It can be difficult to find a web design company that meets your needs. Although they might appear similar and offer the same services, once you dig deeper you will discover the true value of a web design company.
Let’s first ask: What are the challenges in the B2B market?
While the internet has an impact on how we purchase, technology also impacts where and when we buy. This has changed the buyer’s journey, with 67 percent now done digitally.
Hence, why is this important?
Today’s information age makes a company’s website the most important asset to its business.
Companies are now more challenged than ever to find the right content for the right audience at just the right moment. Google calls this the ” zero minute of truth”. This is a massive undertaking that many businesses have difficulty with. This is no easy task, but it will allow you to be there when your potential clients need you the most. These are questions I recommend you ask your company:
- Are you aware of how many people are looking for your company online?
- How about your business category?
- How often do you see your company appear on the first page of search results?
- How many times have your potential clients choose you?
- Why did they choose you?
Is it possible for your competitors to appear on the first page of search results but not you?
An experienced web design company can help increase your business’s online visibility and generate more brand engagement. They will also be able to capitalize on the “Zero Moment of Truth.”
What are the most important things my business should consider when hiring a web design company?
Marcus Sheridan put it best: “In today’s information age, companies’ websites are the key to their whole business.” We took Ian’s list as a starting point and created a new one: 23 factors to consider before you partner with a web design firm.
Do you outsource or do all the work in-house?
Ask if the web design company does all its work in-house. This includes designing (e.g. Photoshop work), coding, (e.g. HTML, database creation, and PHP), writing, content, marketing, and even design. It is possible to combine the talents of a team that is well-versed in all areas to create a site that is successful. All work is done in-house. This results in better communication, collaboration, and a higher quality product. You don’t want to run into a problem during web design or development. This could lead to additional costs and longer timelines.
Our web design and development solutions tailored to your needs?
Your company is unique, and so should your website. This will reinforce a positive first impression and a high-quality user experience. As your business grows, custom solutions can help you to brand your website and increase flexibility and scalability.
What are the web design and development process?
It is important to understand the approach of a digital company to web design and development. This gives you a direct insight into their experience and strategy. You can also manage your expectations regarding key milestones, revisions for each phase, consequences, timeliness, and so on.
What marketing experience does it have?
Your website is your face and can be a powerful sales rep if it’s designed and developed well. It generates leads and helps build your pipeline. A website should not be considered in isolation. It must be considered in the context of content marketing, online marketing SEO, blogging, lead generation, and other inbound marketing strategies. Partnering with a web design firm that demonstrates this marketing prowess will elevate your website to a powerful marketing platform.
What is the best way to approach search engine optimization (SEO).
Not only is it important to have a functional and beautiful website, but also to make sure that the site appears in relevant keywords searches. It is not worth having a responsive web design singapore if it can’t be found by your prospects through their searches. Your website’s coding and title tags, meta descriptions, and alt tags have a significant impact on your SEO. There are many great tools that web designers can use to improve your website’s SEO. These include Google Analytics, Google Trends, and SerpChecker, WebMeUp, and Backlink Checker.
There is no better way to find out about a web designer than through past clients. You can learn from the experiences of a few clients to get a better understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, quality, and work ethic as well as their dependability.
Is there a guarantee on the work they do?
It is crucial to find out if the website will work exactly as the proposal stated. It is a sign of trust in web design companies that you won’t be charged for code issues after launch for a specific period. You might expect to be charged for every “fix”, and that can quickly add up.
Are there case studies, proven metrics, and results from past projects?
You can see the work of web design companies to get a better idea of whether they have a track record in designing and building high-performing websites. Can they solve business problems through design and custom functionality/coding Are their websites able to deliver results for clients?
Do you think the same way?
It is important to understand the importance of forming a working relationship. It is important to find a match between your and their philosophy. This can often be found by carefully analyzing the statement of purpose or manifesto that a web design company may include on their website. You can further determine this by speaking with the web design company.
How big is the company?
What number of employees does the web design firm have? What are their specialties? What are their areas of expertise? Is there a single contact that will be able to take responsibility for the entire web project? You may feel like you are getting lost in the shuffle if you have a large company. Too small a company might not have the resources to take your web presence to the next stage. A web design company should be able to respond quickly to all your requests and have the tools to do so. Quality is more important than quantity.
Are they able to understand the buyer’s journey.
It is expected that by 2020, more than 80 percent will be done without any human interaction. It is crucial to ensure that your website contains content that addresses each stage of the buyer’s journey, including consideration, awareness, and decision. Our experience shows that many companies place their content at the bottom of the sales funnel, with the decision stage.
