In 2021, there were almost 4.6 billion web users across the world, and the number continues to grow! While the world is leveraging the power of the internet, how can businesses not shift from the brick-and-mortar model to a digital one?
And the first step to do so is with the help of a web design agency!
A website visitor can draw a conclusion about your business in less than a few seconds. A web design agency can help you create the first impression for your prospects that can persuade them to book a call with you.
However, the internet is flooded with hundreds of options to choose from. So how to choose a web design agency that can not only understand your vision but can translate it into reality too?
Whether it’s about designing a new website or repurposing an existing one, a web design agency can be a ‘make or break’ step in building your online presence.
How do you find the right fit?
First, let’s check out the basics of it!
Table of Contents
- What Does a Web Design Agency Do?
- How to Choose a Web Design Company?
- Step #1: Check if They Work in Your Industry
- Step #2: Finalize Your Requirements
- Step #3: Establish Your Budget
- Step #4: Check Out the Agency's Website and Portfolio
- Step #5: See Their Prior Work
- Step #6: Get in Touch with the Agency Directly
- Step #7: Demand a Great User Experience
- Step #8: Determine Which Tools They Use
- Step #9: Get to Know Their Team
- Step #10: Make Sure They Offer Optimizing and Maintenance Services
- Best Web Design Agencies to Hire in 2022
- How to Choose a Web Design Agency Takeaways
What Does a Web Design Agency Do?
A web design agency helps its customers to conceptualize, design, and develop websites. Apart from offering these services, web design agencies may also do much more than simply design.
How to Choose a Web Design Company?
Being overwhelmed with the plethora of results the search engine creates for you is obvious. Check out how you can choose a Web Design Agency with a more structured approach:
Step #1: Check If They Work in Your Industry
Taking a look at your competitors' websites, both international and local, can help you give an idea about what is the norm in your industry. This can also help you to zoom into the current trends, standards, and elements that your prospects wish to see on your website.
There could be multiple things that your prospects would want to see the first time they land on your website. This could include:
- An easy way to book appointments
- Easy and intuitive navigation
- Skimmable chunks of text
- Live chat support
- Legible typography
- Store locators to check out the store nearest to them
- Sharing options
- Social Media buttons
This can also help you implement a gap analysis to see if there are elements that your competitors are missing out on that you can provide.
Another vital thing is that the web design agencies you are considering as your parter actually have experience with brands in your industry. The familiarity with the industry’s trends, audience’s habits and changes in environment will help them do the right job for your business.
Step #2: Finalize Your Requirements
The primary factor for any website is its design, although other factors such as SEO, loading speed and usability are also vital.
Zero down on your design requirements which can help you figure out which Web Design Agency can help you with those tasks best.
These factors can be:
- The number of pages and how they will be organized
- On-brand use of colors, logos, images and other branding elements
- The number of features you want on your site
- Whether your website will have an eStore or not
- Will it include functionality aspects such as online bookings, etc.?
Look for firms that add more value by giving expert advice and not just merely agreeing to anything you say, as that will add no value to your website. An ideal Web Design Agency can help with placing these pieces of puzzles together in a way that puts you ahead of the competition.
Finalizing an outline first can also help to lay down the premise for the budget. More on that in the next point.
Step #3: Establish Your Budget
Designing a website can be an expensive investment for your business. Shelling out a massive chunk of your annual budget makes it all the more important to check if the money is well spent.
Deciding upon the scope of work can also help in finalizing the budget and also keep you informed if any other additional services are also included in the project.
This can help to ensure that you don’t end up working on the other aspects of the website all by yourself.
Some of the basic questions while discussing the budget include:
- Will the agency allow for any revisions. If yes, how many?
- Will the payment be in installments or one go?
- Are there any additional costs for the services that are out of scope?
Step #4: Check Out the Agency's Website and Portfolio
With the internet opening up floodgates of results when you type out the words "web design agency," it is important to know which is the right fit for your business.
Yet another way to check the agency’s work is by checking their website. Their website can paint a picture of their business. The way that the agency has optimized its website can help you understand how proficient they are with the ins and outs of their expertise.
Another source of knowledge about the prospective web design agency are third-party review websites, such as DesignRush, where past clients leave their ratings and impressions of their experience with the agency.
Step #5: See Their Prior Work
The proof of web design agency’s previous experience speaks louder than words or claims.
A web design experience can reveal the agency’s expertise and in-depth knowledge about what works in the industry and the current trends. Their experience may also prove that they have kept up with the changes in the industry.
