How to Choose a Web Design Agency: A Step-by-Step Guide

Your website’s design is often the first thing people notice before they get to know your business. It shapes how they feel about your brand almost instantly. If the web design looks outdated, the website itself is slow, or hard to use, visitors might leave before reading a single word. But if it feels modern, clear, and trustworthy, they’re more likely to stick around and explore.

Studies show that 94% of first impressions are based on visual appeal. Therefore, it’s essential to have a website that captures attention quickly and has an aesthetically pleasing web design.

When you’re looking for a good web development company for web development services or updating the existing one, you want a team that understands both design and user experience, so your site not only looks great but also works smoothly for your visitors.

However, with so many web design agencies available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. We’ve crafted this guide to simplify the process of choosing the right web design company to meet your needs and goals.

Wondering, do I need a website for my business? Find out why the answer is almost always yes.

Before Selecting A Web Design Company

The web design, just like the app design process, starts with a search for a professional web designer or a good web design company. Here is how you can find a perfect match.

First, Set Your Goals

The answer to how to choose a web design agency lies mainly in your goals. With an average user taking only 0.05 milliseconds to decide, you cannot leave it to the web design agency.

Have a vision for your product, mainly the look and function.

For instance, you want static content. Getting into too many technicalities is useless. Or maybe you want an integrated Content Management System (CMS) or have selected payment options and security levels.

First, you may want to explore some examples of good web design that set high standards for aesthetics and usability.

What to have or not have should be clear to you first before the web design agency takes over the task.

See how your potential partner adds his expertise to the picture you have created. And don’t forget to share your additional design, brand strategy, and visual elements, such as a new logo or new imagery.

This is even more important when software is built from scratch.

Example 1: Build a Web App with User-Friendly UX

Poor performance, low accessibility, and design flaws can significantly impact the user experience. A sure-shot way to overcome this problem is to build a web app with a user-friendly UX.

So, how to choose a website design company that focuses on user-friendliness? It’s simple. Make sure they include the following elements in the app design process.

Example 2: Build Inbound Marketing with a Corporate Website

An effective inbound marketing strategy allows content discovery, which drives customers to the corporate website and converts them.

As it stands, 60% of marketers believe that inbound marketing is their best bet for generating quality leads.

You can achieve these funnel goals with some elements in the design, information architecture, and website development.

You will overcome your worries about how to choose a website design company if you implement the following strategies.

Here is our own story.

After marketing for many clients, we at SpdLoad decided to do the same for ourselves. We knew that software development is an expensive niche, so we decided to start with SEO to boost organic traffic.

How did we implement it? We decided to share our expertise in this case study about our redesign, and most of it has worked for us so far.

Example 3: Redesign Existing Website or Product?

As a criterion, you should redesign your app every 2-3 years. But how often should you go for a revamp that has no specific answer? As long as it is profitable, you should.

Remember, 75% of web credibility is due to website design.

Ask yourself:

1. Is the website design helping you build authority?
2. Is the website user-friendly?
3. Does it carry the latest design features and trends?
4. Is it helping you deliver business goals?
5. Looking at other websites, do you feel it is outdated?

Answers to the above helped us redesign our website, spdload.com. The team followed the same procedure as the clients: research the market, define pain points, and thus came up with the solution. It helped us to significantly improve website UX.

Also, when you are thinking of how to choose a web design agency, consider the procedure. The extent of reworking establishes the website redesign cost.

Your Goals Dictate the Criteria for Selecting an Agency

I have different requirements from ABC. How to choose a web design agency, then?

Analyze the capabilities of the UX and marketing department first.

Example 1: You Need a Strong UX Department

Your number one requirement is a solid and powerful UX department.

But, before that, please understand that UX comprises three parts: User Experience (UX) design, User Interface (UI) design, and UX research.

An effective UX team comprises primarily the following:

• Interaction designer
• UX Copywriting
• Information Architect
• Content Strategist
• Visual design/Illustrations
• Design OPS
• Audio Designer

And the team only grows bigger and bigger with the developers entering the picture. So, share all information (even the minutest) with the developers right from the word go.

Example 2: You Need a Strong Marketing Department

The sole purpose of a marketing team is to drive customer action. Besides, there are other important roles too. So, pay attention to building your marketing department.

Make sure they are capable of:

1. Voicing your business story.
2. Making customers into brand advocates.
3. Promoting products and more.

Remember, the role of marketing is manifold in the case of startups.

