Web development involves various competencies and specialisations. These include planning, asset creation, design, UX optimisation, programming, SEO, and more. In other words, a website is more than just design and code.
Choosing a custom web design and development agency for your business requires multiple considerations. You’ll want to find a web development agency that not only has all the skills but also the industry experience needed to build a website worthy of your brand.
How do you choose the right one? Here are eight important factors to consider.
8 Considerations When Choosing a Web Development Agency
It takes the right kind of agency to meet all your web development needs. There are so many options to choose from, but you can keep these considerations in mind to steer you towards the best choice:
1. Do they follow a strategic approach that gives you confidence?
Web development is complex work with many intricate processes and interrelated disciplines. Therefore, the first step in choosing a web development agency should be to find one that can make sense of these different components and align them all to a unified, thorough, and intentional development strategy.
Choose an agency that can articulate the strategy they’ll use for your brand from start to finish. You should also consider the agency’s overall approach and how you’ll be involved in each step. That way, you can find the right team that gives you confidence in delivering a successful project for your brand.
2. Do they listen to your ideas and contribute their own?
A good agency should be able to listen to your ideas. As a business owner, you know your company’s vision and goals the most, and it’s the agency’s job to take your ideas and translate them into tangible objectives. They should also be able to combine your ideas with their own expertise, providing truly tailored solutions unique to your business.
Some agencies will just address problems you identify and want to avoid. However, others will find things you might have missed and raise them to your attention. This characteristic is what differentiates a superior agency from an average one. It means that they actually care about your success and will go beyond your expectations to help you achieve it.
3. Do they have an in-house development team?
Another thing to consider when looking for a web development agency is whether they have an in-house development team or use a third-party partner. Due to the complexity of modern websites and the need for quick solutions whenever problems arise, an agency with a dedicated team is usually ideal.
If you choose an agency that relies on outsourced experts for web development, you might encounter slow response times and longer project timelines. But with in-house developers present, you can enjoy improved agility and closer collaboration that lead to better outcomes.
4. Can they help you with custom development work?
Not all web development agencies are capable of providing bespoke solutions in terms of development work. These are the types of agencies you should avoid, as it can mean ending up with a generic website or just a reconfigured plugin or extension that doesn’t provide the specific functionalities you’ll need to serve and attract customers.
Therefore, it’s essential to find an agency that has mastery over the platforms, tools, and systems you plan to use. This will ensure that they’ll be able to provide customised solutions and bring whatever vision you have to life.
5. Do they have expertise in and outside your industry?
While it might be intuitive and beneficial to work with an agency that specialises in your specific niche, it’s usually better to partner with one that has experience in other industries as well. This is because many agencies get stuck in design ruts, making the websites they build look very similar to one another.
A development team with broad experience in different industries will help you avoid this problem. They’ll be able to provide expert recommendations on what will actually work for your business, while creating a genuinely unique design that will set you apart from others.
6. Do they provide other services aside from web development?
It’s a good idea to choose an agency that can provide you with more than web development services. When choosing from different options, find out if an agency can also help you with SEO, content creation, paid ads, and social media. Each one is an essential component of a well-rounded digital marketing strategy, so an agency that can do it all may be the optimal choice.
That way, you only have to work with one agency for all your digital marketing initiatives. They’ll be able to create cohesive strategies that work in unison for the long term, which can also translate to streamlined costs and less time spent on back-and-forth communication.
7. Are they easy to deal with?
Website development is a complex process involving much collaboration and communication between your team and the agency. When teaming up with an agency, you’ll want a team that’s easy to get along with since you’ll be working with them for several weeks or months. There’s also a good chance you’ll need their help even after the project is complete, especially for troubleshooting and maintenance.
During the selection process, be sure to consider the personalities, styles, and approaches of the people involved so you can enjoy a strong partnership. The ideal agency should make it easy for you to maintain a smooth and mutually-beneficial relationship throughout the project.
8. Do they practise what they preach?
Lastly, remember to check the agency’s portfolio to verify their credibility before you partner up. One thing you can do is look for positive testimonials from previous clients. Another is to evaluate their website to see if they practise what they preach.
This step is an opportunity to spot any red flags that will help you narrow down your choices. After all, if an agency doesn’t have a strong body of work, or if their own website falls short of expectations, it’s reasonable to assume that they won’t be able to build a website that works for your brand.
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