Checking the agencies’ previous work, such as their clients’ websites, can help you gauge factors such as reduced bounce rates, better load times, increase in conversions, and ROI.
You can judge their work based on multiple factors such as:
- Website responsiveness and mobile usability
- The results the site was able to derive, such as unique traffic, ROI, conversion rates etc.
- Whether it is easy to read and navigate
- If the elements fit together for better brand cohesion and consistency
How can you do this?
Check out reviews and testimonials that can help you to know about the experience of their previous clients. Make sure to keep an eye on the fake ones!
Check their social media pages. A fully customized page paints a picture of a very professional brand and shows that the agency is well versed with the current practices.
Consider the case studies that the agencies have published on their website.
Check out portals such as Google My Business, Google Reviews, Facebook, and other authentic websites for more details on their previous works. You can start by searching for a web design agency on sites like Yelp too.
Step #6: Get in Touch with the Agency Directly
Getting in touch with the agency can help you to understand how they communicate with their clients. Communicating with your prospective agency can also allow you to know how prompt and responsive they are to inquiries.
Getting in touch can include a detailed Q&A session that can define your expectations and if the agency is capable of delivering them. This detailed discussion can help you figure out how to choose a web designer.
Further, this can help you iron out the details of branding and design needs. Clearing up things in the first discussions will help you save time in further iterations.
It is important to communicate a vision to the agency because the agency is an expert at their job, it is you who knows what and to whom you are selling.
Step #7: Demand a Great User Experience
It takes a lot to create a web and app design that converts: easy navigation, user-friendly elements, mobile responsiveness, and optimized search engines are just the tip of the iceberg.
Offering an excellent custom website’s user experience requires the agency to showcase its prowess in multiple aspects of creating a website. The process should be a mix of every component which includes content, design, SEO, and web development. These further dives deep into the possibilities of whether the content fits well into the design.
This paves the way for yet another sub-factor — whether the website is responsive to the device a visitor uses to access it. A responsive web design is a crucial factor that diverts more traffic to your site than those of your competitors.
Step #8: Determine Which Tools They Use
With the changing digital landscapes, a web design agency should stay on top of the tools and software required to deliver adequate web design results.
In order to look like your website offers up-to-date solutions, your website shouldn't end up looking like it was created ages back.
The tools that the agency uses such as the CRM tools can speak volumes about the Web Design Agency. Check out how well equipped they are with knowledge of the current digital trends. This shows how well they can tweak your website according to your requirements.
Knowing whether advanced technology is used or not will help you keep a finger on if the agency is cutting corners on something else too!
Step #9: Get to Know Their Team
Since it’s not just going to be an agency, it’s going to be a team of people with whom you will be communicating your views, feedback, and briefs.
As opposed to a popular belief, a bigger team may not always mean a better one. Smaller teams too might have experts and can provide you with quality services. A smaller team can also make communications easy for you.
Ensure that your team is more focused and is not overburdened with multiple projects at hand at a time. This can give the team enough time to be wholeheartedly dedicated to your project.
Further understanding of the Web Design Agency’s process can also help. This can also entail drawing a boundary on how long it will take to create the website.
Your team should also be experts in multiple industries which can help them with a broad knowledge of multiple niches.
Getting in touch with the team can help you figure out what to look for in a Web Designer as well as the team holistically.
Step #10: Make Sure They Offer Optimizing and Maintenance Services
Just as much as it is difficult to build a website, it is equally difficult to keep up with the ongoing changes the changing trends.
They need to be proficient with the current nuances such as off-site and on-site SEO, rankings, traffic, citations, link-building, and much more.
Keeping up with all these web designing lessons is all the more important for the website to be designed by professionals who are proficient with the conversion-driven aspects of the website too. Not only one that is aesthetic rather performs its overall functions conversions.
Best Web Design Agencies to Hire in 2022
1. Joombooz
- Location: Nis, Serbia
- Average Hourly Rate: $30
- Expertise: Website Development, WordPress Development, WordPress Website Design, SEO...
Founded in 2011, Joombooz agency has been working with domestic and international clients needing services in web programming, website design and digital marketing. They use programming languages PHP, MySQL, C#, HTML5, JavaScript,jQuery, AJAX and CSS3 in creating their web-based solutions.
The agency works with business partners that want better business results, greater sales and advertising of their products, strive to be ahead of the competition and to raise their business to a higher level.
Joombooz clients include Kudaici.rs, MediaPress, ITnetwork.rs and others.
