8 Quick Tips for Finding the Right Web Development Company for Your Business

Hiring the right web development company can do a ton for your online presence. For most businesses today, the first interaction that their potential customers have with them is through the company’s website. And because first impressions matter, it is necessary that your website is as responsive to their needs as possible. This refers to key features such as fast load time, good design, and easy navigation. Also, it needs to function as good on mobile devices as it does on desktops.

When either of the above factors is below par, you are likely to lose a significant portion of your potential customers to your competitor with a better website. As such, you need an excellent website to thrive in the online world.

The difference between a successful and mediocre website is the level of detail, skill, and resources that have been directed towards developing it. This is why you should consider hiring a professional and reputable web development company. But how do you choose the right one out of the thousands out there, with each claiming to be the best? This article will discuss how to choose the best website development partner for you.

Selecting the Right Web Development Company

Before embarking on your search, you need to do some basic research so you can know what features and services you want from the website. Some things to consider include:

• Business Strategy development
• Branding
• Defining your web persona
• UX and UI design
• Customised features
• CMS implementation
• Frontend development
• Backend development
• Digital marketing
• Content strategy

The above need various skill sets and competencies to achieve, and you are unlikely to find one person who can do all the above excellently.

Web development agencies have teams of people skilled in various aspects of website development working together to ensure that they create the best product possible. As a result, they are able to keep your overall costs down since everything is being handled by the agency.

Upon determining the scope of your project, your budget, and the timeline within which the website should be built, you can now start your search for the right partner. Here are some ways to use to find web development companies:

• Ask for referrals from friends, colleagues, or business partners who have good websites
• Do an internet search
• Check local business directories such as Google Business Listings

After identifying a couple of prospects, vet them using the following criteria to get the best fit for you.

Criteria for Choosing a Web Development Company

1. Look at their Website

Review the company’s own website design. Would you like your website to look and behave in a similar fashion? Does their website have a fast load time? Does it contain a clear call to actions? Is it easy to navigate through the site? Does it rank highly in the search results?

Another key factor to consider when reviewing their website is to look at how it performs on mobile devices. With more than 50 percent of all internet searches being done via mobile devices, it is absolutely critical that a website is optimised to respond excellently to mobile web browsers to ensure you do not lose traffic and potential conversions.

2. Expertise

As an entrepreneur looking to get their website built, it is necessary to invest in learning about basic web development concepts so you understand the ins and outs of what you are looking for. If you can’t, then hire somebody to assist you in the search and interview process. The money you will use to hire someone knowledgeable about web development might save you thousands of dollars down the line.

You need to understand the reasoning behind why one company chooses to use a specific technology or methodology. For example, are they choosing a certain programming language because it is the only one they are proficient in?

This is where you get to evaluate your potential website company’s capabilities, and this is why you need to have some basic level understanding of web development or have someone help you so you can ask the right technical questions.

3. Experience

Evaluate their level of experience by first checking their portfolio pages and reviewing the various highlighted projects. Any company that is worth their salt is going to have a project or portfolio section where they show the various projects that they have been involved in.

Ask the company to tell you about their exact involvement in the projects that you find intriguing. Did they do both the design and development, or did they just do design? Are they still offering support and maintenance services to this day?

An experienced agency knows all the best development workflows, methodologies, and processes needed to make a stellar website.

4. Check Reviews, Ratings, and Customer Feedback

Any web development company that is worth talking to should have a section where customers leave their reviews or testimonies. As such, ensure to look keenly into the company’s profile.

If you have come across the agency by means of referral, ask the person recommending the company about the pros and cons of working with the agency. Ensure that you listen closely to the cons so you can be sure that you are willing to accommodate them.

If you used other means to get to know about the website developing company, ask them for references that you can contact so you can hear about their experiences with the company.

5. Read up on Case Studies

Reputable web development agencies usually go the extra mile to present case studies of their works to potential clients. And because there might be an element of bias, they need to be able to demonstrate they have the expertise and ability to do what they claim to have done.

As such, the case study needs to detail the development briefly from start to finish, so that you can get a better idea of what to expect when you choose them. If they have no case studies available, it is probable that they might not be too proud of their previous work. This, of course, is a red flag to look out for when choosing a company.

6. Do they Offer Support?

Web development does not end with the site going live. This is because once it goes live, you will quickly identify changes that you will want to be done. As such, you do not want to start hiring again just for those changes to be done.

A good agency will continue to offer you support long after they finish the project to ensure that you are satisfied with the product.

7. Consider Other Services

A good website development company does more than just offer development services, they also offer a wide array of services that complement the website. These might include copywriting, and other digital marketing services.

Having everything done by one agency is extremely beneficial as it ensures a cohesive approach to the project thus eliminating chances of errors in addition to getting a bargain on the overall cost of the project.

8. Compatibility

While it is crucial that you find a good web developer, finding a company who you can get along with easily is also as essential. This is because you will be entering into a long-term partnership and, thus, if it is people you can get on with easily, life will be easier for everyone.

Your website is the online representation of your business. As such, it needs to portray your values in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. This can only be achieved using professional help that comes with a web development company. Utilise the above tips to get the best development agency for you.