We have a lot to thank the internet for: instant access to weird and wonderful pieces of information; television shows and movies at the click of a mouse; and innovative technologies which are doing their bit to disrupt almost every industry in the world.
With the internet has also come the unique opportunity for professionals to provide their services to a global audience. Writers, web designers, software developers and translators are just a few of many services offered by large corporations, smaller agencies and individual freelancers.
Although this is great news for the professionals offering their services, it makes the job of tracking down the right candidate much harder. Just because somebody claims to be a professional does not make it so, and it can be hard to figure this out when you are dealing with smaller agencies and individuals.
Finding the Right Web Developers in Birmingham
When you are in the market for a new website, finding a web design agency with the professional expertise and experience to get the job done right is crucial.
If you don’t spend time looking for the right agency to take the job on and go with the first one that comes to mind, you can quite easily end up paying a premium for a sub-par result… and that’s before you fork out a second time for somebody to do the job properly!
So, when everybody is an expert, how do you find the right design agency for your business? It’s never an easy decision, however, you can make the job a lot easier by following these simple tips.
1. Stick to your local area first
Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, chances are that you will have a few professional web developers or agencies in your local area. Luckily, Birmingham is a major city and there are plenty of web design agencies for you to consider. If you look hard enough, you are sure to find the right web development company in Birmingham.
Staying local is always a good idea: a web developer with a local presence has not only the skills to build your website, but local knowledge which can go a long way into optimising your new website for the local area, so that it resonates with the people who live there, people who are likely to be your target market.
Consumers tend to prefer supporting local businesses over national or international brands and chains. If a potential customer living within the city can instantly see that you are Birmingham-based business, you are far more likely to secure their custom than if your site was just as generic as any other.
2. Prioritise demonstratable experience over everything else
Experience is not always the most important thing, however, it is a good indicator of quality and you should always be looking at design agencies who can demonstrate their expertise with real, live examples.
If an agency’s website does not have a portfolio which displays previous client work, then ask to see some examples. By looking at a portfolio of work, you can get a real feel for if that agency is suitable for you by considering –
- Whether their in-house design fits what you are looking for
- If, based on their portfolio, the agency can develop the features you need
- Whether their websites are robust, responsive and intuitive
- Whether the agency has worked with clients from your industry
Some design agencies have portfolios which do not reflect their latest projects. Again, ask to see these– there is nothing wrong with this and most will be happy to show off their latest website designs.
Globalgraphics – a website development agency in Birmingham – are a great example of an established name who have worked with thousands of clients of all sizes operating across various industries.
3. Have a look at the different services offered
Sometimes you need more than a one-off design for your new website… if you know you need more, then you should be looking for more! There is certainly no lack of options when it comes to finding agencies which offer a comprehensive range of services.
From the initial development and maintenance of your website to the creation of mobile apps and deployment of marketing strategies, there are agencies out there which do everything you can possibly think of, and then some.
If you do not have the skills necessary to maintain your website when it has been deployed, then you should only be working with a full-service agency which can provide ongoing support for it.
When you use a full-service agency such as Globalgraphics – the leading web developer in Birmingham – you benefit from the convenience of only working with one agency for all your web-related needs.
4. Check that the agency produces modern websites
By modern websites, we are talking about responsive websites. Well over 50% of today’s mobile traffic is mobile-based and, as a result, it is imperative that your website is optimised for display on all mobile devices on the market.
It is so important, in fact, that Google are soon to implement their Mobile First Index which will penalise websites which aren’t responsive and mobile optimised by removing them from search engine results pages.
Getting ahead on the internet today requires the use of a responsive theme and it is on you to check that the web design agency with which you are working produces them as standard. You can easily test this out by visiting an agency’s portfolio sites on a mobile device.
The leading web developer in Birmingham – Globalgraphics – always produce responsive websites optimised for mobile.
Looking for a decent web design agency who can take on the task of producing a modern, responsive website which is locally optimised and helps you stand out among your competitors is no easy task, however, it is absolutely necessary. By exercising due diligence and doing your research, you can avoid running into problems and stay ahead of the curve.