2. Icepick
- Location: 12650 N Beach St Suite 114-928, Keller, Texas 76244, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $100/hr
- Expertise: WordPress Development, Local SEO, eCommerce SEO, Enterprise SEO, Small Business SEO, Law Firm SEO, SEO, UI/UX Design...
Icepick is an outstanding choice for those looking to take their online business pages to the next level, focused on building clean, modern websites and driving the maximum traffic to your site.
Specializing in everything from WordPress web development to online B2B marketplaces such as Shopify, and SEO optimization, to name a few, Icepick will take your platform from A to B in the best possible way.
Having helped hundreds of clients revamp their online presence, Icepick is sure to provide you with a stellar website and top-notch SEO strategies.
3. Lighthouse Web Design, Inc.
- Location: 505 Parkwood Dr., Windsor, Colorado 80550, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $75/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, Digital Marketing, SEO, Social Media Marketing.
Based in the Colorado region, Lighthouse Web Design takes care of all your web design needs.
By creating clean, seamless, mobile-friendly and professional sites, Lighthouse Web Design will showcase your business's unique story, allowing you to stand out from the competition in your industry.
What makes Lighthouse Web Design a great choice, is that by opting to have them take your business page from A to B, you have the opportunity to add in some nifty extras to take your business even further. This includes social media marketing, SEO optimization, and digital marketing services.
4. Alt Creative
- Location: 3571 Far West Blvd #197, Austin, Texas 78731, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $150/hr
- Expertise: Branding, Web Design, Website Development, WordPress Website Design
At Alt Creative, they take the time to learn about their client's design needs and their company. Whether they need a new website or help marketing a current one, these specialists believe that communicating your brand and value to the customer is the top priority. They create quality designs and execute high-level marketing strategies driven by content and messaging.
The owner and Project Manager of Alt Creative manage the team of freelancers and experts while proving excellent customer service and timely, reliable communication with their clients. They have the resources to complete tasks far more quickly than a typical project manager-led agencies.
Alt Creative clients include United Way Austin, Greenleaf Book Group, People Biz Inc and Scalable.
5. The Xcite Group
- Location: 4401 S. Quebec St., Suite 101, Denver, Colorado 80237, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $150/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, Digital Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, PPC...
Xcite Group works with companies that have invested in their websites but are frustrated that they are not producing the results which they had hoped for. Their services include website development, paid search management (PPC), search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing. The goal is to help drive new customers and turn your website into one of your best-performing salespeople.
The Xcite Group is a Google certified, full-service, digital marketing and SEO agency. They take a holistic look at all available data and pay close attention to consumer behaviors in today’s multi-device, always connected world in order to help keep their clients' websites and their company in front of your audience when they need you.
Their clients include Ideal Home Loans, Sierra South Mountain Sports and Peregrin Global Services.
6. Infinite Ideas Web Design
- Location: 2905 141 Street SW, Edmonton, T6W 3M4, Canada
- Average Hourly Rate: $80/hr
- Expertise: Small Business Website Design, WordPress Website Design, Website Development, Responsive Website Design...
Infinite Ideas Web Design is an end-to-end full-service digital marketing and web design provider. Their expertise, forward-thinking and data-driven approach guarantees unique strategies that push companies beyond the limits and help them succeed.
The agency stands for quality, innovation, professionalism and most importantly, taking care of details. Their website designs are the most effective way to present your ideas online with a fast load, device responsive, SEO integration and SSL certification.
Infinite Ideas Web Design clients include La Nova Nails, Canadian Raw Food, Canadian Attitude and Esparzas Concrete.
7. Banah Digital
- Location: 208 New Upper Changi Road S460208, Singapore, 460208, Singapore
- Average Hourly Rate: $25/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, Responsive Website Design, Small Business Website Design, eCommerce Web Design...
Banah’s web design services create opportunities for young talent to hone their web development skills through real-world practice. In the process, they receive super-hands-on mentoring by an experienced web designer throughout the entire project so that you will always receive excellent results.
Furthermore, their Banah Process ensures that distance is not an obstacle to their commitment to quality. They pride ourselves in being a cross-cultural web design agency that excels in working remotely.
Banah's clients include Access Official SG, Trooper Moo and YGOS.
8. Blossom Marketing
- Location: 6842 Heatherway Court, Alexandria, Virginia 22315, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $100/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, Web Development, Digital Marketing, Legal Digital Marketing, SEO, Social Media Marketing...
To provide services with respect, class and expertise at the forefront of Blossom Marketing’s mission, clients can expect tasteful and totally on-brand marketing strategies to emerge from their projects.
