Choosing a Web Design Agency? Here’s What Actually Matters
Finding the right web design agency can feel like a bit of a minefield.
Every agency has a lovely-looking portfolio, promises to understand your business and assures you that your new website will be the best thing since sliced bread.
The trouble is, you’re handing over one of the most important parts of your business, so it’s probably worth making sure you’re in good hands.
So, before you fall head over heels for a beautiful homepage and a few fancy animations, here are ten things worth checking.
Look for an agency that takes the time to understand your business before getting carried away with the design. A strong portfolio, happy clients and a clear process are all good signs, but you also want people who ask the right questions, challenge your thinking and understand what your website actually needs to achieve.
So, before you fall head over heels for a beautiful homepage and a few fancy animations, here are ten things worth checking.
1. Know what you’re after (and what you’re not)
Before you go agency shopping, have a good think about what prompted the search in the first place. Has your business outgrown its website? Are enquiries few and far between? Or is it starting to look like something that’s been gathering dust in a forgotten corner of the internet?
There’s no need to arrive armed with every answer under the sun. A good agency should be bringing a few of its own into the mix.
But knowing what’s bothering you and what you’d like to improve gives everyone something useful to work with. The rest? That’s where a good agency earns its keep.
2. Don’t just fall for a pretty portfolio
Any agency worth considering should be proud to show off its work. And rightly so. But a portfolio full of beautiful websites only tells you half the story.
Take a closer look. What was the business struggling with before the project? How did the agency approach it? And what changed once the new website went live?
Maybe enquiries improved or customers could finally find what they needed without going on a hunt. Maybe the website started reflecting what the business had actually become.
Whatever the outcome, you want to know there was some proper thinking behind the nice colours.
3. Good people make good projects
You want an agency that feels like an extension of your team, rather than a bunch of strangers you’ve handed your business’s online identity over to.
That means finding people who see the world in a similar way to you. People who understand your values, what your business stands for and why it matters.
Not necessarily people who nod along with everything you say, mind you. A little healthy disagreement is a good thing, and when the inevitable creative differences crop up, being on the same wavelength makes life considerably easier.
4. Make sure you’re not their first rodeo
There’s a time and place for trying something new. Handing over a sizeable chunk of your website budget probably isn’t the moment you want an agency learning everything from scratch.
Not all web design agencies are cut from the same cloth. Some are whizzes at e-commerce, others know their way around complex website builds, and some can turn an absolute mountain of information into something people can actually navigate.
The trick is finding one whose strengths match what you’re trying to achieve.
5. Do a little digging
A little background checking never hurt anyone. Testimonials are a great way to find out what an agency’s actually like once the project gets going. Did they communicate well? Deliver what they promised? Keep their cool when the inevitable curveball came flying their way?
Have a proper rummage through their reviews and look for something with a bit more substance than a handful of enthusiastic adjectives.
6. Make sure you’re kept in the loop
Before you sign on the dotted line, it’s worth finding out what working with the agency will actually look like.
Will you have regular catch-ups? Know who’s doing what and when? Have someone to call when you’ve got a question? Or will you be left wondering what’s happening while your website disappears into the wilderness?
A good agency should have a clear process, keep you in the loop and make sure you’re involved in the decisions that matter. Nobody likes being kept in the dark, especially when it’s their business on the line.
7. Have the money chat early
Be upfront about what you’re happy spending and when you’d ideally like your website ready. A good agency won’t just smile, nod and promise you the world. They’ll help you work out what’s realistic, where you might need to compromise and how to make the most of your budget.
8. Make sure there’s room to grow
Think about where your business was five years ago. Chances are, quite a lot has changed since then. New services, different customers, and most likely a few unexpected twists along the way.
Your website needs to be ready for a bit of that.
Ask an agency how easy it’ll be to add new pages, introduce services or make changes as your business develops. And find out whether they offer ongoing support, rather than waving goodbye the moment the launch celebrations are over.
9. Can they see the bigger picture?
Your website doesn’t exist in its own little bubble. It’s part of a much bigger picture, where strategy, branding, website design and marketing all have a part to play in helping your business grow.
So, find an agency that’s interested in more than just building you something lovely. Are they asking about your wider business goals? Do they understand how customers find you? Can they see where your website fits into the grand scheme of things?
Because even the world’s most beautiful website will struggle to work wonders if everything around it is pulling in a different direction.
10. Find an agency that connects the dots
Your website might look like a million pounds, but what about everything leading people towards it?
Your SEO, content, brand and wider marketing all influence how people discover your business and whether they decide to hang around.
So, look for an agency that doesn’t just understand how those things work together, but can help you measure whether they’re actually making a difference.
Because there’s not much point celebrating your website traffic shooting through the roof if no one can tell you whether any of those visitors are turning into customers.
A good website starts with the right people
Choosing a web design agency isn’t something you want to rush. And as much as we love beautiful design, it’s certainly not the be-all and end-all.
You’re choosing people to work with, challenge ideas with and hopefully grow alongside. So, finding an agency that understands your culture and feels like a natural extension of your team is worth an awful lot.
At Giant Peach, we’re big believers in finding people who are on the same wavelength. We’re also rather fond of looking at the bigger picture. Your website shouldn’t be doing its own thing while your brand, strategy and marketing wander off in different directions. The good stuff happens when everyone’s pulling together.
And if you’re looking for a team that cares about the bigger picture as much as the beautiful design, we’d love to show you what Giant Peach is all about.
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