September 11, 2024

How to Choose a Web Design Agency

A conference room inside the Big Human office

In this blog:

What is web design?
What are the benefits of hiring a web design agency?
How to Choose a Web Design Company
How to Choose a Web Design Agency: What to Look For
How to Choose a Web Designer: Questions to Ask

Finding the right web design company for your business is a challenging process. There hundreds of agencies to choose from, and they all have unique qualities that set them apart — from the services they offer to the way they approach design and development. You could partner with a web design company that has years of industry experience, or you could hire an up-and-coming web designer with new, imaginative ideas. It all depends on which company is best equipped to handle your needs and help you achieve your goals.

Below, we break down how to choose a web design agency that’s right for you and what to look for when choosing a web designer.

What is web design?

Web design is the art of creating functional, visually appealing, and, most importantly, user-friendly websites. A website’s design is heavily shaped by the brand’s story and the user experience, with web designers seamlessly connecting the two. To produce engaging digital experiences, web designers first organize a site’s information and content, optimize its navigation, structure its layout, and frame user flows. After handling the logistics, designers move on to the visual elements: colors, typography, images, and graphics. Web design also prioritizes accessibility, ensuring your website can be used by as many people as possible across various platforms and devices.

What are the benefits of hiring a web design agency?

Several platforms, like Shopify and Squarespace, offer built-in web design services. They’re ideal for early-stage companies that need to get their businesses off the ground, but if you’re experiencing more growth or looking for a fully customized experience, then a web design company is the way to go.

Here are a few benefits of partnering with a web design agency.

Experience and Expertise

You need a certain skill set to properly design a website. Web designers know the ins and outs of UI/UX design, so they bring an expert’s eye to every project. They understand current trends, best practices, and what’s needed to build a high-performing website.

Time-Saving

Designing and maintaining a website requires significant time and effort, which can detract from your company’s day-to-day operations. With a creative studio handling all aspects of the design process, you can keep your focus on growing your business.

Efficiency

It’s usually faster and more efficient to hire a web design agency instead of doing everything in-house. Web design companies have entire teams dedicated to design and development, and their systemized processes allow them to deliver websites right on schedule.

Tailored Solutions

A nonprofit organization needs a website that can manage a lot of content and information; in contrast, a home goods company needs a site with robust eCommerce integrations. And, of course, both websites cater to different audiences with different needs. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, a web design company can create custom solutions with your specific brand identity, goals, and target audience in mind.

Holistic Approach

When designing your site, web designers consider your business goals and entire online presence, from your brand to your content; they also factor in development work. This ensures your visuals align with your message at every stage of growth, allowing the website to scale as your business evolves.

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Web design agencies have the tools and platforms to build an aesthetically pleasing and highly performant website. They stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices, ensuring your site is designed with the most effective strategies. You’ll also have access to their design, development, and content teams, which means you’ll gain a range of expertise you might not have in-house.

Increased Visibility

If you want to boost your visibility and drive traffic to your business, then you’ll need an SEO-friendly website. Web design companies often have content teams and SEO specialists that work hand-in-hand with web designers, integrating SEO best practices into your site from the beginning.

Ongoing Support

Most web design agencies offer ongoing support and maintenance. This means they stick with you post-launch, managing your content and making updates to continually improve your site’s performance and user experience.

How to Choose a Web Design Company

It’s natural to assume that hiring the priciest web designers in the industry will guarantee the best return on your investment, but remember that the team you pick will heavily influence your business’s next phase. When you’re thinking about how to choose a web design agency, it all comes down to finding the right fit for you and your needs.

Here’s how to choose a web design company in five steps.

1. Define the scope of your website design

Before you even look at web designers, you first have to figure out what your project needs. Are you a boutique hotel that requires a streamlined booking system? Or are you an online marketplace looking for a user-friendly checkout flow? Take the time to clearly outline what your website is for, what goals you hope to accomplish with a new site, and the features that’ll support those objectives. When establishing your budget, it’s best to approach it as a sliding scale, allowing for flexibility if additional features are needed during the design process.

2. Research web design agencies

There’s always a simple Google search, but you can also explore B2B review platforms like Clutch. After you compile a list of potential web design companies, browse their websites to see if they have the skills and services you need. Then, review their portfolios to ensure their work aligns with your project’s scope and they have experience working within your industry. Be sure to also read reviews and testimonials to gauge client satisfaction and the agencies’ reputations.

3. Connect with each web design agency

Once you narrow your search, contact the web design companies directly. This is the time to explain what you’re looking for and your expectations. While interviewing candidates, pay attention to their communication and working styles. It’s important to make sure what you see on their websites matches how they interact with you.

4. Discuss the budget and timeline

This step can be done concurrently with the third, but web design agencies might need some time to assess your needs and gather ideas (some you might not even thought of). When you reconnect, and they pitch their services, clarify your budget and ask if they foresee additional costs; post-launch support and ongoing maintenance can play a large role in pricing. If you’re quoted a price beyond your means, you can ask to adjust the project’s scope to reach something more manageable.

You might already have a timeline in mind, but how long it takes to create your website depends on its needs. Some features are more complicated to build than others, and expediting the design process can drive up the price, too. At Big Human, it typically takes at least four to six months to bring a Minimum Viable Product to market.

5. Move forward with the right fit

Now that you’ve collected the insights needed to pick a web design company, it’s time to move forward with the one that’s right for you. Make a point to thoroughly review your contract to confirm every service is accounted for, and ask questions about items that may be unclear to you. This will prevent any misunderstandings and ensure both teams are aligned on expectations and deliverables.

How to Choose a Web Design Agency: What to Look For

Choosing a web designer for your company isn’t easy. To help whittle down your options, you need to determine what’s most important to you and for your website. Weighing the following factors will help you make an informed decision and partner with a web design company that’ll contribute to your business's success.

Services and Technical Expertise

Check out their services to make sure their skills and technical expertise are in line with your needs, including post-launch support. Pay close attention to their creativity levels and ability to build custom solutions.

Portfolio and Experience

Review their portfolios to see if they have experience with projects similar to yours. If you want a more seasoned web design agency, note how many years they’ve been in the industry.

Costs and Value

Get detailed quotes to ensure you understand their pricing structures and their services match your budget.

Approach to Design and Development

Web design and development is more than just creating visually appealing, functional websites. Make sure each web design company also factors in long-term business goals and strategies.

Communication and Compatibility

The design process will run more smoothly if you have a good working relationship, so consider their values and the rapport you’ve built with each company during the interview process. You might also want to compare the size of their teams; larger web design agencies generally have more projects, so they might not have the time to be as involved in yours.

How to Choose a Web Designer: Questions to Ask

Interviewing web design companies is a big undertaking, but knowing what questions to ask will help you find a web designer who meets your needs, timeline, and budget. Here are a some questions you can ask during the interview process.