The web experts since 1999
The web experts since 1999
Finding the right web design agency to work with can sometimes be an exhausting process. Much like choosing a car or accountant, there are many things to consider and choosing based on price alone can be counterproductive. So how exactly should you go about finding the right web design agency in Llandudno for your business? We've put together this handy guide to help with the task.
This guide is still relevant if a local web firm from Llandudno isn't an essential requirement for you and your business, and you've decided to widen the net to Conwy County, North Wales or even the United Kingdom as a whole.
Deciding to employ the services of a local Llandudno based web design agency is only the first step on your road to building a new website; if your input stops there, then your new project will likely suffer based on a lack of focus and detail. Before you begin talking to web designers in Llandudno, it's essential to prepare a well thought out web design brief. This task isn't as daunting as it sounds, and in fact, we have an article all about writing a fantastic web design brief right here on the UK Promotion blog.
Once you have your brief, your chosen web agency will have a proper blueprint to work from and know what you're looking to achieve from your new website, including the criteria you'll use to judge its success.
It's worth pointing out that when you speak to a local web company and share your brief, you're ideally looking for them to return with feedback, suggestions and additional ideas. If they don't offer any of these, then they may just be looking to make a quick buck, and it may be worth considering if they really are the partners you require for your next web project.
With your brief in place, it's time to do a little research on the web design agencies you'd like to speak to from Llandudno about your project. There are several ways to go about this, so choose the option that works for you. The first thing you'll want to do is make a list of Llandudno web design agencies to consider:
With a list of companies for consideration, the next step is to get a feel for them by visiting their website, browsing their portfolios, and reading about their history and ethics. If you like what you see, then congratulations, they've made the shortlist!
Once you have your shortlist, you can optionally perform a few simple checks to look for any potential warning signs. The tools we recommend using to perform these tests are:
W3C Validator W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) develops the web standards used to create websites. Their validator tool allows you to see how many coding warnings and errors are present on a web page. A web agency dedicated to standards and high-quality design should have very few and ideally zero issues.
Google PageSpeed Insights PageSpeed Insights analyses a given website to ascertain its speed; this speed, in turn, is converted into a performance rating for both mobile and desktop versions of a website. The higher the performance rating, the better a site is built, coded and optimised. High-quality sites should have a green performance rating of 90+.
Whois Lookup Whois is the process of looking up information about a given domain name. The data returned will include the registration or creation date of the domain name, indicating how long a company has been operating. A company with a long operating industry usually has more experience and technical know-how.
With these checks out of the way, you can make an informed decision on if you'd still like to make contact with an agency on your shortlist or if you've changed your mind.
You've done your research, whittled down the list of candidates, and now it's time to make contact and ask some pre-sale questions. We initially recommend making contact via email as it's the perfect way to communicate a lot of information, including your website brief and list of pre-sales questions. It's also a good test as to how long it takes a company to reply to your email.
As a minimum, we recommend asking the following questions:
You'd be surprised how many web design agencies don't offer complete transparency with their pricing or quote an hourly charge.
Although unforeseen circumstances can crop up and delay your project, it's helpful to have a timeline of objectives that you can monitor.
The answer to this question won't be a deal-breaker, but it may mean they have a better understanding of your needs and requirements.
It's nice to know who will be working on your project and that they're available to chat, even via phone or video call. If a company is wary about this, it may mean they are outsourcing.
As of March 2021, 44.77% of internet users browse the web on a mobile device. A responsive website adapts to the device it is viewed on is essential for a good user experience and should be included as standard within your quote. It's also important to know if SEO (search engine optimisation) basics will be baked into your website or if you're expected to pay an additional cost for this.
Common content management systems include WordPress, and common e-commerce platforms include Magento and Shopify. Knowing which platform is used to build your website allows you to do additional research on its suitability.
Ensure training is included so you can manage your new website using the included admin panel.
When a website launches, there are often minor bugs and issues which unintentionally make their way onto your site; find out how long you have to find and report these bugs. Some companies may only offer 30 days of bug fixes, and others offer much longer.
Although this will likely be an additional charge, it's good to know that support is available if and when required.
If, for any reason, you decide to move your website away to a new host, it's good to know the process involved and also have written confirmation that there are no unexpected charges or conditions.
Finally, if you're replacing an existing website, you will want to confirm if the company includes a website transition plan in its quotation. In its simplest form, a website transition plan maps your old website pages to your new website pages so that you don't drop in Google's rankings during the move between sites.
Your website will likely play a prominent role in your business, so it's nice to know that you're able to pick up the phone and talk to someone locally in Llandudno if you have any requests, questions or issues.
If, after receiving your quotation and the answers to all of your pre-sale questions, you've decided the company in question is a contender, why not follow up with a quick phone call during business hours. If your experience is good, then this is another tick in the box for them and peace of mind for you.
If, on the other hand, you find they don't offer telephone support or aren't available to answer your calls, you'll have to decide if this has any bearing on your final decision.
If you've followed our guide above, you should now be in a great position to make an informed and proper decision about which Llandudno web design agency to appoint for your new project. We wish you well with your new site and hope you found this article helpful on your journey to find your new website partner.
We'll take your project from idea to reality... and do it with style!