Need a fantastic business website? Concerned about the online reach and exposure of your business? How do you know the right website development agency?
It is not just about being good and having nice reviews. A bad web design can discourage prospective customers and scare them away.
How can your business Stand out?
And the painful thing is if the business website is bad enough, you would not get feedback from your online visitors, making you think all is well.
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The worst nightmare could occur as a result – the random Fiverr ‘website guru’ using backdoor access to tamper with your website in a bid to bring you back to him.
Or your business website could be infected by a really bad, bad virus. So you would have to painfully start from scratch.
Having a great business website involves a lot of factors, and who helps you make one really matters. If you want to have fewer complaints and more positive reviews, you would want to be helped by someone that really knows what he is doing.
Well, I have good news.
Step by step, I’ll walk you through how to choose the right website development agency that’s right for your business.
Whether you’re looking at having a one-paged website soon, or a strong ECommerce store, there’s an option for you.
Create goals and have realistic outcomes
Most people do not really know what having a website means and what it involves. That’s not right.
Why?
They have unrealistic expectations for their website and think a small budget can create a working, ‘patched-up’ website.
Not everybody needs a business website. But here are some reasons why businesses, brands, and individuals should have a website.
Reason#1: You are a Freelancer
Let’s say you are a graphics designer or you’re really good with content writing.
You have had some gigs which were successful. You were paid and given good reviews.
Things are going well. You are making good money online.
Your business is doing well and you live off referrals. And that’s when things go bad.
Suddenly, there is a period of silence. You do not have a platform to showcase yourself and your works.
I know it sounds crazy but this is reality.
When you get started out, you work for people from your circle or groups you are in. But after some time, there’s no ‘new customer’ that you can find.
You desperately need to document your previous works, showcase your positive reviews, brands you have worked with, and the fact that you are open to gigs.
If you are experiencing something like this, you need to have a website.
If you have a business website, your portfolio can be viewed by everyone anywhere and you are in control of what people see, the quality and size of your photos, and how people interact with those photos.
Reason #2: You need to save time in your business
Michelangelo, the Italian sculptor said, “There is no greater harm than that of time wasted”.
Whether you’re trading emails, taking calls, or sending out proposals – communicating with potential customers takes time.
Your website can save you that time by providing answers to common customer questions and inquiries.
What does this mean for you?
You can spend your time doing more valuable things. You would not have to reanswer the same question over and over again.
Reason #3: Your business needs credibility
The 21st-century consumer is a skeptic.
More and more people are searching online for things they want, for solutions to their problems, to compare prices, or just to get some information about a store, restaurant or business before they purchase from them.
With careful planning, designed responsively, and with your customers’ needs in mind, your website will provide a professional image and give potential customers a great experience when they visit.
Whether it’s on their computer, their tablet, or their mobile phone, they can trust your business.
A business website acts as your digital business card.
People can reference it again and again for things like contact information, names of employees, services offered, and more.
Reason #4: You need to be accessible every time
Unlike your business, which most likely does not operate or communicate with customers after-hours, your business website stays open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
This means that even when your staff is not available to interact with people looking to do business with you, your website is accessible and able to provide helpful information, serve as a point of contact or even allow customers to
make purchases or submit orders.
Your business website can be available 24/7/365 even when you’re not. A business website acts as your “always-on” business advocate during and outside of office hours.
If you would want this possibility, you should consider having a business website.
5 Characteristics That Make a Great Website Development Agency
Not all agencies can think of, let alone develop professional and standard Business websites. A reason for this is that it requires specialized skills and vast experience.
So, how do you recognize those who can not only develop a fantastic website unique to your business but can also implement it for maximum results?
Such agencies are experts at giving you a website that’s beautiful, functional, and safe for you to use without fear of breaking the code while attempting upgrades.
They have some characteristics I’ll discuss below.
1. They have a great identity online
Running a search on Google will reveal so many agencies offering to build business websites for small businesses.
But have they achieved what you are trying to achieve?
You need to go for an agency or company that clearly communicates its vision- the way you would want yours to do to your online users.
If a company has a poorly designed website with a bad experience and they claim to be a website development agency, there’s only one thing you should do, my friend.
What is it?
FLEE. RUN.
2. They know how to use a CMS
A quick sign that the web design company is stuck in the stone age, is if they discourage a Content Management System.
You need a CMS for your website if you do not know how to code. Without it, you’ll be at a significant disadvantage in the marketplace.
Any web design agency worth anything at all is familiar with the best content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, Magento, and the likes.
If your designer suggests Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly, politely thank them for their time and move on to a web design company that does not use “10-minute-do-it-at-home” software.
3. They have a Portfolio and reviews
A bad website development company will hide negative reviews- because that’s all they have and the reviews will bar more victims from finding them.
You would need to see what they have done and previous sites that have been built to know if they know what they are saying.
4. They understand Responsive Website Development
Here’s what the responsiveness of a website means:
Responsive web design makes your web page look good on all devices.
While sometimes, a separate mobile site might have some advantages, responsive web design is generally the preferred solution.
As mobile usage continues to grow, you need to be sure your business website is optimized for every device.
If a web design agency isn’t well-versed in responsive design or suggests a separate mobile website is always better, then they should not be topping your list of choices.
5. They listen to your plan
Your business is in the industry. As such, you know what you’re selling, and you have some idea of how you want to present your business/product to visitors.
While they will help you with the real work, no one knows your business better than you do.
A good website development agency must listen to your needs and deliver what you want.
How to Find the Best Website Development Agency for you
To choose a website development agency that’s right for you, I recommend you start with these steps:
- Know your desired functions and the appearance of the website.
- Make sure the agencies on your shortlist specialize in these goals.
- Pick the one that best resonates with your idea.
To make the selection process much easy for you, you’ll find the best website development agencies below.
A Website Development Agency You Can Trust
Acanbi – Best for small businesses and organization websites.
No doubt, a beautiful design is attractive. But a beautiful design without stable and fantastic functionality doesn’t yield long-term success.
Ideally, you’d have both. Great design and smooth functions, depending on what you want and need.
At Acanbi, we excel at developing amazing web experiences that customers will always want to come back to.
I truly believe we have one of the best Website Development services in the world. We’d be a great fit if you really want to go for it.
Quite a few individuals have picked us to do just that. It’s so easy to start a conversation with us!
Having a great Business Website does not have to be Hard
Finding the right web design agency isn’t the easiest job you have as a business owner.
If you’re starting the process, my golden advice is to start asking around. Other business owners have been down this road, ask them about their web design experiences and the companies they have used.
If you’d like to use a local company, search online by Googling “Business Web Design _______” (fill in the name of your feature) and take a look at the top companies.
Pay close attention to reviews and watch out for fake, spammy ones. If you see someone you know that has left a review for the company, reach out to them and find out firsthand about their experiences.
If you decide you like what you see and hear, schedule a meeting to speak with someone at the company about your growing business.
A good web design company doesn’t fear bad-mouth competition. In fact, the best web designers are confident in their abilities and know the good companies from the bad. They will be honest with you and admit if they are not a good fit for your business website and may be able to recommend a company that is a better fit.
Once you find the right web design company that you can trust to achieve your goals, it becomes a lot easier and you can focus on what you do best.
Do you have questions? Please ask in the comments section.
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