Whether you’re interested in making a lot of advertising revenue, reaching customers with important information, or just giving your customers a better brand experience, web design should be one of your top priorities. It’s possible to create a basic website using a free website building tool, but if you want something original and more capable of helping you achieve your goals, you’re better off working with a professional web design agency.
That said, if you want to get the most out of your arrangement, there are some important tips you’ll need to follow.
The Value of a Web Design Agency
According to Website.design, there are several reasons why you should work with a web design agency, rather than building a website yourself using free online tools. For starters, you’ll get a more unique design, rather than relying on stale templates. You’ll also get a design better suited to your brand, and more capable of earning conversions. Plus, your web design agency will have accountability; you can push them to make changes if you’re unsatisfied with your work or if you need additional support.
That doesn’t mean that web design agencies are right for all businesses or all situations, but it’s hard to deny these advantages.
Tips for Working With an Agency
If you’re going to work with a web design agency, these tips can help you save time, save money, and end up with a much better finished product:
1. Have ideas and direction in mind. Your design agency will be responsible for coming up with ideas, drafting those ideas, and even providing strategic recommendations. But it’s still important for you to have some ideas and direction in mind. What do you want your users to feel when they visit your site? How do you want your website to be distinguished from your competitors?
2. Do your due diligence. Do your research and prepare for this engagement. Look up reviews and testimonials for your agency, so you have a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, and research the basic fundamentals of good web design. The better informed you are, the more active you can be as a participant in this collaboration.
3. Trust your agency’s expertise. It’s good to come to the table with ideas, possible direction, and suggestions. But you should also learn to trust your agency’s expertise. If they tell you an idea isn’t going to work and they have a clear justification, consider giving up the idea. If they suggest a change that will earn you more conversions, roll with it. You hired these experts for a reason.
4. Set proactive expectations. For a smoother working relationship, it’s important to set proactive expectations. How often do you want to have meetings? What style of communication do you prefer? How do you want design comps to be delivered? Do you have any other requests or needs?
5. Educate the agency on your brand, your goals, and your needs. It’s your responsibility to educate your agency on the nature of your brand, your goals with the design of your website, and what you need out of this arrangement. Try to be as specific and as thorough as possible to get the best results.
6. Avoid scope creep. Scope creep happens when the outlined scope for a given project begins to swell, incorporating new changes and new direction even as tasks are being completed. It’s perfectly natural to have new ideas and new suggestions during the web design process, but if those changes are too excessive, they can detract from your main goals and complicate the process. Try to stay true to your original stated goals.
7. Keep deadlines. Both you and your agency are responsible for keeping deadlines. Your agency will be required to submit design comps and finished items by outlined dates; but you, too, may be responsible for delivering brand collateral, feedback, or other items in a timely manner. If you want your project to finish on time, you’ll need to be on point with this.
8. Provide honest feedback. Finally, be prepared to give honest (and specific) feedback. Your feedback on everything, from the design of your site to the flow of your conversational interactions, will dictate how things move forward. Good agencies listen to their customers, giving you tremendous influence – and a better chance to get everything you want from the deal.
Getting the most out of your arrangement is heavily dependent on your ability to choose the right web design agency. Work with a partner that has significant experience working with brands like yours and choose an organization with a history of good communication. With the right partner and these tips to support you, you’ll be on the fast track to getting the website you’ve always dreamed of.
