Top Ten Must-Ask Questions Before Hiring a Web Design Company

The results are in —75% of potential customers form their opinion of a brand based on the website’s design. That means that within a matter of seconds, people make their decision whether or not they should trust your business.

Investing in professional web development is not only a smart business decision, but a necessary one. Every brand, whether they’re a big corporation or a small business, can increase their reach and rates of customer interaction by updating their webpage to be visually engaging and all elements running smoothly. 

So now that you’ve decided to start website development to give your business a fresh new look, it’s time to begin looking for the right web design company to do the job. We’ve made it easy to figure out all of the rights questions to ask —both to yourself and the website designer— in order for you to receive a fantastic final product!

Does the web design company have a diverse portfolio?

Industry experience is an excellent sign that a web designer knows what they’re doing and is successful enough to keep more clients coming. It can be hard to trust someone lacking in website design experience, especially if they have only two or three website development examples in their portfolio. 

Developing successful and effective website designs that can attract customs and improve your brand’s credibility takes a combination of talent and practice. It’s not something that just any developer can achieve on their first try. If you’re truly interested in transforming your company’s website, it’s best to invest in someone who’s worked on creating a wide range of websites. 

2. What is the website developer’s specialty?

Nobody’s good at everything. That’s why it’s crucial to work with a web design company specifically suited to handling your niche industry. All of the design elements that go into building a custom-made website have specific goals —to improve the website experience for customers and boost brand image in order to increase your company’s success.

What works for an artisanal boutique won’t work for a large e-commerce company —which is exactly why selecting a web development agency with verified proof of success in your specific niche is the best course of action. 

3. Are they actively using SEO-friendly techniques in their website design?

SEO is a common buzzword these days —but is it something that your developer not only understands, but also actively utilizes in their website design. To put it simply, SEO, or search engine optimization, is all about developing content that ranks high in search engine algorithms. A high-ranking website means more customers will view your content —and hopefully, purchase your services. 

If your web development agency doesn’t prioritize the use of SEO ranking techniques, that’s not a good sign; it means that they aren’t putting every tool in their arsenal into bringing in new clients for your company.

4. Do they complete any industry-specific research before starting the website development project?

No one project is ever the same —and while there might be some similarities in content and design between two web development projects covering the same niche, no two finalized website designs should be exactly similar. A professional website designer should actively clarify your goals and determine what unique aspects that your brand wishes to prioritize before starting.

Above all, avoid any web development agency that doesn’t do their research and attempts to treat you like any other client in or out of your niche. Original content ranks better for search engines and is more engaging to customers.

5. What level of communication does the web design company expect between your company and them?

Communication is key —but that doesn’t mean you and your brand need to be constantly updated on minor tasks during the entire website development process. Or, staying on top of all of the fine details could be exactly what best suits your brand.

Either way, determining exactly how deep you want your involvement to be with the design process is an important question to consider before contacting a web development agency. 

Clearly deciding the best method and frequency of communication beforehand can help ensure that web designers can work effectively and that your company is satisfied with the final results. 

6. How long does the web design company take to create a website?

Time is priceless —be sure to get upfront information about the timeline of your website’s development from the web design company before committing.  

There’s a fine balance when it comes to deadlines for website development. Obviously, you don’t want to rush the results of the creative process, but the sooner your new website is up and marketing, the better. The range in project completion time varies widely from company to company —some web development agencies can deliver in a few months, while others can take over a year! 

7. Are you able to edit features after the web development is completed?

Customers view updated or recently changed websites as more credible than those that consistently stay the same. That means routinely updated your content or swapping out certain design elements with others can help grab the attention of website visitors.

Ask in advance to determine whether or not you’ll be able to customize certain elements of the website yourself once the initial website development is completed. Certain sites and changes can require a knowledge of coding in order to complete updates. 

If you’re not able to make those changes yourself, then be prepared to continuously invest money into hiring a developer to do it for you as time goes on. 

8. Do they have an estimate of the web development’s total cost?

Perhaps the most important question to ask is does a web design agency fit your company’s budget. If you’re not willing to cough up some cash for a specific designer’s set rates, then that more or less renders the rest of the questions pointless.

When deciding on a budget for website development, be sure to consider it as an investment that will pay off in the long run. It can occasionally seem daunting —especially to small businesses with smaller budgets— to set aside a lump of money for website development. However, website development is an easy method of improving your brand that provides real results. Don’t run the risk of investing in a cheaper option just to save some money now, as that can have a negative effect in the future.

A professional, reputable web development agency will be able to clearly estimate the expected costs so that you can get all of the information needed to make an informed decision. 

9. Is it possible to speak with previous clients of the web development agency?

If you’re not quite sold on a web design company’s services, asking for access to some positive tutorials can help put things in perspective. Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask for references from past clients —that way, you can get complete assurance of customer satisfaction and rest easy knowing you made the right choice in hiring a website designer.  

Why stop there? If personal testimonials of past clients aren’t enough, asking to see past work can also help showcase a web developer’s true talents. Successful results and effective design for other clients are often a great signal that a designer will put that same effort and talent into creating your small business’s website. 

10. What platform does the web design company use to build the website on?

Currently, over 40% of websites on the internet were based on WordPress —however, there are countless other website-building and domain-hosting platforms, such as WooCommerce and Wix. Knowing the platform your website designer plans on selecting can help make you aware of the unique features and compatible plug-ins that you’ll be able to use. 

Whether you’re planning to develop an eLearning website or an eCommerce website, knowing what website platform you’ll be based on is key. Don’t forget —it takes less than 0.05 seconds for a customer to form an opinion about your company, so make sure that your website developer invests in using only the best resources.

Conclusion:  

Now that you know the basics and top most essential questions to ask a website development agency, it’s time to get started! If you have any questions about website development or want us to take care of it all for you, reach out to us at Prebuilt Sites or The BBS Agency. We’d love to help you out! When you work with us you’ll always know that your website is efficient, optimized, secure, and resonates with your target audience.

By: The BBS Agency