Choosing the right WordPress web designer boutique digital agency for your business can be challenging since you’ll find thousands of web designers on the internet. A simple Google search will show you over one million results. So, you may not know what agency to trust. Do you choose an established agency or work with a newer designer? Which web agency will get the best results for you? These are some of the questions that will cross your mind.
Picking the wrong designer could be disastrous to your business. Research shows that web design is the first factor when determining the credibility of a business. Moreover, most people will not engage with your website if its content is unattractive. So, you must find out as much about your potential new web designer and then decide if they are fit for your business. Today, we will talk about the things you need to know about web design agencies.
Why is Web Design Essential?
Before you begin your search for a web design agency, it is essential to know the basics. What do web designers do, and why are they important? Besides creating your website’s aesthetics, web designers aim to support your entire business online. Web designers have the skills to build user-friendly, mobile responsive, secure, and optimised websites for search engines. An excellently designed website helps people navigate through your website and ensure they connect seamlessly with other online marketing channels you have, like social media.
Eight Things You Need to Know About Web Design Agencies
Now that you know about the importance of web designers, let’s look at the things you should know about what they do.
- Portfolio
Aesthetics are vital when it comes to web design. Most people prefer looking at a beautifully designed website to a plain one. So, you need a contemporary creative design that resonates with your customers if you want to attract new customers and increase revenue. Look at the web design agency’s portfolio before you go any further. The portfolio will show you other projects the agency has completed in the past. Look at these projects and determine whether the agency can deliver what you want. A reputable web design agency will build a website tailored to your brand. So, check if they can make different designs. If everything looks the same, expect to get the same too. Click through other websites the agency has created and see how it feels as a user.
- Website features
Web design can incorporate headers, banners, images, and maps. Some web design agencies believe customised websites resonate well with your customers and represent your business values. Such agencies will allow you to choose the features you want to be incorporated into your website. However, customised websites are more expensive and take longer to design. So, you must consider your budget and deadline if you opt for a customised website. The features you choose for your website will depend on the type of website you want. Do you want an eCommerce website or an online booking? Do you have lots of products and want to categorise them? Ensure you do some competitor benchmarking for inspiration.
- Balanced approach
Every web designer knows how to make a beautiful design. However, not all of them have the skills and experience to deliver what you want. Your website is your company’s online face, and it sometimes influences your offline marketing. So, you need everything, from search engines to social media, to work together to drive sales. Look for a web design agency with a strong understanding of the overall process that can support your online business. You want an agency that will offer more than building an attractive website. Remember that you might work with this agency for a lifetime. So, you need a web design company that understands your values and is willing to have a long-term relationship with you.
- Page loading times
Today’s website user wants a website that loads fast. Users have many alternatives and will not wait for your website to load since they can click on your competitor’s website instead. These people will visit your website and then click on the back button if it fails to load quickly. Choose a web design agency that creates pages that will not slow down your website. A website that increases load times even by a second will affect your sales. Research shows that websites with 2.4 second loading times experience a bounce rate of about 12.8 per cent. Those with a 3.3 second loading time experience a higher 20 per cent bounce rate.
- User experience
The user experience should be your web design agency’s foundation. Usability should drive everything that your agency does. For instance, your designer will respond thoughtfully if you ask why they placed a call to action button where they did. A reputable web design company will take an intelligent approach to choosing the colours, determining the spacing, picking fonts, and more. This is because they want to provide the best possible user experience. Mobile-friendliness is perhaps the essential factor in your website’s user experience. Remember that most online purchases and searches happen on mobile devices. So, we can conclude that the first step to an excellent user experience is making your website mobile-friendly.
- Website content
How does your web design agency approach website content? You have probably heard the phrase “content is king.” This statement becomes true with each Google update. Creating website content in the past few years was as easy as including several keywords on a page and editing the copy. However, website content is now more complex. Content marketing involves planning and predicting user intent to determine your website’s structure. Your web design company should have a team dedicated to copywriting. This team should have impeccable writing skills alongside knowledge of search engine optimisation (SEO), grammar, and editing skills to create quality content. Also, they should have a deep knowledge of marketing best practices. So, look for a web design agency that demonstrates a strategic and thoughtful approach that proves they know what content is crucial for your website.
- Do they recommend changes?
A reputable web design agency will work closely with you to create a website that meets your needs and reflects your business values. So, ask your web design agency about the changes they recommend. An excellent designer knows that web design is not arbitrary. The web design agency should be able to back up their choices and make you feel confident that they have a plan destined for success. If they cannot back up their preferences or you do not feel confident, consider finding another web design company.
- Do they test before launching?
Website testing is an essential part of the web design process since it will highlight functionality and user experience gaps. No one will pay for a website that breaks the first time a user clicks away from the homepage or is not mobile-friendly. A reputable web design agency will test your website on many browsers and mobile versions. If your agency is not willing to test your website, we recommend moving on to the next one on your list.
Also, ensure you check whether you will own the website once it is live. Some web design agencies retain ownership of the websites they build. This makes it challenging to make changes as needed down the road, and they may even repurpose your design for other clients. Ensure the agency gives you complete ownership and copyright of any marketing assets they create for you. However, you can allow them to use your website on their portfolio and distribute it on social media channels.
Pick the Right Team
Choosing the right web design agency does not have to be challenging. Look for these features, and you will find a designer you can work with. At Marketing Sweet, we build stunning and functional WordPress websites that convert visitors to paying customers. We constantly improve our systematic process to ensure we always focus on the long game. Our team will take the time to understand your business and industry to provide you with a customised website. Please get in touch with us today to get value for your money.
