Your website is possibly the first point of contact between your company and potential customers. It’s a space where you can promote your offered services and show success stories with previous clients – along with your principles, visions, and goals as a business. Given that it’s your portfolio to attract potential customers, you must put your best foot forward in developing an attractive and substantial website.
With new agencies emerging constantly, however, the process of choosing a suitable web design company has become challenging. There are a ton of agencies tying for your business, and all the while, it’s becoming tougher and tougher to catch people’s attention online. That makes choosing the right web design company crucial to your digital success.
Here are five non-negotiables that you must consider in choosing a web design company that will build your online presence.
1. They should have a portfolio of previous projects
Check the web designer’s previous work to determine if they can match your objectives. When you go through their portfolio, don’t be content with just a screenshot or a link to the website that they can easily send. Rather, ask questions on how they built the live website, the time they needed to complete the project, and the challenges they were able to solve during the development phase.
You’ll also want to find out if they have an online portfolio or website. If the quality of their client-facing designs is not on par with the design of their own website, that could be a red flag – they may be outsourcing the work to another company. Keep on searching if you are not satisfied with their previous work.
2. They should be open to ideas
You should have a vision of how the website will look before seeking the help of a web design company. Share your design ideas that you like in terms of function and aesthetics to help them know your taste. Reliable companies will try to incorporate your suggestions to the design and make suggestions of their own to enhance the website further. It’s not healthy to work with designers who don’t listen to your thoughts or just agree with everything you say. They still have a better grasp of what works in web design, and they should pitch exciting ideas to exceed your expectations.
3. They should produce valuable content
Even if you have the best website design in the world, it will be worthless if visitors won’t receive any valuable information. Great content encourages users to interact with your brand, which can lead to more customers. Because of this, your website must have a content management system (CMS) that makes adding and editing content easy. Without this framework, you will keep bugging the webmaster for changes that you or one of your employees could have done otherwise. The most popular CMS options include WordPress and Joomla for articles, as well as Magento or Shopify for e-commerce platforms.
4. They should use responsive design
With people spending more time on their mobile phones, it’s a must for your website to have a mobile version as well. Desktop versions simply do not translate well to a smaller, mobile screen – and site visitors will notice that something is off right away. A website that functions well on all devices will see an increase in engagement as well as search rankings, since Google uses mobile responsiveness to rate websites. The best designers are aware of the shift to more portable devices and will build your website with a design that is optimal for every screen resolution.
5. They should have sufficient experience
It’s hard to trust a web design company that has been running for less than a year because there’s a chance that the operation may not last. An agency that has operated for a long time has had more opportunities to embrace new internet trends – and they’ll incorporate that knowledge and experience into your website.
Stick to dependable agencies with spotless reputations because their extensive portfolio is proof that they can get the job done. Although more experienced companies may come at a higher price tag, their credibility is an assurance that they’re worth the money. Go for web design companies that have various contact details and a tangible address so that you can easily reach out (or even visit in person) for a meeting, to ask for updates, or to suggest revisions.
Final words
With the checklist of considerations provided above, you now know what to look for in a web design agency. By working with the right agency, you increase your chances of attracting potential customers through your online platform.