Everything You Need to Know Before You Hire a Web Design Company

The decision to hire a web design company can be a game-changer for your business. While the internet has opened up a world of opportunities for entrepreneurs, it’s also created a highly competitive landscape. Simply having an online business isn’t enough; you need a compelling online presence to stand out.

That’s where an effective website comes into the picture. It serves as your digital storefront, a place where potential customers can learn about your products or services and make informed decisions. But creating a website that looks good and drives business results is no small feat.

This is why partnering with an experienced web design company is crucial. They can equip you with the essential tools and strategies to succeed in the digital marketplace. However, it’s important to note that not all design companies are created equal.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the key services you should expect when looking to hire a web design company, ensuring you make an informed choice that aligns with your business goals.

We believe these are the 3 things every great website design company should do for you:

Design

First off, let’s answer any lingering questions you may have about website design. What is a web designer and what do they do?

A web designer is a professional who can build or redesign websites through creative and innovative means. A web designer needs to understand what your goal is for the outcome of the website, as well as figure out how to make it functional for your business.

Another essential part of website design is making it aesthetically appealing to the average user. However, the goal shouldn’t be too just to make it pretty. The goal is to sell your product or service. So try not to get too caught up on the aesthetics. Form and function are just as significant.

When meeting with a web designer, there should be several boxes that they check off to create the best possible results. You will want to have an initial consultation with them to explain what your company does; then you can move into the design phase to see what your website will require so that it functions effectively.

Development

Once the design has been configured, it’s up to the development department to ensure that all parts of the website are working in tandem. Programming of a website is just as important, if not more so, than the design. If you want your customers to be able to click around on your website and explore, the links need to work properly and take the customers to the correct places.

Different companies will use various programming languages, which could affect the overall function of your website. If any of these languages are at odds with one another, certain functions of your website will not work properly, creating a big problem when clients try to access your web page.

Marketing

To have a successful business, you need foot traffic. Marketing is a large part of any business, particularly for a business that doesn’t have a storefront and relies on internet communication. If you work with a web-design company, they should have a marketing department that will help create content for the website and analyze your business goals to see how they can be met.

In many ways, marketing goes hand-in-hand with the design of the website. Everything about the website needs to be cohesive. Your business goals should also align with what your company is about and its mission.

Every step of the process needs to be understood by the developers you are working with. Don’t try to micromanage them—let them do their job, and then you can make adjustments. Ultimately, the web design company will create what you want and need out of a website.

Furthermore, let it be a collaborative process. The more open you are about your company and the goals you would like to achieve, the more a web developer will understand your company, making for strong results based on mutual understanding.

Great web design companies will offer you many services to boost your web design because they know it’s about more than just the design. Making sure the website designer you choose includes full web development and can help with your marketing, will ensure you get the most for your investment.

What you don’t want from your web design company

Great website design companies should not only be offering you the three things mentioned above, but they should be companies that stand firm in the things they won’t do as well. What do we mean by that? Well, a trustworthy web design company will make sure they not only offer the best services, but that they work in a way that benefits their client and not just their own company.

Below is our list of 3 things really great website design companies refuse to do. Make sure you are on the lookout for these when deciding who you would like to work with for your web design needs.

Use a Multisite Network

The use of a Multisite Network is a massive indicator that this company is in to make a quick buck with as little effort as possible. These types of companies rely on templates, which makes sites cheaper to design, but greatly reduces both their originality and functionality.

Good design companies will assess your vision and goals and build your site around them, adding any functionality or tools that are required to do so. Multisites tailor your vision and goals to the capabilities of their template, squeezing in things wherever they can fit, essentially captive to the template’s capabilities. Multisites are also on a shared server and are very restricted as to what they can and cannot change.

Great website design companies should promote new ideas and push the boundaries with you while creating your website. Multisites tend to do the opposite, locking you into a template and hindering any growth or originality. Seeing your site succeed should be critical and highly valued by the company’s mission.

Settle For Less

Great website design companies will not settle for half-completed designs, botched coding structures, or bad SEO practices. These elements take longer time to complete, but the quality is so extremely vital that it is worth the wait. Having a strong design and coding structure avoids painful headaches in the future.

