Want a new website made for your company? At the start of your search, you start hopefully with a local search in London in the Google.
Is this how you go about finding the top agency that suits you and your online goals? You will soon notice that there is a lot of choice. Do you automatically choose the top result, or do you search a little further?
If you search further, you might see that many agencies promise the same thing: modern web design. That's exactly what you want, but how do you find out if an agency has even more to offer? We give you some tips and let you know what questions to ask!
1. Check out the team!
The website usually has an about us or team page. It's always good to look at this right away. Why? So you can immediately see what kind of professionals they have in house. For example, do they have online marketers, web designers or copywriters on the team? By looking at this, you will know if they can help you with your query.
Apart from a beautiful website, you also want the technology behind it to be right, to generate conversions and to reach your target audience. This cannot be done with a beautiful site alone: for this, you need people with experience and expertise.
Note: some parties work with freelancers who are not directly listed on the team page. It is always good to ask about this!
In short: do you want a website with more behind it than just a nice design? Check who's working!
2. View the portfolio
You would probably prefer to engage an experienced party. Perhaps a text tells you that they are experienced, but that does not necessarily mean that they are.
Therefore, always check the portfolio. This shows assignments they have worked on and are proud of.
Some portfolios are very full! In that case, it is good to look for projects within the industry you work in. Let the latter mainly be a tool to search through the portfolio: whether someone has worked with your industry before need not be a criteria. What matters is that they make good websites!
In short: do you want a website? Always take a look at the portfolio!
3. What kind of CMS system?
Check what CMS system is being worked with. CMS stands for Content Management System (CMS): this is where the website is built. Some work with their own CMS, but many with WordPress. Always ask which system they work with and whether you can easily work in it yourself. The latter can be useful if you want to be able to make updates yourself. Ask whether training courses are available for this.
In short: be able to make updates yourself? Ask about the CMS and any training courses!
4. Web design and conversions
Is conversion optimisation an expertise? A website should be beautiful, but it should also work logically for the visitor. Through a smart layout, logical navigation structure and good call-to-actions, you can start converting with your website.
In short: ask what kind of knowledge they have about conversions and whether they might have someone on their team who specialises in this.
5. The cost of your project
Prices may vary. This depends on the technology and the work involved: your website could be basic, without SEO and using shared hosting. But you could also go all out! Perhaps you’d like a brainstorming session, a brand-new design based on your brand identity, search engine optimisation and super-fast hosting.
There are often several options with a matching price tag. To find out how realistic a price tag is, you can ask the following: how much work goes into the website (hours)? How many people work on the website? Are there recurring costs? How expensive is the hosting?
In short: do you want a website, but don't know if the costs are realistic? Ask about technology, hosting and man hours.
6. Reviews
Of course you are also curious about the experience of other
. These days, fortunately, you can easily find out by searching reviews. When you have found a company in Google, you can immediately read the reviews.
See at a glance the average number of stars they get and dig deeper by reading reactions. You can also ask colleagues in your neighbourhood who they have had good experiences with.
In short: Do you have a company in mind, but are curious about the experience of others? Read the reviews in Google!
7. Have a chat
Scouring Google will give you an idea of parties in your area who can help build a website. If you have your eye on an agency, it is always wise to have a conversation by phone or even better face-to-face.
Ask your questions and sense whether you feel comfortable with this party. Do you get no answers to your questions or does the conversation feel unpleasant? Then you can ask yourself whether you want to enter into a partnership. Do you get answers to your questions and are you treated pleasantly? Then this could be a good harbinger of how the upcoming process will go!
In short: Are you close to making a choice, but curious about how the company handles itself? Engage in conversation!
Contact
Wondering how we answer your questions? Get in touch and fire away!
