Your website is the heart of your online presence. And the process of designing a new website for your business could be an absolute dream come true, or an ongoing nightmare. Who you pick to help you along the way and build a site for you will make all the difference to both the end product, and how much you enjoy the site build process. Therefore, hiring the best web designing agency is of utmost importance.
Some agencies were born online while some others have tried to adapt their traditional service offerings to meet the new demands of the web. Some agencies focus on large clients, while some others try to concentrate on small and medium clients. To help you with the process of choosing a web design agency, here we have presented some questions that you should ask before hiring a web designing company.
Let’s hop into it:
1. What services do you offer?
In addition to all facets of website design, many web designing agency offer web development, hosting, copywriting, e-commerce solutions, and digital marketing strategies such as social media, SEO or PPC management. Do not assume that a company is good at one thing just because they offer another. Almost every web designing company on earth now offers digital marketing as well; it does not mean they really know their stuff so don’t make the assumption. It’s great to have one company handle most or all of your digital work, but it’s more important to get a solid result.
Ask your designer about their site build process:
The answer your potential designer gives to this question is a dead giveaway if you’ve reached a newbie designer. Designers who have been in it for a while will know their web design process like the back of their hand and will recite it immediately from their memory. After all, they have gone through it a zillion times both telling potential clients about it and completing work through the process.
If your potential designer has the process down and can tell you all the milestones along the way of site build perfectly from memory, you know you’ve landed on someone who knows what they are doing.
2. Do you start from pre-made templates or build custom sites?
Often times, web design companies offer both options to meet the needs of their clients. Some businesses want to make a great brand, so they want the unique look and functionality a website designed from scratch provides. Other businesses are not that dependable on an online presence and want to save money with a template that can be customized. If the designer is starting from a template, ask them about licensing and whether other local business sites have the same template. If custom, then ask about some common questions such as, testing and compatibility of browser.
3. Will it be a responsive site that works on multiple mobile and tablet device?
There was a time when “responsive design” meaning a website responds to different devices automatically reconfiguring for optimal viewing-was a differentiator for advanced developers. Today, responsive design is usually given-but not all responsive sites are created equal. You should make sure that the responsive images, headers and other features of the website are just not resizing, but resizing accurately. Ask your designer that will they just design it for mobile breakpoints or tablets as well. Enquire about the mockups for mobiles and tablet interfaces. Ask whether they will make load optimized for mobile or will just make the smaller version of the desktop site.
4. Can you provide examples of websites that your company designed?
Looking at the design styles of these sites will help you to evaluate the design variations of the agency. Also note the performance of these sites, whether the navigation is easy to use, if the websites are well-maintained, if the designs are current and modern and how well the design matches the business style. Don’t accept screenshots or mockups. Seeing a live site will give you a glimpse of the person’s attention.
5. Ask if they outsource any of their work:
You will have to make your own judgment call on the answer you get to this one. Sometimes, outsourcing can be a good thing, sometimes it’s not. Some agencies use independent contractors for certain components of a project. This allows them to offer a variety of services in a cost-effective manner.
One quick note, if time is the essence for your web designing project, bringing many parties into your project may slow down the process for building the site, so try to avoid those agencies who used to outsource their work.
6. Ask how do they price their service and what is included in that price?
The pricing structure of web designing varies among companies, so make sure to get the proper knowledge of the price structure of the agency. Keep in mind that price is mainly based on experience, expertise and the scope of the project.
It’s important to know exactly what you are paying for when given a project quote. Ask for an itemized list of deliverables that are included in the price and ask what isn’t included. For example, some companies offer hosting and maintenance that are not included in the initial project’s price.
7. What web standards and practices do you follow?
Web designing and development agency should be current on all design trends and follow the latest web development standards so your website works on all operating platforms and in all web browsers.
8. How do I maintain my website after it’s built?
A website is just like a car or a home in that it requires constant upkeep in order to remain in top shape. And to maintain the standard and continuity of the website, someone has to update it regularly. If the agency is charging for maintenance, that’s good. You don’t have to worry about it. But if you are the only administrator, make sure the firm has made a platform for you to update the contents and the website.
Above all, be open and upfront with your budget, and expect your agencies to be the same with their capabilities and pricing. Finding the right match, knowing what you’re paying for, and entering a contract with confidence are all paramount to a successful outcome.