Finding a web designer or an agency can sometimes be one of the hardest things to do. There are so many complexities and technical issues surrounding getting website online from registering your domain, getting SSR certificate to what CMS platform you use etc. Not only do you have your own preconceived ideas about what it takes to get a website built but also your web developers will have their own ideas about what they think you should be doing.
Here, we are going to give you a few tips on how you can get the most out of the freelancer or web design agency you choose.
1. Shop Around
A common problem for business owners is they don’t shop around and compare different web design agencies and work out whether they are getting the best bang for their buck. Rushing to the first web designer you hear about or find on Google is often times regretting in the long run. It is recommended to try and look at local web design agencies. For example, if you are based in Dubai, you can explore all Dubai web design agencies and compare their portfolios, expertise, prices, etc. Compare prices not just on how much it will cost you but what feature set you will be getting.
2. Create a Specification Document
In order to make the search for the best web design agency easy, create a specification document. This document allows you to create a tick list of what you are looking for and what the agencies are offering. Make sure you go through each web design agent’s quotes and your specification document and make sure the two match and that they have not missed anything out. This specification document should outline any problems which you think that you might face as well as any kind of features which you are hoping to also include within your website.
3. Make sure they have the Credentials
It is recommended to give your chosen web design agency the once over. Make sure they have all the right credentials in place. What you don’t want to do is go with somebody who will go out of business within a couple of months of your website. If they have registered your domain on your behalf and they go out of business and stop paying, your website will go down and it’s unlikely that it will be recoverable.
The best way to check an agency’s credential is to see for how long they have been around. If they have been there for 8-10 years, it’s unlikely that they will be going anywhere. Also, make sure they have got a wide ranging portfolio. If they have got more than 50 clients on their books, it means they have got a nice recurring revenue coming in and won’t be going anywhere for quite some time.
4. Look for Detail in the Proposal
Look for detail in the agency’s proposal, compare it with your specification document and make sure it matches and outlines everything. If you look at the detail in their proposal and it’s just a single page, two line thing, just saying it’s going to cost you X, that probably would not fill you with the greatest amount of confidence. Make sure they have outlined both the upfront costs for them actually developing the website and also the ongoing costs. Having a website designed is a very organic process. It’s likely you will need some support, some hosting, various other bits and pieces adding on to the site like additional features down the road. So make sure they have outlined what their ongoing costs are.
Like anything, you get what you pay for. If you are choosing something based just on price then remember the time-quality cost triangle. If you go for the cheapest option, it may not be the best quality or might take a little longer than you’d anticipated.
5. Get Testimonials Going back and asking for some testimonials from an agency’s existing customer base is always recommended. A good designer will have absolutely no problem with supplying you with some testimonials or even putting you in touch with their existing customers to have a quick chat. How did it go? Were they any problems with that designer? Was everything as you expected? Did you get everything in your proposal, in your quote from them? These questions will allow you to gauge what the working relationship will be like moving forward.