Is your current website causing visitors to click the close button? According to GoodFirms, factors that encourage visitors to ditch a business website include slow-loading pages, unresponsive design, and poor navigation.

In other words, a poorly designed website could cost you valuable customers, and it might be time to consider redesigning your online presence.

But, before you think about your new website, you must find the perfect web design agency. To find the best match, we’ve put together a set of questions you should ask when hiring a new agency. 

What Services Do You Offer? 

Web design encompasses many smaller activities you’ll need to complete before launching your new website. While you might not want to outsource every task, it’s worth discovering the agency’s services.

It might include tasks you haven’t thought about or things you’d like to outsource to the same agency designing your site. Here’s a quick list of services: 

• Web design, logo, and graphics
• Web development and coding
• Website hosting
• Domain management
• Security
• Online marketing
• SEO
• Content writing 

Some agencies might include several services as part of a package. So always check out their website or speak to their sales rep. 

How Do You Establish Requirements? 

As a customer, you’ll want something that’s the perfect fit for your brand. You’ll want to choose a company that listens carefully to your needs and knows how to translate that into a functional and beautiful website.

Find out how they work with you during the planning phase. Is there a kick-off meeting? Do they produce some mock designs for you to review? What happens if you don’t like their early design ideas? 

How Will You Keep Me Updated?

You don’t want to pay for a website and wait patiently for weeks and months until something appears in your inbox! Good web design is collaborative and needs plenty of discussions before the finished website is ready, so communication is vital. 

A reputable agency will always offer continual communication with you. If in doubt, ask them how they usually keep clients updated and whether their customers have a single point of content.

It’s worth having one person you can call if you have questions or concerns during a web design project. 

What Is Your Design Process? 

You should get a feel for how the agency approaches its design and development process, as this will impact your final website. 

Take usability, for example. Achieving a usable website means applying user-centered design principles to the development. That often means doing some UX design early on to ensure the website is simple and intuitive.

Modern agencies, including ours, take a flexible and agile approach to development. That involves an incremental approach to the build with input and feedback from the customer throughout. 

Ask any prospective agency about their approach and process. Consider whether their answer is a good fit for your business needs and the type of website you want to see at the end of it.

Can I See Some Case Studies? 

Case studies will tell you two important things about a website design agency. First, they’ll illustrate the approach the agency takes in website design.

You can use this to evaluate whether they are a good fit for what you need. Secondly, it will show you whether the agency has plenty of experience that makes them a good candidate for your project.

For example, let’s assume you want an e-commerce website. In that case, you’ll want to see other e-commerce examples, preferably ones with a similar client base.

Do You Have Customer References?

Most web agencies will include client testimonials on their website and will probably offer a gallery of past client work. But it’s far better if you can speak to a customer directly.

They might give you tips on how to get the most from working with that business and may prompt further questions for you to ask before you sign on the dotted line.

When speaking to a sales rep, ask if they can provide you with one or two customer references.

Take the time to view that client’s website before you speak to them. That will help you get a feel for the agency’s technical expertise rather than a basic idea of the aesthetics. 

Have You Worked With My Industry Before?

Suppose the web agency can’t offer detailed case studies. In that case, another question is whether that business has worked with your industry before. Industry experience isn’t always a must, but it does offer advantages.

They will already know what website design and functionality you need for that industry and probably understand some issues that could crop up during the design process.

If they have experience in your industry, a good follow-up question is: what was the most significant issue on that project, and what would you do next time to avoid it? 

What Happens If I Need Changes To My Website?  

Perhaps you have a clear set of requirements and a very definite idea of how your final website design will look. But realistically, most of us change our minds along the way before we launch our website and after the website goes live.

That’s normal and happens because until you see the finished design, some issues are not evident and are impossible to predict. 

You need an agency that’s flexible and responsive. That way, when you do need a change, they will get the job done without having to return to the drawing board and without making you wait weeks or months for the alteration.

So always ask how the agency handles client change requests. 

The Best Web Design Agency for You

Your website will be the first thing your customers see, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right. An experienced web design agency with an excellent reputation will help you turn your vision into a reality.

Take the next step today by connecting with our team. Find out how we fare when you ask us these questions. We think you’ll love what we have to say!