How to choose a web design agency

Choosing who builds your website is a bigger decision than it looks, and the two obvious shortcuts, pick the cheapest quote or pick the biggest name, are usually both wrong. Here is what actually matters.

Start with the work, not the pitch. A good studio's portfolio should show real range and real results, not just handsome pictures. Ask what each project was trying to achieve and whether it actually worked. Anyone can make a screen look nice; fewer can tell you what it did for the business.

Then ask who actually does the work. At many agencies the senior people who win the pitch are not the ones who end up on your project. Ask directly who will be doing it and how senior they are. The answer tells you a great deal about what you will really get.

Judge how they think, not just how they design. The best partners ask about your business and your goals before they talk about visuals. If the first conversation is all aesthetics and no strategy, be wary, because a beautiful site built on a weak understanding is just expensive decoration.

Be clear on what is included and what is not. Brand, content, photography, build, SEO, ongoing support: some include these, some do not. Get the scope in writing so you are comparing like with like, rather than a full service against a bare build that happens to look cheaper.

Ask who actually does the work. At many agencies, the people who win the pitch are not the ones who do the job.

Watch for the red flags. No clear process, a portfolio of near-identical sites, promises that sound too good, and a reluctance ever to say no. A good studio will happily tell you when your budget and your ambition do not match, and where to trim so they do.

Weigh value over price. The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest outcome once you count what a poor site fails to earn. Judge on what the work should return, not just what it costs to make, because a site that wins you one extra client a month has paid for itself many times over.

Finally, fit matters more than people expect. You will work closely with these people for weeks. Do they listen, are they honest, do you trust them. A good working relationship is half the result.

If you are weighing up who to work with, we are happy to be one of the conversations, and to tell you honestly whether we are the right fit. Tell us about your project and we will show you how we think.