7 Crucial Considerations When Choosing a Custom Web Design Company

For 50% of consumers, a website’s design is vital to the overall brand of a business.

If your website’s design is confusing or not visually appealing, you can guarantee that your customers will click off the page. Even worse, any potential customers you had might see your brand as unprofessional and go to your competitors instead.

No matter whether you’re a startup or an established business looking to revamp its website, a custom web design company is the best way to get a professional-looking website that’s easy for your customers to navigate.

Below is our guide for the top 7 considerations that you need to think about when choosing a web design company for your business.

1. Budget

Before you even start to write down which web design companies you might like to work with, you need to create a business budget.

First of all, determine exactly what you need to have on your website, such as business contact information, a feedback form, or a map.

Then, conduct a quick search to get a general idea of how much your website is going to cost. Come up with a range that you are comfortable paying before contacting different companies for a quote.

2. Location

The location of the web design company you choose will depend on whether you need local expertise in building your website.

For example, if you’re in Nashville, then consider a local company that knows the area and is an expert at helping local businesses create a website for their new offering.

When choosing the location of your web design company, make sure you are clear on how much you’re paying (and in which currency), and be clear on any time zone differences for when you have design meetings.

3. Portfolio and Design Style

The best web design company for one business may not be the best choice for your business.

This is why you need to take a look at the portfolio of your shortlisted design companies. Have they worked with clients in a similar niche as you? Do you like the designs that they’ve done?

Try and identify a few key aspects of the company’s designs that you like, such as the way they design their menus. Write these down on a piece of paper or a spreadsheet to bring up to the design company when you have a consultation with them.

When you’re looking at a company’s portfolio, make sure to actually visit the sites they’ve worked on. You need to see a live site in action so that you can see how well everything works and how intuitive the website is to use.

4. Communication

One of the most important parts of the client-designer relationship is that there is clear and timely communication.

First of all, your web designer should listen to your ideas, as you are the most familiar with your brand and the goals you want to achieve with your website.

But it’s not good if your web designer simply nods their heads every time you have an idea. Since they are the web design expert, your designer should also contribute ideas and help to tweak yours. Together, your ideas combined should create the best website possible for your business.

You also want to make sure that your web designer responds to your questions and takes care to answer every one of them within a few days.

5. Experience

No matter your budget, you want to make sure to get a web design company with at least some experience.

If you hire someone with no experience, you may get a better price, but you risk having to re-do your website later on if it’s not programmed or designed right from the start.

Also, make sure that the web design company has relevant experience. For example, let’s say you’re a local bakery. You’re looking at a company that has 10 years of experience and reasonable prices, but they focus on designing websites for sports supply stores.

In this case, you may want to look for design companies that have done food-related websites, such as restaurants, catering, and cafes.

6. Reviews and References

The top web design companies have excellent reviews that are independent and honest. Some things to look for in reviews include how easy a web design company is to work with, how much it listens to clients, and how well it sticks to deadlines.

Take note of how happy clients were with the company, as well as how similar these reviews are to your needs. Make sure to watch out for reviews that look fake, and look at reputable review sites like Clutch.

A good design company will also be happy to give you references from previous clients that they’ve worked with. Once you’ve shortlisted your potential design companies to two or three, contact them for references and see what their previous clients had to say.

7. Continued Services

The work doesn’t end when your website is built. While all the main elements will be in place, you need to think about what you’ll do if you have any technical difficulties with your website.

For example, you might notice that your website has begun to slow down over time. The best web design companies are ones that are able to give you continued services even after your website is completed.

The company that built your website knows the site (and your business) better than a freelancer or another company does. This way, you can go to the same company, no matter if you run into a glitch or need to add a new section to your website.

The Right Custom Web Design Company

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with choosing the right custom web design company, follow these 7 considerations to make the process easier.

Regardless of what other people say, always think about what’s right for your business. The best web design companies listen to their clients, give great suggestions, and have the experience to serve your business’ unique needs.

For more business-related tips to help your brand succeed, be sure to check out the rest of our website.