All a business owner should know about web agencies

By Roman Berezhnoi October 12, 2021 499 views

All a business owner should know about web agencies

Website design and development companies help in website design, development and the website promotion process. One finds numerous web design agencies in the current market scenario. From large companies to mid-ons to one-person shops, freelancers, different categories of companies are now available to provide the customers with class web design services based on the customer demand. Local sellers, foreign contractors, and hosted solution providers also hold great significance in the web design industry to drive better performance and outcomes. 

Business owners should have a clear and complete knowledge regarding the different types of web design agencies. There are possibilities that you will find the process quite challenging to select the best web design brand for your website. 

We intend to offer you the guidelines to find the right web design agency for your company, based on the requirements and budget. 

Types of web design agencies

We have already mentioned the various types of web design companies presented in the digital marketing industry. The company types are, as follows:

Big web companies

Big web design agencies are mostly the old ones. A big web design and development company can have 50 employees or more (sales managers, project managers, team leads and web designers, web developers, digital marketers).

Advantages

The advantages of a big web design company include the availability of web specialists (designers, developers). But it doesn’t guarantee that you will get in touch with a pool of talents and rich experiences. Anyway, if you have a big project it’d be better to hire a big web development agency to handle the scope of tasks on time and on budget.

Disadvantages 

You must ensure whether a large number of company employees are working in a cooperative environment. Big web agencies can outsource web projects to the agencies that are located in other countries (India, Pakistan, Belarus). This keeps the cost of web development down and increases the profit of a big web company. Also there might be a large number of sub-contractors and even freelancers who work individually on different projects. If you want to pay “big company” prices, you have to make sure that your project will be completed by this agency’s employees.

Other issues are the communication gap. In some ‘big’ web design agencies, clients have to communicate with the Account Representative, sales managers, or the most ridiculous, an Automated Feedback System, instead of direct interaction with the project managers or team leads, who will be responsible for the main job. These processes do nothing fruitful but waste time and money. 

Small or one-man website design agencies

The majority of the companies have less than ten in-house employees. If you’re looking for personalized service and a one-on-one relationship with your web designer, a small web agency can be a real benefit.

Advantages

One-man or small web design agencies are tremendously beneficial when you need a small website for an affordable price. There is no bureaucracy and you can speak directly with the web designers and web developers.

Disadvantages

One-man web agencies can have some serious issues that include experience, stability, guarantee, etc. There might be a lack of specialized and expert web designers in the small team. You must ensure that the web design agency you choose for your website has rightly skilled web specialists. Sometimes, clients become the victims of “disappearing” programmer syndrome, where the programmers run away in the middle of the projects.

Mid-size web agencies

Mid-size web design and development agencies have from 15 to 50 employees. Their web development process, workflow, and communications are organized better than many small web agencies or one-man web shops do that.

Advantages

There is no bureaucracy, but the communications are organized well. Mid-size web agencies have been providing their services for years and it means they have quite a reputation.

You can find here talented and experienced web designers, web developers, digital marketers who specialize in many niches. Mid-size website development agencies can’t handle all web projects and big projects. But they can specialize in technologies or industries. For example, F5 Studio is a mid-size website development agency that specializes in WordPress development services. Also we prefer to create websites for business (corporate website development, ecommerce website development). Our agency can use different technology stacks for web development (React.JS, Angular, PHP frameworks), but most of our developers are WordPress developers. Also, F5 Studio can provide SEO and digital marketing services, because it is a mid-size web design agency.

So, you should check a web agency’s portfolio, ask them about the availability of web specialists, and ask them about marketing services.

Disadvantages

Mid-size web agencies can’t handle big projects. They can’t handle complex technical challenges. They can have a lack of experience in some web technologies. Their web development process is organized better than small web agencies do, but it can mean a bit better. So, it makes a sense to ask additional question about the web development process and tech experience.

Marketing Firms

You may know many marketing or printing companies that design brochures, business cards, and letterheads for companies. While selecting a company of this category, you must ensure that the company succeeds in the website design. An experienced marketing firm is a verified option to design entry-level websites. The focal point of a marketing firm is the printing section. 