If the design was settled for and not fully executed with the user experience in mind, there will be loopholes for getting users into the sales funnel. If the website development isn’t properly structured, then Google will count negative points to your site, there will be bugs and flaws in the coding, and the speed of the site could suffer. You should want your website design company to have as much passion as you to do see that your website is a success.

One And Done

After you have your website setup, then what? What happens next? Websites should be considered as living tools that require maintenance, updates, and monitoring. If your baby has a deep cut after tripping and is screaming, you wouldn’t throw a band-aid on it and walk away, would you? The same care is required for your website.

Post-launch, the site will require consistent updates, monitoring for hacks, and the occasional grooming, especially if you are using a content management system such as WordPress. If you want your website to grow to be successful and generate leads through high rankings in Google, considerable effort will be required.

Your website design company shouldn’t just supply you with a website and send you off on your merry way. Ultimately, the choice is yours as to how to handle the maintenance and grooming of your website, but you should consider leaving it to a professional as it can be a full-time job.

The digital world is a busy place, and is not known for its compassion. Your website will inevitably run into trouble left unattended. If a physical hacker doesn’t get to your site, brute force attack bots will, either way, it ends with your site being compromised. This can result in your site being held for ransom, having your site redirect to an adult entertainment site, or incur a slew of malfunction issues.

All the possible damages that can happen to your site if left unmonitored will lead to massive costs to repair. So always carefully consider what your next steps are following the launch of your website.

How to work well with your website designer

Now that you know what you should expect from a web design company and the things to lookout for before hiring them to build your website, it’s time to learn a few things you can help them with. Web design companies face many hurdles throughout the design process when it comes to giving their clients exactly what they’re looking for.

As the client yourself, we believe it’s important for you to know some of these challenges, so you can understand where your web designer is coming from. This is in order for all parties to get the most benefit out of working together.

Here are 6 hurdles website design companies often face:

Getting Approvals & Response Time

The number one cause of delay of a project is not receiving approvals on a phase or aspect of the project in a timely fashion. It can be difficult for website design companies to receive approvals quickly when there are multiple stakeholders involved on the client’s end. The holdup in the process is caused by vacation days, other projects, and schedule conflicts. This isn’t necessarily the client’s fault but the nature of the beast in the office pyramid.

Other instances are where the client doesn’t hold the project as a high priority, so there will be a delay in response. We have had instances where client’s miss meetings, ignore phone calls, and oddly avoid the project altogether. This is even a strange concept to us to track down a client who is paying for our services. But these things do happen, so please don’t be that guy.

Client Rewriting Content Themselves

When you decide to hire a web design company, you’re not just investing in a visually appealing website. You’re also investing in a platform that communicates your brand’s message effectively. Many organizations, in an attempt to cut costs, take on the task of rewriting their website content themselves. While this might seem like a cost-effective approach, it often turns out to be a double-edged sword.

Why Professional Copywriting Matters

Copywriting is an art and a science, requiring an in-depth understanding of your target audience, SEO best practices, and the nuances of language. It’s not just about putting words on a page; it’s about crafting a message that resonates with your audience and drives action.

When you hire a web design company, consider opting for their professional copywriting services. This ensures that your website looks good and speaks to your audience in a way that’s compelling and actionable.

The Waiting Game: A Common Bottleneck

One of the most common delays in launching a new website is waiting for the client-provided copy. Often, the design and development phases are completed swiftly, and the site is essentially ready to go live. However, the last piece of the puzzle—receiving the client’s rewritten content—often becomes a bottleneck.

The Real Cost of DIY Copywriting

While it may seem like you’re saving money by handling the copywriting yourself, you should also factor in the time, effort, and stress involved. Writing or rewriting website content is not a task to be taken lightly. It’s often time-consuming and can be a significant distraction from your core business activities.

Trust the Experts: A Stress-Free Approach

If you’re already investing in a professional web design service, it might be worth extending that investment to include expert copywriting. This not only ensures that your website is optimized for search engines but also frees you from the stress and time commitment of doing it yourself.

By letting your web design company handle the copywriting, you’re ensuring a cohesive, well-executed online presence that aligns with your brand’s goals and messaging.