Elevate Your Online Presence with Stunning Web Design

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Now, who should comprise the team? To begin with, it depends on your niche and your company. But, mostly, it should include the following:

• Marketing Head
• Team Leads
• Project Managers
• Designers
• Content strategists
• Writers
• Analysts
• PR Specialist
• Digital Marketing

In addition, advanced marketing may require the following:

Demand generation

Build demand for your product or a product category.

Automation specialists

Use advanced platforms such as Autopilot and Salesforce.

Marketing operations

A combination of resource allocation and project management tools is needed to manage data, technology, and resources.

Now that we know what you need to look for while choosing a design agency, it is time to know how to verify a good web design company.

How To Select A Web Design Agency

We now have an idea of how to choose a web design company. But before hiring, there are a few preliminary things you must verify.

Criterion 1: Review Web Design Company’s Portfolio

If you decide to outsource your web design to a web design agency, first, glance over their portfolio.

Most web design agencies have a dedicated website with a portfolio section where you can see their works for past clients.

You can also check them on Google, listings like Clutch, Upwork, on social media, etc. It helps evaluate their skills, capabilities, and limitations.

While assessing, look for the following:

• Do the developed websites look professional?
• Are the websites showcasing a similar scope as yours?
• Do they incorporate the latest trends?
• Do these websites have similar functionalities and features you are eyeing?
• Do they provide web development services too?

Apart from the portfolio, there are other things vital for picking a design company.

An attractive and modern design

Rightly so. Can you choose a web design company that has an outdated design for its website? We know an attractive design is what intrigues a user, compelling him to explore more.

Outdated designs lead to the loss of a number of customers and their engagement.

Color simulation should hold the attention. Make sure it reflects their business ethos. Don’t forget that the first impression is the last.

The beautiful design makes it an instant attention seeker, yet it looks so unique and in sync with time.

A modern website design makes a website look professional and clean, and helps you stay neck-to-neck with your competition.

One can see one of the finest illustrations of modern design in Jingqi Fan’s online portfolio.

While the asymmetric design makes it fresh and engaging, the minimal design and white space showcase his project images and thus serve the website’s purpose.

Design of case studies/landings/products

How to choose a web design company by scrutinizing their website? It is simple. Look how they are presenting their content.

How have they laid out the case studies, or the landing pages, or the product (whatever is applicable)? Then, have a closer look at the design. Does it hold your attention?

It should be user-friendly, attractive, and have good UX.

The hierarchical arrangement of the pages should make some sense.

In short, the information hierarchy from the main menu to the subcategories and subpages should be smooth and understandable.

Customer-centered сompany

Would you ever like to work with a web design company that stresses more on their working style instead of how you would want it? Decide otherwise.

Check their approach to deliver as per the client’s demand. Your concern about how to choose a web design company will find some peace here.

A study by Deloitte and Touche found that companies with a customer-centric approach earned 60% more than the companies that did not.

Companies that are customer-centered focus more on delivering a positive customer experience at all stages of the sales process.

However, it is not limited to the experience felt by the customers.

Look at Adobe. The company offers a great work ethos, making it one of the best places to work, and encourages feedback from customers who visit them.

Criterion 2: Check Client Testimonials

Choose a development partner after checking their social proof. The proof can include reviews and testimonials. It is believed that the comment is coming from a real person outside of close personal or professional relationships.

Thus, it holds great significance. Also, these proofs should contain names and addresses.

Some other types of social proof include case studies, social media, trust icons, and data with numbers. Yet another innovative social proof visible these days includes:

1. Storytelling social proof
2. Implied social proof
3. Activity social proof

Lastly, the larger the number, the better it is, and the more trustworthy the website is. You may even ask for direct contacts.

Crafting Intuitive Interfaces for Seamless Experiences

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Key Criterion: Interview Potential Web Design Partner

Many outsourcing companies are run by a single person who delegates the work to others. In some cases, it’s just a group of freelancers working together. That’s why it’s important to meet the actual team that’ll be handling your project.

Set up a video call or ask for a short intro meeting. This gives you a chance to see how they communicate, how well they work together, and how responsive they are. You can also ask about time zones, availability, and who your main point of contact will be.

It’s a simple step, but it helps you understand their working style and clears up any confusion before you commit.

This guide lists the best countries to outsource software development, based on cost and expertise.

Looking For A Top-Notch Web Design Firm?

Whether you’re a startup validating an idea or a founder launching your next SaaS product, our web design company is here to help bring your vision to life.

Our professional web design services combine clean design with smart user experience to create websites that not only look great, but convert.

Let’s talk about how we can turn your ideas into a powerful digital product.