You have an idea; you need to turn it into a thriving business. The first step is designing a website for your company, and if you intend on working with a web design agency, then it’s crucial that you know their role and whether they are well suited to your needs. Below are some things to look out for in a Website Design Agency before signing the contract…

1) Aside from creating the digital foundation of your company, web designers also offer maintenance services. There are plenty of other tasks they can handle, including search engine optimization, email marketing, and social media management—the list goes on and on. Here’s the downside: they can get expensive.  

2) Web designers can work on your project from anywhere in the world. In contrast, a website development firm requires a physical presence in your area which translates into most likely higher fees (even if it’s only for the initial site design). While you want to hire local businesses, it’s not always possible when you have a global company looking to turn an idea into a profit.

3) Designing a website is one thing, but maintaining and enhancing it is another. Web design agencies also offer maintenance services which include SEO (search engine optimization), SEO audit, customer relationship management, and social media management—again, to name a few.

4) A design agency is based in an office with other employees who can help you with site improvements. However, if you are working with a web development firm, there may be only one or two people working on your project. They will be doing all the work themselves, making it impossible for them to handle changes or enhance your site.

5) If you are hiring a web design agency, you will allow them to hit the ground running. You will notice the difference in quality quickly, mainly if your company or brand displays a certain level of importance or high standards.

6) With awebsite design agency, you can expect an end-to-end solution that includes design and development. If you are working with a web development firm, they may only be able to perform one of these things—for example, the design followed by development.

7) A design agency can use its resources to improve your site permanently, and its work is complete once they launch your site online. On the other hand, a web development firm may only have time to perform the initial phase of site design before they have to move on to the next project.

8) Choosing a design agency means that they will be doing all the work themselves. However, if you are working with a web development firm, you will likely give them more responsibilities besides your site, including marketing and SEO campaigns.

9) If your company or brand is large, then there are hundreds upon hundreds of websites that display similar characteristics. A website design agency can spot these similarities quickly—giving them an advantage over a web development firm, which may not be able to recognize these minor details as well as they could.