Why should I hire a website designer?

As a business owner, overseeing all aspects of your company’s operations is imperative to ensure its success. One important aspect is managing your website, which is why hiring a professional website designer is wise. Could you share more details about your business and website goals with me?

Continue reading to discover some of the critical advantages of engaging the services of a web design agency.

1. Your website is a virtual business card

Newspapers are no longer the primary source for finding the most up-to-date and essential businesses. Nowadays, people prefer to search on Google for the product or service they need, hoping to find the perfect company that offers it. After creating your website, it’s advisable to investigate other available services.

1. Search engine optimization (SEO)
2. Pay-per-click advertising
3. Content marketing
4. Social media marketing
5. Email marketing

If you want to increase your website’s online visibility, various services are available to assist you.

To appear on Google’s search results when potential customers search for your products or services, it’s essential to have an outstanding website that can be ranked. It’s important to note that the majority of users, approximately 75%, do not usually go beyond the first page of search results. As a result, ranking on the first page is critical to increasing your chances of being discovered by users.

Several factors contribute to your website’s ranking, including the quality of your content, the keywords you target, and implementing an effective SEO strategy.

In addition to content, targeting, and SEO, having a website is crucial. Google won’t have anything to rank without a website in its search results. Your website is like a virtual representation of your business and should be like a well-designed storefront.

1. Maintain cleanliness and organization
2. Create an appealing visual design
3. Ensure user-friendly navigation
4. Deliver informative responses to inquiries
5. Provide various contact options
6. Showcase products and services
7. Educate users about your brand
8. Reflect your brand’s identity

2. Web designers are experts in their craft

Engaging the services of a skilled web designer guarantees that your website is in capable hands. Web designers in agency settings have a wealth of experience in website design, encompassing everything from function to user engagement that drives sales.

Additionally, designers thoroughly know the data that backs up their designs. For example, a web designer knows that using green buttons usually leads to better conversion rates than red ones. They’re also adept at identifying the necessary tweaks to improve page engagement, increase page loading speed, and achieve other desired objectives.

Without the necessary knowledge of web design, attempting to improve your website could result in missed opportunities to attain your business oobjectives.

There is no guarantee that using WordPress or Wix will result in a website that converts well. Moreover, there are various resources available to web design agencies.

3. They have lots of resources

Web design agencies have tons of resources that allow them to make unique websites for their clients. They utilize paid software that will enable them to craft custom website elements, come up with fantastic color schemes, and have access to custom fonts for your site.

Not only that, but as an agency, they also have access to various training programs that teach them different and new web design techniques, which keeps you ahead of competitor websites and at the forefront of industry standards.

They also feature a team of web designers they can brainstorm with, bounce ideas off of, and get advice from when it comes to their designs.

That means when you hire a web design agency, you’ll have a whole team behind your website.

4. They have the time to put into your website

Great results don’t happen overnight; rushing a project can lead to lower-quality results.

One of the most significant benefits of hiring a web design agency is that they live and breathe websites and have the time necessary to dedicate to yours.

A professional web designer will work to meet all of your deadlines but will always be methodical about your design and design components.

You might feel rushed if you take on your web design alone, but when you hire a web design agency, they’ll be able to craft your perfect website — because it’s their job.

How to hire a Web designer in 6 steps

The term “web designer” receives around 49,500 monthly searches in Google.

That means many people are searching for web design agencies, and likely all have the same question: “How do I find the right web design agency to hire for my company?”

Although that’s a loaded question, it all boils down to a few primary actions, including these six:

1. Start with a Google search

Google’s goal is to provide the best possible results for users. That means you can start searching for the perfect web design agency by performing a Google search that includes everything you’re looking for.

For example, if you’re looking for a custom website built with a specific CMS, you should use that in your search query.

The more detailed your search, the more likely you’ll find precisely what you want. When you use a search query like “WordPress web design agencies,” you’ll likely get results that offer a list of the best WordPress web design agencies.

This list can help you at the beginning of your search.

2. Look at each web design agency’s reviews

Although you can’t trust every review you read, 92 percent of users trust a recommendation over the brand itself. This figure shows that online reviews matter, and you should consider them when hiring a web design agency.

Do your research to determine if the agencies you’re interested in have more positive or negative reviews. Chances are, if they have negative thoughts, you’ll want to keep looking. However, remember that if a web design agency has a few negative reviews, that shouldn’t disqualify them from your search.

Every agency has its critics, so it’s essential to determine if the negative reviews outweigh the positive ones.

You should strive to find an agency with a high rating on third-party ranking sites like Yelp or Clutch.

3. Take detailed notes

As you research different web design agencies, you’ll want to take notes of things like:

1. How long they’ve been in business? Ensure that the web design agency you hire has been in business for five to 10 years. Their agency has stood the test of time and produces high-quality work.
2. How many employees do they have? If you’re looking at an agency with only two or three designers, they’re not an agency. You’ll want to ensure the agency you hire has an entire team of designers.
3. If they’ve won any web design awards. Although awards aren’t everything, they do count for something — and it’s a huge benefit to find a web design agency that has won its fair share of web design awards.
4. What services do they offer? Ensure the web design agency you’re interested in offers all the web design services you want — like 508 compliance, e-commerce design, or CMS integration. You’ll also want to see if the agency provides other services like SEO and PPC. You’ll likely be interested in these services after your website is up and running, and it’s highly beneficial to work with a web design agency that does it all. You’ll want to be sure that the agency you choose provides other services like SEO and PPC since a great website is useless without the proper promotion.
5. How much do their services cost? One of the most important things to determine is how much you’re willing to spend on a website, and then take note of how much each agency charges. The sentiment holds that you typically get what you pay for — if a web design agency charges dirt cheap for a design, you probably won’t be happy with the results. There is room for a budget, but remember what you’ll generally need to pay for a high-quality website.
6. If their website is compelling and beautiful. The best web design agencies practice what they preach, so if an agency doesn’t have a beautiful website, they probably can’t create one.

