71% of small business owners in the United States have websites. Of those that don’t, 92% claim that they’ll have one by the end of 2019.
What that means for your Colorado-based business is that if you’re not online or your current website leaves a lot to be desired in the way of usability, you’re in the minority.
The best way to upgrade your online presence and consequently open your business up to the 4.1 billion people who surf the web every day is to partner with a quality Colorado web design company.
But how can you pick the right agency?
Below, our team shares with you some considerations that should help you filter through the noise and locate the perfect design partner.
1. Where Are They Based?
It can be tempting to outsource your web design needs to some agency abroad who is charging cut rates while promising the moon and the stars. Almost always this turns out to be a bad move for businesses.
Why?
First, cut rates mean poor work.
Given that there are 1.9 billion websites online right now, you building a site that’s lackluster won’t be enough to get the attention you’re looking for.
Second, if you own a Colorado-based business, you’re going to want to bring on a Colorado web design agency that understands your audience and is also close enough where you can meet in person if the need arises.
2. Do They Listen to Your Ideas?
A lot of web designers want to get you in and out of the door as quickly as possible.
To that end, they’ll already have cookie-cutter designs in mind for your website they’re hoping you’ll buy into so they can get their work done fast.
You want to avoid Colorado web design companies like that and instead, find ones who are open to meeting with you, understanding your unique needs, and building you a product that’s customized so far as your budget allows.
Any design agency that’s trying to push their vision on
you too firmly probably isn’t worth your time.
3. Are They Willing to Collaborate?
Just because we think a design agency should listen to your ideas doesn’t mean that we don’t think they should have ideas of their own. After all, they are web design professionals and consequently should have valuable insight on how to get the most out of your site.
If you feel like the web design agency you’re engaging is hyper-focused on your specific direction and isn’t bringing anything to the table in the way of suggestions, you’re hiring hands, not minds.
To get the best website, you’re going to want to find an agency who is willing to invest their creative spirit into your project.
4. What Platforms Do They Use?
For years developers would trap businesses like yours in a non-stop development cycle. There was nothing malicious about this process, it was just a reality of trade.
Developers would build websites from scratch using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They’d then turn the site over to their clients who loved the finished product.
Then updates needed to be made to the site…
Non-code-savvy clients couldn’t make necessary adjustments by themselves so instead, they rehired their development agency to facilitate things.
The good news… those days are over.
With content management systems like WordPress on the scene, development agencies can now build wonderful websites on the back of technology that enables non-developers like you to maintain things on your own for years to come.
Any Colorado web design agency that isn’t willing to build your site using a content management system is an agency you should pass on.
5. How Does Their Portfolio Look?
The best way to understand how good your Colorado web design agency is going to be isn’t to listen to their promises. It’s to look at their work.
Ask to see any agency you’re thinking of hiring’s portfolio.
If they can’t produce one, walk away.
When analyzing an agency’s portfolio, see how the sites they’ve built function both on desktops and on mobile devices. Make sure that all of their links work and that glitches don’t occur when you resize your browser window.
The more thorough you are in inspecting your agency’s previous work, the surer you can be that they’ll create something equally as amazing for you.
6. What Other Services Do They Provide?
Does your web developer just do design or do they offer more services?
Things like copywriting and SEO are both important components of the web development process that can make or break your site’s success. Unless you’re prepared to take on that kind of work on your own, you’ll want to see if your design agency is game to help you out.
7. Go with Your Gut
A lot of Colorado web design agencies are going to check the boxes when you interview them. Given that reality, how can you choose the perfect one?
At the end of the day, it’s hard to know for sure if the partnership you’re considering is going to be a good one. Because of that, after you’ve done your diligence, just go with your gut.
Chances are it will lead you to the right partner.
Wrapping Up How to Choose the Right Colorado Web Design Agency
We’ve shared with you 7 solid tips on how to vet Colorado web design agencies you may be thinking of bringing on to build or refresh your website. Our recommendation is to take our tips to heart whenever you’re vetting an agency.
If you do, you’ll raise your chances of being satisfied with the product you come away with significantly.
No matter what your website needs are, from design to hosting and beyond, our team at Jaguar PC has you covered.
We’ve been helping businesses dominate the internet for two decades with our multi-faceted digital solutions. Let us do the same for you.
Learn more about our design services or for specific information on how we can help you, contact us today!