When we started working on the web in 2006, the vast majority of companies offering web design services had a brick and mortar office, usually also offered print design and web hosting, domain names, and often even office networking. It was a one stop shop and you could walk in and sit down with them and have a meeting. Today, you aren’t limited to someone in your town who can do the work. Your only limitation is how to pick the best web design company out of the millions available all over the world!
It’s not really about finding the best web design company, it’s about finding the best company for you.
Not every company is the right fit for every business. We are a small web design company, so we’re not going to be the right fit for an enterprise level site. Conversely, there are a lot of big companies that aren’t looking to do small mom and pop stores, solopreneurs, or other small sites.
There are a lot of other factors that need to be considered when narrowing down your web design choices. Let’s break down a few of what I think are the primary objectives.
What kind of experience are you looking for? For me, this is one of the biggest and most important aspects. Do you want a personalized experience, where you get to know the staff on a friendlier level? Are you looking for a bigger company that has a lot of staff? Do you want to be able to meet with your web design team in person?
The answers to these questions can really guide you in narrowing down your choices.
What’s your budget? I know nobody wants to answer that, but this is pretty important. If your budget is super small, you won’t be able to afford the big company that has a large staff and office space. On the flip side, if you have a big budget and a lot of needs, a small agency or freelancer may not be the right fit for you.
How big is your project? This may be one of the most important factors to consider. Is your site for a small business that only needs a handful of pages and no major functionality? Or do you need an e-commerce site with 500 products? Or do you want to have a membership site that has hundreds of members with new content all the time? It is super important to know the scope of your project before you start researching web design companies.
After narrowing down
It can be overwhelming to look at all your options and not know who to pick, so I have some great tips for sorting through your choices and finding the bets fit. One note – the best fit isn’t necessarily the lowest price! When it comes to your online presence, you often get what you pay for.
So you have it narrowed down and can’t decide? Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I like their portfolio? When you find a company you are considering, take a look at their portfolio. Do you like what you see? If you hate everything in it, then there’s a really good chance you aren’t going to like what they create for you. On the other hand, if you love it all, then it may be a good fit.
- Do they have testimonials? Of course, the testimonials on anyone’s own website are going to be filtered to show only the happiest of reviews, but that doesn’t mean that those reviews are wrong. Glowing reviews from past clients give you an idea if other clients have felt good about their experience. Check out the websites that go along with those testimonials too.
- What are my expectations? Know what you want from your web design company. Do you want them to respond to emails within 2 hours? Within 24? Make a list of your expectations and ask them what their standards are. If you have certain expectations, but don’t clarify those for the web designer, then you may end up not finding the best web design company for your needs. Let them know what those needs are that you want to be met.
We may be the best web design company for your needs. But then again, we may not. We want you to be thrilled with your choices and that’s why we always encourage our clients and potential clients to look at several the options. This is going to give you the best chances for success.
Amy Masson
Amy is the co-owner, developer, and website strategist for Sumy Designs. She's been making websites with WordPress since 2006 and is passionate about making sure websites are as functional as they are beautiful.