How to Choose the Best Website Design Agency for Your Business

Once you have decided that your business needs a website, you will be faced with the daunting task of finding a good website design agency. With seemingly millions to choose from (there isn’t, there is likely just a few hundred), it can often feel like somewhat of a battle to get somebody that suits your needs down to a T.

Since Sanders Design is a website design agency, I feel that I have a handle on what makes a good website. After all, my job is to ensure that clients are happy with my services and keep returning for more, or at least recommend me to their friends. So, I figured that I would put together a guide containing a few helpful tips on choosing a trustworthy website design agency for your business. 

Bespoke website design is a must

I am going to be completely honest there; anybody can throw together a website in a couple of minutes. There are countless tools out there that allow you to do that. One or two clicks and you are done. Many web design agencies have been built upon this idea. Just pumping out websites as fast as possible.

Now, this works insofar as that you are going to be getting a website. It isn’t going to be a good website, though. In fact, it may end up doing more harm than good to your business.

The problem with ‘fast’ web design is the fact that they never really think about the user experience or your company’s branding. They just want to make the website quickly, so you do not end up with something that is suitable for your business. 

In fact, your website will likely lack features that will make you money, or even get found in the search engines.

This is why you need to find a website design agency that offers bespoke web design. This means a website that is carefully crafted to your needs.

The process will take a little bit longer, but the website design agency will deliver a website that is going to be a true joy for your customers to browse, can easily get found in the search engines, and above all, can increase your business income. 

Experience is everything 

While I am pretty sure that there are some good web designers that have yet to build their very first website, I can’t imagine that you would want to trust an unknown in building something for you. You will never know how it is going to turn out, not just on the design front, but the whole user experience side of things too.

When searching for a website design agency, you want somebody that has been active in the business for several years. If a website design agency has been around for this long, then you know that they are good.

It means that client after client has returned to them, or at least recommended the platform to people that they know. Basically, you know that the designer is going to do a decent job for you.

It shouldn’t be too tricky to find out the experience that the web designer has. For example, Sanders Design has been in business for over sixteen years now. This means that we have gained experience over many years to build good websites for our clients, and we have plenty of reviews that show you this, which leads me to the next point.

Check out examples of their work

Any agency worth their salt will be proud to show you examples of work that they have completed in the past. They will also be able to share with you customer testimonials. This is probably the best way to get a feel for the style of work that they can complete.

In an ideal world, you will want to be looking for a company that has tackled a myriad of different web design projects. You want a company that is able to change up its style to meet the needs of its clients. For example, here at Sanders Design, every single project is different. 

This means that the look and the feel of the website will have to change up based upon the client. If you go through the past sites that I have completed for my clients, you will be able to tell how much care I put into ensuring that the sites I design are perfect for that individual client.

Are they willing to listen to your ideas?

When searching for a company to work with, there is nothing worse than working with a company that dismisses every single idea that you have. You end up never really feeling in control of the project.

Now, you should be choosing a website design agency that is willing to listen to what you want from your website. Here at Sanders Design, I spend a good chunk of time listening to what each of my clients wants their site to do before I tackle anything. 

This ensures that they will be happy with the site that I produce for them, which is exactly what I want.

Now, of course, you shouldn’t be working with a company that is willing to accept all of your ideas. A good web design agency will also tell you when your idea simply isn’t going to work. This is where their experience comes into play. 

Trust me, it isn’t going to be an easy thing for a web designer to tell their clients when ideas simply will not work. However, it is a necessity sometimes if the client wants their site to deliver intended results.

Locally website design agency

I was debating whether I should include this on the list of what makes an agency good. After all, the internet makes it dead simple to work with clients on the other side of the world. I do this on a regular basis. However, I do feel that focusing on locally-based companies is also a good idea.

The joy of working with a local company on your web design is the fact that the web designer can understand the local market. For example, Sanders Design is a Cornwall-based company. 

Many of my clients offer services to a local market; many of my clients also only offer services exclusively in the UK. This means that I feel for how people in the UK think, and I can design a website that taps into the market’s buying mentality, which makes a lot more money.

Obviously, my experience means that I can also tackle websites a little bit further afield. For example, I regularly work with clients in London and other places throughout the UK. I also help clients further afield where I understand the intended audience. 

Basically, choose a company that has worked on websites in your area before, i.e. you wouldn’t want to choose a Canadian web design agency that has never worked on a British website, right? 

Small enough to care, large enough to build your site 

This is something that is somewhat harder to define. However, you do need to think about the size of the company. You neither want one that is too small, and you do not want one that is too large either. Let me explain.

Working with a big website design agency can present several challenges. When you have tons of people working on your website, it is never going to turn out well. Design by committee simply never works.

You need to have that single point of contact with the person that is designing your website. This way you end up with something that is coherent in style, while also meets the requirements that you had for your website.

On the other hand, you need to know that the company is large enough to have resources that they can tap into to give you a website that is worth the money. This means that you do not want to be working with a website design agency that isn’t doing things ‘full time’. You need a company that is willing to work on your website through to completion, not trying to fit the design around their ‘day job’. 

At Sanders Design, you will always have a single point of contact with your design. You will always have a single point of contact throughout your site design, ensuring that you get something that is good. 

However, I also have a wealth of resources at my disposal to create something brilliant for you. I also have external companies that I can work with should your project need something a little bit different.

Essentially, Sanders Design can give you the attention you need from a website design agency and the resources that a larger business can provide.

Is the price within your budget?

Proper web design is going to come at a cost, particularly if you are working with an experienced company. This means that you will have to pay attention to the price that a website design agency is offering. You need to know that their prices will be within your budget.

At Sanders Design, I have a variety of web packages available, each offering something a little bit different. I do urge you to check out my pricing. I feel that they are good enough for any company that is serious about building up an online presence.

In recent years, I have also introduced a ‘pay monthly’ plan for my packages. This helps to make things a little bit more affordable as you do not have to worry about paying for everything upfront. 

Can the web design agency offer other services?

Obviously, the main reason why you are working with a website design agency is for the web development services that they offer. However, it would be great if they have experience in other areas of running a website too. This will ensure that your website can get a flying start.

For example, here at Sanders Design, I am adept at search engine optimisation (SEO) i.e. I can help people get their website found in the search engines. This means that I can use the skills that I have on the SEO side of things to help make a better website. However, I can also help if you have an existing website.

Basically, try and choose a company that has a huge skillset when it comes to building websites.

Talk to the website design agency 

I would never advocate committing to an agency before you have spoken to them. While it can be tempting to hit that ‘buy now’ button the second that you find a company that you feel is right for you, don’t do that. Talk to the agency and get a feel for what they can offer you.

By talking to the web design agency, you can ask them questions about their experience, share your ideas about what you want from your website, etc. By talking, you will also get a feel for how passionate they are likely to be about your project.

When potential clients contact me at Sanders Design, I use the phone call to help answer any burning questions about the services that I provide. I also use the discussion to determine whether I would be the right fit for their project. 

After all, as experienced as I am, I simply cannot tackle every single web design project that comes my way. I want to ensure that people end up with a website that is perfect for them, after all. If that means they have to work with a different company, that is fine. 

Conclusion 

For many people, your search for a website design agency is going to end here. I feel that Sanders Design meets the requirements for being a good web design agency for both small and medium businesses. Get in touch with me today if you want to find out more.