In this day and age, having a strong online presence is crucial. Considering that 87% of today’s consumers research their purchases online first, it’s clear that a website is vital for any thriving business. Finding a skilled web designer should be one of your top priorities if you’re thinking about revamping your company’s website. According to research, 48% of buyers rank website design as the most important aspect in determining credibility, so you know there’s a lot at stake.

However, finding a reliable web design company can be challenging. There is no shortage of web design firms online, from solo freelancers to prestigious agencies. Depending on who you hire to design your website, you can either achieve great success or see all your hard work go to waste. These guidelines will help you zero in on the best web design firm for your needs.

Assess the Needs of Your Website

With visitors forming an opinion of your website in as little as 50 milliseconds, you have to be involved from the start of the project to ensure it accurately represents your company and its values.

For this reason, you should have some idea of the looks and functionality you’re hoping to achieve for your site before you start working with a web design company. Are you looking to set up an online store? Are you considering allowing online reservations? How many pages will you require?

It’s up to you to describe your vision of the ideal website and gauge how your prospective design partner responds. Looking at your competitors or businesses similar to yours can also give you some ideas.

This may seem intimidating, but rest assured that a reliable web design company will guide you through it. After all, it is more cost-effective and yields better results to get the requirements right from the start. Keep in mind that your website is essential to your online visibility, so it’s necessary to find a developer who shares your enthusiasm.

Check Their Previous Work

You can check a designer’s web design portfolio and past work on their site to see whether they have the skills you’re looking for. Their web design portfolio of Michigan businesses can offer insights into their service. Keep an eye out for anything that piques your interest, whether it’s a brand you recognize or a concept that could work for you. Check out the Michigan WordPress websites of their previous clients and explore them to get a feel for the user experience.

Choosing a web designer that can create a site that fits your brand’s specific needs is essential, so don’t settle for a cookie-cutter approach. If everything seems the same, you may expect the same.

Additionally, see if there are any concrete outcomes. Web design companies that have a history of satisfied clients may highlight the financial benefits their designs have brought to past clients, such as traffic growth, lower bounce rates, faster page loads, more purchases and a higher ROI.

Evaluate Reviews

Reading reviews written by the company’s former and current clients is a great way to get an idea of their service. You can learn a lot about a company’s reliability, dedication to developing your ideal website and quality standards by checking this feedback.

Most web design agencies include client testimonials on their site. Talking to companies might shed light on the quality of their services. This unfiltered information can give you insight into the inner workings of the firm and its potential benefits to you.

Watch out for reviews that promise everything is perfect or are obviously fake. Reviews and ratings that fall in the middle of the spectrum often provide the most helpful insights and experiences when selecting the best Michigan WordPress development agency.

Find Out if They Can Make High-quality Content

If you’re looking for a web design company, make sure they can not only help you build the site of your dreams but also give your visitors a consistent, cohesive experience across the board. Visual content such as infographics, animated GIFs and explainer videos can all help achieve this.

Examine their website for visual storytelling elements that provide something new while still being informative and engaging. With these supplementary features, you can gauge a web design firm’s commitment to your business branding.

Give Them a Call

One of the best ways to learn about a company is to contact them via phone or email. See how they respond to this initial contact. How approachable and helpful are they? Do they start with questions about your business and the job, or do they jump right into making a pitch?

Since this company could be a potential agency partner for years to come, rapport is crucial. Even if the person who initially answers the phone isn’t the one you work with most as a client, that individual still represents the company’s culture, so it’s vital that you feel comfortable with them.

Here are some questions to ask a web design company during your initial conversation:

• What goes into their design process?
• What platforms do they use to design websites? Do they use Shopify, WordPress, or others?
• What kind of pricing structure do they use?
• Can you request revisions if you work with them? How many?
• How do they decide who will be in charge of certain projects? Do they have designated project managers, direct creative partnerships, or something else?
• When can you expect them to start working on your website?
• Can they help with search engine optimization or provide content?

The Bottom Line

Choosing a web design company that fits your business and its image takes time and effort. But if you do your homework before signing a contract, you’ll have a much better chance of being satisfied with the web design process, the relationship with the agency and the results they deliver at the end of the project.

Get in touch with the web design experts at Hiero today to learn more about how we can help your business succeed online.