Each point is vital, and taking notes on them all is essential.

4. Prune your list of web design agencies

After you’ve compiled a list of potential web design agencies for hiring, it’s time to prune your list.

It’s helpful to highlight agencies that make it past your first round of screening and cross off ones that don’t. You should remove agencies outside your price range since spending too much on a website could get your business into financial trouble.

Next, you’ll want to determine whether you enjoy being on their website. Does it look aesthetically pleasing? Do all the buttons and functionalities work as they should? If not, it’s time to cross them off the list.

You’ll also want to look at their portfolio to determine whether or not you like their style. Have they worked with clients in your industry? Are their designs unique and original?

You can continue working down your list of notes until you find a web design agency that offers everything you need, fits your budget, and has earned recognition from previous clients.

Note-taking is vital during the hiring process.

Consider making a “pros” and “cons” list for each agency you speak with to track what you liked and didn’t like about each agency.

5. Make some phone calls

Start making phone calls when you’re down to your last few options. You’ll never be able to determine if a web design agency is right for you if you don’t speak with them on the phone.

They should ask you many questions about your business, industry, current website, and business goals upon contacting them.

These few questions will help the agency determine if you’re a good fit for the services they offer, and they’ll be able to move forward in the process with you or let you know that you’re not a good match.

In this process, you’ll also be able to determine if an agency is right for you.

Are they engaging on the phone? Do they sound happy to be talking to you? Did they ask many questions to determine if they can help you reach your goals?

In speaking directly, you’ll likely get a feel for whether you’re interested in working with them on a project as big as your company’s website.

6. Narrow your web design agency list down and make the final call

After having phone conversations with your top web design companies, it’s time to narrow your list down. You should continue to take detailed notes about your top web design agencies throughout the phone call process so that you can go back and decide on your final choice.

After you decide, it’s time to call and confirm your partnership.

If you’re unsure whether to hire a designer or a developer, we can help you decide!

Should I hire a freelance web designer?

The age-old question remains — “Should I hire a freelance web designer?”

If your web design budget isn’t as big as you’d like, you might consider whether a freelance web designer is the right choice.

There are pros and cons to hiring a web designer who works as a freelancer, but one sentiment holds valid — you get what you pay for.

Con: There’s a reason they don’t work for an agency

When asking yourself whether your company should go with a freelancer, keep in mind that there might be a reason they’re not working for an agency. Although their work may cost less than an agency, you may find yourself with a site you didn’t anticipate or disapprove of.

Con: They can be hard to get ahold of

If you hire a freelancer without the help of a third-party platform, you could pour tons of money into a website design, not approve of the final result, and find that your designer has gone missing.

Not to mention, some freelancers work odd hours. This means they might not be available during your workday when you’re most interested in corresponding to your website. This makes things extremely difficult and could bring the whole process to a screeching halt.

Hiring a freelancer directly is risky, and you should be mindful of how, when, and to whom you send your money.

Con: They might not be well-rounded in terms of knowledge

When you hire a freelancer, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to implement everything your website needs to be effective. For example, a freelancer might be fantastic at creating a design that speaks to your brand and is attractive, but do the buttons work? Are JavaScript elements appropriately implemented?

Of course, the site’s aesthetics are important, but if and how the site works is essential.

Pro: You might get a steal

If you find a freelancer you love by looking through portfolios or using a third-party hiring site like Upwork, you could end up with a gorgeous website for a fraction of the price you would have paid an agency.

However, that’s an “if.”

There is always a risk when you hire a freelance web designer since you never know if you’ll get a steal.

Pro: You can find great designers on professional hiring sites like Upwork

Upwork is a third-party hiring site that pre-qualifies all the designers on its platform. The site allows you to post specific job specs, look at portfolios, and hire a web designer from the comfort of your office.

You can even see the quality ratings previous clients gave designers and interact with them via Upwork’s messaging platform to determine if they offer what you need.

Hiring a freelance web designer isn’t necessarily the best option, but hiring one could be an excellent option for your business if you’re crunched for cash or have the time to dedicate to finding freelancers to tie up loose ends.

Ultimately, we recommend hiring a web design agency to create the best website for your business.

Hire a web design agency today.

If you’ve decided that hiring a web design agency is the way to go, congratulations!

We encourage you to take the time to do your research to find a web design agency that fits your budget and your needs.

Atomic Puppies is a full-service digital marketing agency in Sterling, CO, always ready to create a new website.

We offer a complete suite of web design services, as well as services that can help promote your gorgeous website when it’s finished, like SEO, PPC, social media marketing, email marketing, and so much more.

We’re just a phone call away, so if you’re ready to hire a web design agency, call us at 661-340-0078! You can also fill out a contact form online and we’ll contact you ASAP!