Ever Changing Google Rules and Algorithms

It is basically a full-time job to keep up with Google’s new rules, regulations, and best practices. The major changes and trends that set in place are normally given a couple of months notice before taking major effect. We constantly try to warn our clients as quickly as we can about the new updates that are necessary.

Occasionally, the changes require additional coding efforts that would need to be billed separately for. No matter how urgent of an email we send to our clients, they oftentimes do not understand the severity of the change and the impact it will overall have on one’s website.

As we stay up-to-date keeping your software in tip-top-shape, we advise our clients to also keep an ear out to educate themselves in the IT realm, so they have an understanding as to how they are impacted. The more significant changes or releases Google sets out are noted in numerous articles and can even be found on TV broadcasts.

Also, if you are unaware if a specific technological update is or how it impacts your business, give us a call, and we can help explain and sort it out with you.

Explaining Technology to Non-Technological Individuals

When you’re looking to hire a web design company, one of the challenges you may face is explaining the intricacies of technology to stakeholders who aren’t tech-savvy. This is especially true for seasoned CEOs who may not fully grasp the value of a well-designed website. Yet, these decision-makers are often willing to adapt to new business environments to stay competitive. Here’s how a skilled web design team can bridge this gap effectively.

The Importance of Clear Communication

Clear and straightforward communication is crucial when explaining web design processes to non-technical individuals. It’s not just about using jargon-free language; it’s about translating the value and importance of each step in the design and development process. A good web design company will know how to articulate these points in a way that resonates with everyone, from tech novices to those with a bit more digital know-how.

Setting Realistic Expectations

One of the pitfalls in these scenarios is the potential for misinterpretation of expectations due to the “IT language barrier.” When you hire a web design company, ensure they can set realistic expectations that are clearly understood by all stakeholders. This involves explaining timelines, deliverables, and what each phase of the project entails.

Utilizing Different Methods of Explanation

Sometimes, words alone aren’t enough. Utilizing various methods like visual aids, analogies, or even basic prototypes can help bring a non-tech-savvy CEO up to speed. The aim is to make complex processes digestible and relatable, eliminating any room for confusion or misinterpretation.

The Role of Patience and Adaptability

The process of educating a non-technical stakeholder can be time-consuming and, at times, frustrating for web design companies. However, patience and adaptability are key. A seasoned team will know how to navigate these challenges without causing “hiccups” in the project timeline.

By taking these steps, a competent web design company ensures that even the least tech-savvy stakeholders are on the same page. This not only aids in the smooth execution of the project but also helps in aligning the team’s efforts with the company’s broader business goals.

Bidding on Projects

Clients not seeing the Apples to Apples Comparison: Often times companies put out an RFP for a website design and development project (or other digital marketing needs). In these scenarios, vendors bid and are blindly pinned against each other for their services. The price range can vary significantly on the estimates due to the vendor’s knowledge of the project. If the hiring coordinator doesn’t clearly lay out the project’s scope in detail, then there can be mixed communication.

During this process, the board, that selects the vendor, might not be getting an apples to apples comparison with the services provided against the other vendors. Each vendor has their own way of attacking a project that could include more or less services than are noted in the RFP. Since the company isn’t as knowledgeable in this area, what vendor they vote on might not be executing the way they thought it would.

Being Branded as “The Web Guys”

Most website design companies do offer other services and not just website design. We cannot speak for other companies, but here at David Taylor Digital we offer full digital marketing services from SEO, video production, logos, to conference materials. So when selecting your website designer, find out more about the other services they offer rather than seeking another vendor.

Make the Right Choice: Hire a Web Design Company That Aligns with Your Vision

Selecting the right web design company is a pivotal decision that can make or break your online presence. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about finding a partner who understands your goals, vision, and budget. A company that offers top-notch design and provides the strategic insights to help your business grow.

At David Taylor Digital, we pride ourselves on being that partner. We offer a comprehensive suite of web design services tailored to meet your specific needs. Our team collaborates closely with you to ensure that your website looks great and functions seamlessly, driving real business results.

Ready to take the next step? Don’t just hire a web design company; choose a partner who will be with you every step of the way. Contact David Taylor Digital today to discuss your web design needs and get a personalized quote.