Choosing the right website development company or digital marketing agency to help your business make a splash online is no easy task. However, in order to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace, having an online presence that stands out from the crowd and converts traffic into customers is absolutely essential.
To help you choose the best website development company or digital marketing agency that fits your needs, here are three simple questions you should ask before making your final decision.
Things to consider before hiring a website development Company
What services are they offering? Is their price fitting my budget? Will they create a responsive and highly user-friendly website? What is their track record of working with other clients? Do they have testimonials from past customers? What types of projects have they worked on in the past? How long have they been working in the industry, what does that mean for your project timeline and delivery date?
Are there any other risks or costs I should know about before making a decision? Asking these questions could help you save time and money by hiring a company that fits your specific needs. If you’re still not sure which company will be best for you, keep searching until you find one that checks all of your boxes! Good luck!
Will they be using WordPress?
When you’re looking for a website development company, one of your first questions should be whether they work with WordPress. If they don’t, you might want to move on—there are plenty of WordPress developers out there, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a company that specializes in it. Website design and development are complex enough without adding manual labor into the mix.
In any case, make sure to look over your website developer’s portfolio before moving forward. They should showcase examples of projects they’ve worked on recently, not just screenshots from sites that they coded way back when Facebook was still called The Facebook (oh wait). Whether you use WordPress or not is up to you, but at least let us know!
What technology will they use?
Of course, you want a website development company that will build your website using up-to-date technology. After all, if you need an overhaul of your current site in five years—and it’s built on two-year-old tech—you may end up having to start from scratch. So shop around for a company that uses today’s latest web building technologies; it will save you money and frustration down the road.
For instance, if you run a business that sells shoes online—like Zappos or Jimmy Choo—it’s important that your e-commerce platform be compatible with state-of-the-art coding languages like HTML5 and CSS3, which can make shopping easier on mobile devices. And whether you choose Drupal or WordPress as your CMS (content management system), look for one with security features like 2FA (two-factor authentication) enabled.
What are their costs?
While your price point will vary depending on what you’re looking for, it’s important to consider factors like cost and service quality before settling on a web development company. With sites like Upwork or Freelancer available, it’s easier than ever to find cheap labor; but just because your website costs $500 doesn’t mean you necessarily got your money’s worth.
A good rule of thumb is to choose a web developer that is within your budget range but doesn’t be afraid to spend more if you can afford it. Remember Quality costs, sometimes quite literally.
Can I go on their site and see examples of previous websites made by them?
It is always a good idea when hiring a website development company to look through their portfolio. You should be able to get an idea of their expertise and what you can expect from them if they are in your final pool of candidates. Ideally, you want at least three examples that were done for companies or brands similar to yours. Can I Ask How Long They’ve Been Offering Services?: While not necessary, it is always nice to know how long they have been around.
This gives you peace of mind knowing they have probably learned a thing or two along the way. Do You Have References From Other Clients?: A really important question to ask is whether or not previous clients would be willing to serve as references for potential customers.
Can I read reviews about their past clients?
Review websites like Yelp and Google Reviews can be a great way to see what customers are saying about a digital marketing agency, but they’re far from foolproof. Instead of relying on these sites alone, reach out directly to some of a company’s past clients. Ask questions, and keep an eye out for red flags (like generic responses or website screenshots in place of client names).
And if you really want to know if a digital marketing agency is right for you, talk with industry experts at your target organizations. You may not have time to set up every conversation before launching your site, but it’s worth taking a few minutes now to build connections that could pay off later on.
Who is the person that will be managing my project from start to finish?
What is your process for managing projects from start to finish? Will I have a dedicated project manager or a team of people that are responsible for my project? If so, what does each person on your team do and how will I know who is doing what? What methodologies and software will you use? (We typically use Agile and Jira). How long has your company been in business: How long has your company been in business and how many client projects have it managed.
We wouldn’t want to hire someone who’s just getting started. Why should we hire you instead of another digital marketing agency?: You should be able to show us why we should choose your website development agency over another one. Can you give us references?: We don’t always call them, but we check with at least one other past client when working with new companies for a review.
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Do they have a portfolio page showing some of their previous work?
One of your first points of reference in finding a suitable website development company is their portfolio page. By looking at some of their previous work, you’ll be able to see how they approach digital design and marketing.
Some companies will have more information on their services, while others may only display some images showcasing their design. If they don’t have a portfolio page showing examples of what they can do for you, then that should send up a red flag right away!
Are there any guarantees with my job?
Unlike other digital marketing services, a website development company offers a guarantee when they complete work on your site. While many of these guarantees only guarantee that you’ll like their work, other guarantees offer both satisfaction and monetary compensation if there are issues with your site after launch.
If you’re working with a smaller company, it can be difficult to verify how much weight their guarantee holds—but larger agencies will have consumer protection policies in place if something goes wrong.
Do they offer 24/7 support?
Very few companies offer service around-the-clock, but those that do are likely specialists in their industry. So if you’re looking for a website development company that offers 24/7 support and technical assistance, look for these keywords on their site or on their LinkedIn page. If it’s not listed as one of their services, it is possible they don’t offer 24/7 support.
But a good question to ask would be: What kind of hours can I expect tech support to be available? And be sure to get an answer like 8 AM – 5 PM EST every day. (Note: Remember how we discussed earlier how some countries have different business hours?