most appropriate. Alternatively, one could delve even deeper in their search by locating website designers that only specialize in particular industries like finance, hospitality or SaaS.
Specialization can also refer to the platform which websites are built on. At Strong, we specifically build websites on a variety of CMS platforms allowing us to provide you with agile options towards your website build. This has allowed us to work with established SME’s from several industries.
What are their processes and approaches to web design?
Establishing whether a web design team is collaborative and open to not only your ideas but providing ideas of their own is another important aspect to consider. This helps you identify whether the web design team understands your ultimate vision for your website and that they will be capable of thinking outside the box in their construction and delivery. A good web designer will be able to easily relay their processes and their strategic approach to design. To find out a web designers processes and approaches, ask them questions like;
- Walk me through your web design process from start to finish
- Are brainstorming sessions undertaken on a regular basis?
- How involved am I in the process?
- What milestones can I expect during the build process?
- Do you use responsive design for your websites?
The answers to these questions should provide you with a good indication as to the experience and skillset of a web designer.
Do they have a portfolio of past and present projects?
Not only are testimonials and reviews vital in your research process when determining a web designer but viewing their past and present projects helps you to evaluate whether they are right for you.
The value of assessing a web designers’ portfolio is that it helps you gauge their skill set and eye for detail. Exceptional websites that are user driven, flow beautifully and offer a point of difference usually mean an extremely qualified design team.
Viewing a web designer’s past and present projects allows you to also discover their style and vibe from a creative standpoint which again helps you to decide whether both your styles align and limits the chance of creative differences.
Is everything done inhouse?
Establishing that a web designer conducts all digital asset work inhouse helps to ensure that all facets of the website creation process are adhering to quality controls in terms of build and content. Granted, some designers may lack certain skills that necessitates outsourcing to trusted local partners which is why it’s important to establish this early in your research so that you know exactly which elements of your website are from outside sources.
Is a support system in place post website build?
A common oversight by clients who have their website built by web designers is the management and maintenance of the website post completion. Ensuring that web designers offer am ongoing support service is critical as issues invariably arise or ongoing changes are required to maintain the websites optimization. If you’re still curious why your website needs ongoing maintenance, check out our blog about it here.
At Strong we offer three care plans which are designed to help you grow and maintain your website giving you peace of mind.
Do they have a blog?
It might not seem like much, but a web design agency that delivers recurring insightful content on their blog page means they are staying up to date on industry trends whilst also providing valuable free knowledge to their readers. This shows that a business is happy to go above and beyond by putting in the time and effort for projects.
Research the team & past clients
Taking the time to research the web design team allows you to uncover their skills as well as what projects they have worked on in the past. This gives you the opportunity to seek references on the team providing you with complete transparency of the professionalism at play and what to expect during the project.
Building a website is a valuable investment for a business which, like any investment, requires proper and in-depth research to ensure the smooth delivery and guarantee of a high performing website.