Advantages

If you need a simple site design in Photoshop or other graphic editor software without any programming or SEO, you can hire a marketing firm or a print company. But it is a risky way, because web design is very different from graphic design.

Disadvantages

Marketing firms may not be able to deal with many web projects. It might not deliver you a successful website and the elements like developing search engine optimization, content strategy, programming, and many more. 

Local Vendors

Even today, some clients find it more comfortable working with local vendors. However, only being local is not a symbol of success for a company. 

Advantages

The primary benefits of hiring the local vendors include the in-house work ambiance, face-to-face interaction, etc. You can pay a visit to the office and have a conversation with the web designers directly. Companies prefer local designers to enhance the reassurance level.

Disadvantages

Despite several advantages, a local web design agency might lack skills and experience. If you live in a small township, only one or two web designers will be available for your project with limited potential and expertise. It is not the fact in all cases but in some. Before you go for a local web development agency, be sure about their knowledge and qualification.

Foreign Contractors

The Internet and technology have shattered all the boundaries. Now, a client is no longer restricted to work with local vendors only. You can choose any web design and development company located around the globe, depending on the demand and budget. 

Advantages

You can avail all the needed services from foreign web design agencies, beyond the limitations of time and place. The foreign website development agencies located at different corners of the world offer a variety of skilled and specialized web designers and web developers. 

Disadvantages

Communication problems can be an issue if you hire foreign contractors. You can interact via mobile phone or web calls. In case of network issues, these faraway conversations might be a critical reason for headaches, tension, and stress. You should have a complete and clear idea about the working method of the company. You can ask a few questions before you confirm the decision of working with a particular foreign web design agency like:

  1. Ask the company about the communication process
  2. Does the entire process have specific phases?
  3. Can you have a preview of the design?
  4. Will you have regular communication with the company officials?
  5. Ask about every crucial aspect associated with the project.

Another problem that hinders the communication between clients and foreign companies is the timezone. You must make sure you can connect with the web design agency during the overlapping hours if both belong to two different poles. 

Also you should know about cultural differences. On the other hand, many web agencies from India, Ukraine, Poland build the great websites for businesses from the USA, UK, Germany, and Australia. Just ask them about their international experience. 

Do-It-Yourself templates and website builders

Several do-it-yourself companies and website builders are available on digital platforms for free. You can search on Google by typing website templates and get many results. The online solutions offer the customers fast services and let them select the design from the catalog. 

Advantages

You can upload your logo, website images, add pages to your website, and finally launch your website design. You do not have to pay any fee for the initial design process. There is a nominal monthly or yearly cost that you have to pay for the service. These hosted solutions are ideal for small companies.

Disadvantages

If your company website must add value to your brand, a hosted solution is not an option for you. Still, some companies try to implement this process as it is a cost-effective one. When you design your website with the help of hosting solutions, the viewers may find your website cheaper. 

If a debacle happens to this website and you need to hire a designer to fix the loopholes, you must begin from scratch. You cannot move the website to another host, as the template design is not unique and authentic. If you need to create an out-of-the-box design, you cannot rely on this web design process.

You can find more information about using website builders in this article Website builders vs professional web designers

If you need a landing page there is detailed info about the cost of building landing pages.

Conclusions

Unfortunately, there is no best option. You can hire a big company and win or lose. Entrust your project web professionals, who are able to help you for an affordable price.

Here is a list of questions that you can ask the website design agencies of your choice. Answers to these questions may guide you to make the right decision for your company.

  1. How many members are there in the team? What are the specializations and skills the individual company employees do possess?
  2. How long has the company been in service?
  3. Is every employee a full-time worker? Does your web design agency hire sub-contractors to work on specific parts of website development and design?
  4. How is the communication process between the clients and the website developers?
  5. How long does the company take to complete a website?
  6. Will I have the copyright to my company website design after I pay for the service?
  7. Can I move my website to another host, if needed? Is an extra fee charged for that?
  8. Can I select a customized design for my website?
  9. In the case of a custom design, how many design revisions can I have?
  10.  Have you received any industry awards? (to know about previous history)

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