Established in 2017, Blossom Design has since honed its skills in social media management, email marketing, AdWords, social media & Google ads, and SEO optimization.
Blossom Designs’ highly-skilled experts work 100% remotely, making them comfortable working across various time zones and proving that your project will be handled around the clock.
Some of Blossom Marketing’s most notable clients include Generark, Pella Windows, SleepCoCo and Kuumba Made.
9. Exemplifi.io
- Location: 871 Sycamore Drive, Palo Alto, California 94303, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $75/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, eCommerce Development, Web Development, WordPress Development, Drupal Development...
Exemplifi prides itself in delivering custom-made websites that will fit its customer needs to a tee while using the latest technologies to accomplish its projects.
With the understanding that today’s websites need to be agile, tailored and multi-lingual, Exemplifi goes above and beyond to fulfill lead generation and cultivate relationships. Moreover, with their expertise on platforms such as Adobe Experience Manager, WordPress, Sitecore and many more, there is no limit to what Exemplifi can do for their clients.
Exemplifi’s work can be seen throughout their rich, global client list, including VANS, Phillips, Bose, Mercedes, Pepsi, NISSAN, FILA, and the list goes on.
10. Stratistry
- Location: 400 N. Ervay Street #130625, Dallas, Texas 75313-0625, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $150/hr
- Expertise: 360° Digital Services, Branding, Video Production, Public Relations, Advertising, Creative, Web Design...
If there’s one thing that Stratistry knows about creating the perfect website for their clients, it’s the importance of target market insights to construct the best site pages that will not only relay your brand message but give you an edge in your industry.
By combining the above with a robust digital marketing strategy and the latest technologies, Stratistry offers exceptional marketing campaigns, lead generation, data insights and revenue growth.
Stratistry’s client list includes Worldwide Market Research, Shamrock Farms, The Discovery Well, CTL Thompson and Plant Juice Oils.
11. Unidev
- Location: 18102 Chesterfield Airport Road, Unit K, Chesterfield, Missouri 63005, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: Inquire
- Expertise: Mobile App Development, Website Development, WordPress Website Design, PPC, Software Development, and Staff Augmentation.
Unidev is the perfect partner for all of your web, software, and mobile app development needs.
Founded in Chesterfield, Missouri in 1990, Unidev has since established a reputation of professionalism and excellence that has made it the go-to development agency for businesses in need of quality solutions.
Unidev takes the time to get to know its clients and their business before providing a tailored solution that meets their individual needs. Unidev prides itself on delivering projects on time and within budget while never sacrificing quality - all thanks to low overhead costs, competitive pricing, and streamlined workflows.
And with 24/7 live support available after launch, Unidev will always be here to provide ongoing maintenance and support whenever you need it.
12. My Super Site
- Location: Nadejda, Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria
- Average Hourly Rate: $50/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, WordPress Website Design, WooCommerce Development, Dental Website Design, Law Firm Web Design, Responsive Website Design, Real Estate Web Design, Small Business Website Design, eCommerce Development, eCommerce Web Design, Small Business eCommerce Development, and SEO.
My Super Site is a web design and development agency based in Sofia, Bulgaria.
It was founded in 2018 and works with top B2B companies (one of which is Women in Tech) throughout the region. My Super Site puts strategy first when creating great websites that deliver results.
Expert services include web design, WordPress web design, responsive web design, and eCommerce development for industries such as medicine and law; as well as SEO optimization to increase targeted traffic for clients.
My Super Site draws from its experience creating successful websites for other businesses like yours to develop the perfect site for each customer's needs.
13. Next Big Technology
- Location: GA 18 Bhawani Nagar Sikar Road, Jaipur, 302039, India
- Average Hourly Rate: $20/hr
- Expertise: Web Design and Mobile App Development.
Next Big Technology (NBT) is an agency based in Jaipur, India, and was founded in 2009.
By utilizing the latest technologies, NBT provides website design and mobile app development services to its clients which include Codelogix, Techspark, and Garys. On top of that, their team consists of 30+ professional experts with a whole range of skill sets to give clients the best results possible.
With a knowledgeable approach to problem-solving, Next Big Technology has established itself as a leader in website application development over the years.
14. Law SEO Pros
- Location: Arizona, United States, Tucson, Arizona 85649, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $100/hr
- Expertise: Digital Marketing, Legal Digital Marketing, SEO, and PPC.
Law SEO Pros is the digital marketing agency that attorneys in Tucson, Arizona, turn to when they are looking to increase their online presence.