The majority of visitors to your site aren’t ready for purchase when they visit your website. This means that companies miss a tremendous opportunity to connect with buyers in the first 80 percent. A web design company that understands this can help you decide what content to post and how to organize your website to appeal to every stage of the buyer’s journey.
Is the web design firm open to face-to-face meetings?
Today’s technology allows us to do business from anywhere with video conference and screen sharing services. It’s all about convenience and speed. How fast can we schedule a meeting with key decision-makers? This prioritization of speed over human interaction underestimates the power and value of human interaction.
Face-to-face communication is “still the most effective way of capturing the attention of participants and engage them in conversation and drive productive collaboration,” as stated in this Forbes interview by Michael Massari, Caesars Entertainment Senior Vice President for National Meetings and Events.
Face-to-face interactions are a great way to strengthen your relationship with your web design company. It builds trust, fosters more synergies, and creates trust. Face-to-face meetings may not be possible due to distance. I recommend that you visit the web design firm when reviewing the proposal to see the space and meet the people responsible for creating your site.
Are they putting into practice what they preach?
It is important to review the website, content, and digital presence of any web design company before you decide to work with them. Are they following current design trends? Are their websites functional? Do they have broken links? Is their website regularly updated with new, high-quality content? Are they actively engaging with their visitors and followers? How can you ensure that your business is following the best practices in web design, development, and digital marketing?
What is their approach to website hosting?
It is important to find out if the web design company will host your site on an in-house server or on a virtual hosting platform. Virtualization allows for large increases in site traffic. Virtual hosting is not like dedicated hosting. There’s no need to rent or purchase hardware.
The resources of the virtual server can be used at any time, unlike shared hosting. It is important to know how often and how long the backups will be kept. What is the processing speed of the hosting platform? What is the guaranteed uptime?
What level of experience do they have with content management systems?
A content management platform lets your business manage your website’s content easily without any programming. This is crucial because it gives you the freedom and control to grow and change your website after launch. Ask web designers about the content management systems they use, and if training is offered.
Is there aftercare and support available for launch?
The web’s nature is constantly changing, with both technological advances and the constant need to provide new content. You will rarely want to stop updating your website after you have launched it. Perhaps your company has recently added products and services.
New technology could enhance the online experience for your customers. You’ll need a plan whether you have typos in your content, deleted an entire module from the content management software and are in dire need of a backup, or want to add additional functionality to the site.
While some developers offer monthly retainers for clients, others provide pricing at a la carte. It doesn’t matter which method you choose, it is important to understand your options. Discuss pricing and policies in detail with your team to meet your needs after the project is complete.
How have they dealt with third-party integrations in the past?
Ask yourself if your web design company is proficient in digital marketing and how to transform a website into an effective sales tool. Its ability to manage e-newsletter signups, MailChimp marketing, and Constant Contact marketing are good indicators of its prowess. Are they able to integrate CRMs and sales platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, SharpSpring, or HubSpot? How can they integrate social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube?
What are the process for service issues, bugs, and errors? Can you contact someone by phone or email? It is priceless to reach someone over the phone, especially in a time of crisis (e.g. website breach or downtime).
What are their time management skills like?
A web design company can give you an estimate of the time it will take to complete a project based on the scope of work. How does the company manage its time? Is their time management flexible enough to accommodate your changing needs?
How do they ensure all milestones are met? What communication channels are they using to communicate with you to avoid the “scope creep”? Can you view their schedule to see when items are due and vice versa by using online software such as Wrike. You will be notified when the allotted time reaches 50 percent, 75 percent or 100 percent using online software such as Toggl.
It’s easy for a web designer to start a business. It can be difficult to combine the business skills and business acumen needed to sustain a company in tough economic times. Ask the owner about their long-term goals for the web design business.
Who is the owner of the website after it’s completed?
Copyright rights to web design work are retained by some companies. After the site is finished, ask who holds 100 percent of it. This includes all graphics, code, and content. Ask if you will receive the original design files.
Are there any reviews about the web design agency on Clutch or Skilled? This is a trusted site that allows you to find top-rated design, development, and marketing companies. Are its peers recognizing the web design agency with awards and accolades? Are web design agency leaders invited to speak at conferences, workshops, or other events? To validate the quality of the work, service, and craftsmanship provided by the web design company, do your research.
Is the web design company investing in its employees? Are they enrolled in classes, workshops, and seminars? Are they reading industry-related blogs and books on a regular basis? Are they listening to industry-related podcasts on a regular basis? The world of web design, development, and digital marketing is constantly changing. It’s important that the web design company stays up-to-date on market trends, new strategies, and the most recent market research.
