Anyone who knows anything about building websites knows that not all websites can be made by watching online tutorials that promise to teach you how to create a website in 30 days. When building a company website, you need to identify what your site will do and what infrastructure is required for it to work correctly. Without experts on hand to guide your project along, you’ll find yourself running into roadblocks and technical difficulties with no solutions in sight. This is where hiring a web development agency becomes the best decision a company can make for creating and maintaining their website.

You’ll need to be diligent when looking for a professional web development company, one that knows the development process and can ensure that all the proper web components are incorporated to provide a quality site and avoid any negative surprises down the road. Choosing the wrong agency for your business can be disastrous and costly.

Today we will look at six things to consider when confiding your web development needs to an external company.

Determine What Type of Site You’ll Need

Identifying the type of site, you will need will help you pinpoint the kind of expertise and level of experience required from any agency you partner up with. Let’s face it, not all websites require the same infrastructure, nor do they all require the same functionalities, and if you plan to implement an e-commerce website, you need the proper solution that will allow you to scale and get support when issues arise.

Your website is your online visibility and presents your image to the world. You need to make sure it’s well equipped to handle traffic and any demands requested of it ­— a site that regularly crashes or is slow to load will drive away customers and visitors. Your web development agency partner should be able to suggest the best solutions and platforms for all your needs.

Determine The Level of Support You’ll Require

Depending on the complexity of your site and your team’s technical knowledge, you will at some point require some form of technical support from any agency you partner up with. Determining the level needed will help you choose the best fit at the best cost.

While you might run into more minor issues (creating a new account or resetting a password), website changes will need to be made regularly if your business involves scaling or requires numerous updates. Updates could include changing a feature that no longer serves a purpose or revamping an entire section of your e-commerce platform.

It would be best to get your web agency to provide you with the knowledge and the tools to update your site for simple changes such as uploading new blogs, adding new press releases or updating your career opportunities page. While these tend to be straightforward for anyone to learn, a good web development agency will provide you with ongoing support for both small and large issues.

Are They Familiar with SEO?

We all know that online visibility is directly affected by good SEO. Although most agencies have some level of knowledge on SEO, you’ll want to align yourself with one that will use the best SEO practice to get your site ranking organically. Are your images properly labelled? Are your social handles visible for all to see? Are all your pages adequately titled and optimized for search engines? Is your site mobile-friendly? If the answer is no, then you’ll find it challenging to gain an advantage over your competitors.

An SEO-friendly site is the only way to get ranking in search engines, and it’s an ongoing process where search algorithms are constantly changing, and updates are released regularly. Make sure to partner with an agency that follows SEO trends so that they can keep your site’s SEO health in check and take action before any major updates impact your site.

Ask About Their Web Hosting Services

Understand what type of web hosting services they provide; not only will this factor into the cost, but you’ll want to make sure that your company needs are considered as you want an agency to offer your site optimal performance.

Nothing will make the entire experience more damaging than being hosted through a web hosting company plagued by glitches and technical issues, as this will directly impact your website. You’ll want to know how often backups are done, how long they are retained and what is the assured uptime.

Evaluate How They Communicate

Communication is vital when it comes to partnering with a web development agency. A lack of communication or miscommunication can derail a project and lead to intense frustrations on both sides. Before bringing an external company onboard, make sure to assess a few points:

• What is the average turnaround time to get a response to questions?
• How responsive are they when emergencies arise?
• What tools do they use to communicate (email, Slack, Zoom, phone, etc.)?
• Who is the main point of contact for any questions, concerns, feedback, etc.?

Your best bet is to find an agency that collaborates on projects in a way that compliments your own style. Having faith and trust in your web development agency is important, as you’ll not only feel reassured that your website is in good hands, but you’ll also have the peace of mind knowing that any of your concerns will be handled in a timely and professional manner.

Look At Reviews, References and Portfolios

Look at some online reviews and samples of any previous works from potential web development agency you consider working with. Take note of what you liked and what you didn’t like; this will shortlist your selection and allow you to narrow down your options to the stronger candidates.

Obtaining feedback from other clients who have worked with them will give you a sense of what you can expect during the entire process, from the conception phases to the post-live support. Make sure to inquire about their experience dealing with the project manager, the availability and responsiveness of the team, remember to ask whether deadlines were met on time, and ask them to explain how the company resolved any unexpected issue they came across. Get as much information as you need that will allow you to make the best decision for your website needs.

Choosing a web development agency to work with is not a decision to be taken lightly, as a hasty decision can be detrimental to both your brand and your budget. It is as much about knowledge as it is about a culture fit, and it is not a decision that should be rushed, nor should it be done under pressure or out of desperation. Finding a web development agency partner with the right experience and who can provide reliable services will successfully help you scale your business in the right direction and optimize your web presence in the long run. Contact us for a website development consultation today