Founded in 2019, Law SEO Pros has a team of experts who specialize in optimizing search engine results and website design to help you stand out from your competitors. Its services range from SEO, Local SEO, Immigration Law Firm Marketing, Lawyer PPC and Map Pack Ads—up to Google Screened Ads and Website Design.
With years of experience and design acumen within the legal and real estate industries, Law SEO Pros' professionals know how to present and market your law firm's website with the utmost professionalism necessary.
15. MultiQoS Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
- Location: 624, Gala Empire, Drive In Rd, Gurukul, Ahmedabad, 380052, India
- Average Hourly Rate: $12/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, Mobile App Development, Android App Development, and iPhone App Development.
MultiQoS Technologies, founded in 2020 and based in Ahmedabad, India, is a web and app development agency that is dedicated to offering the best service when it comes to clients' web or mobile application development needs.
MultiQoS is well-equipped with expertise in such various fields as mobile app development and website design/development as well as UI/UX design. Through these services, MultiQoS has already completed projects such as building an e-learning app for kids, creating a toy store app and developing an app for beauty & salon businesses—all with the highest quality standards of customer satisfaction.
MultiQoS stands out with unparalleled dedication to effectively capturing customers' needs while still providing creative solutions that are consistent with market demands.
16. Odd Duck Media
- Location: 11703 Huebner Rd, Ste 106-452, San Antonio, Texas 78230, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $80/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, Responsive Website Design, Small Business Website Design, WordPress Website Design, Digital Marketing, Healthcare Digital Marketing, Legal Digital Marketing, Small Business Digital Marketing, SEO, PPC, Social Media Marketing, and Content Marketing.
Odd Duck Media is your one-stop shop for all your digital marketing needs in San Antonio.
This full-service agency has been dominating the industry since it was founded back in 2016 and has truly established itself as one of the most professional and innovative digital marketing companies South of Dallas.
Odd Duck Media shines by offering highly customized services for each client, such as SEO, PPC, web design, content marketing, and more! With a team of professionals who understand exactly what it takes to build a successful business brand in the digital space today, Odd Duck Media is a partner you can trust.
From working with businesses such as RNR Auto Glass to Provenir Healthcare and The Gilbert Law Office, Odd Duck Media’s innovative approach never fails to impress.
17. Online Presence Manager
- Location: 4500 140th Ave North Suite 101, Clearwater, Florida 33762, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $125/hr
- Expertise: Web Design, Dental Website Design, Law Firm Web Design, Responsive Website Design, Small Business Website Design, WordPress Website Design, Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing for Startups, Small Business Digital Marketing, SEO, PPC, Social Media Marketing, and Content Marketing.
Online Presence Manager is the perfect choice for businesses looking to boost their online presence and digital marketing.
Founded in 2013, Online Presence Manager is a Managed Services & Web Design agency based in Clearwater, Florida that specializes in SEO and Local SEO Strategies. Whether it's designing an all-new website, managing online public relations, or creating content strategies, Online Presence Manager can help you with it all.
Online Presence Manager boasts numerous impressive clients such as Red Rover Service, Weidner Law, and Fairway Pizza's – just to name of few – who have benefitted from the company's outstanding web design and development services along with expertise in SEO, reputation management, directory ownership and more.
Online Presence Manager provides comprehensive managed services that make sure you stay one step ahead of the competition.
18. Seasia Infotech
- Location: 5858 Horton Street, Suite 101, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
- Average Hourly Rate: $25/hr
- Expertise: Product Design, eCommerce Development, WooCommerce Development, Mobile App Development, Website Development, Social Media Marketing, and Software Development.
Seasia Infotech is one of the rare CMMI Level 5 Certified Companies based in Emeryville, California that has been providing software solutions - even enterprise application development services - since 2000
By creating high-end products with their experienced and passionate professionals, Seasia has built up trust from clients all over the world. Their product design expertise includes eCommerce development, mobile app development, and many other services.
Seasia is proud to have worked with some of the biggest names such as Renault, Harley-Davidson, HP, and Microsoft to provide them with exceptional IT solutions.
With Seasia Infotech's commitment to delivering optimal IT services and its consistent performance, it is no wonder why they are an award-winning agency.
How to Choose a Web Design Agency Takeaways
Designing a website revolves around specific audience demands, demographics, an industry that you cater to, and other aspects that need to be addressed when building a stellar website that converts.
While your website should be informative and compelling, it should also be responsive, fast-loading and on-brand. When faced with hundreds of options from the search engine or a website design agency directory, rushing is simply not an option. A strategic and thoughtful approach can make all the difference when choosing the right web design agency.
