How to Choose the Right Web Design Company for 2021
Are you having difficulty deciding which web design company to hire?
With thousands of companies offering web design services, selecting the right one for your business can be a tough decision. This article aims to help you sift through your options by discussing the following points:
How do you select your website design company?
What is the Google Page Experience update for 2021 all about?
What is ADA Compliance and why does it matter?
What would make the best website design?
Your website speaks to your customers about your business and offerings. With the proper strategies, well-designed and optimized websites can help drive sales. This is why many companies invest in agencies that provide high-quality web design services as well as website optimization services.
Selecting the Right Web Design Agency
Having a stringent selection process can help you hire the right agency that provides the website design services that you need. Here are some tips to guide you in your decision-making:
Have a list of your design requirements and website goals.
Go online and build a list of reputable agencies you think might suit your needs.
Look into these agencies’ case studies, client reviews and company culture to understand the web design company’s ability to deliver.
Check their experience, years spent in the industry and expertise in curating responsive web design.
Ask what software they use to power websites and if they’ll allow any third-party platforms and tool integrations on your new site.
Check if they have other offerings outside of web design services, such as search engine optimization (SEO) or conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategies.
Discuss what their recommendations are regarding the Google Page Experience implementation in 2021.
Check the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance readiness of the websites they have designed and if they can maintain ADA compliance on your website.
Verify if they’re able to provide ongoing maintenance on your website so it is always optimized and primed for Search.
Discuss budget and timelines.
When choosing a web design company, hiring professionals that create great designs is just the start. You’ll want to hire people who have the skill and technical expertise to not only design but also optimize a website focused on providing a superior user experience (UX).
Your website should have faster page speed, seamless navigation and interactivity, stable layout, responsive web design and safe browsing. It helps to understand the new algorithm for 2021 and make sure your website is designed and developed accordingly.
Understanding the Google Page Experience Update
In May 2021, Google will be implementing the algorithm update called Page Experience. This new algorithm update includes the following ranking signals:
- Mobile-friendliness
- HTTPS security
- Safe browsing
- Intrusive interstitial guidelines
- Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals can be further divided into the following metrics:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) - This measures the time it takes for your page to load its main content.
First Input Delay (FID): This measures the interactivity of your page.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This quantifies layout and visual stability.
With these new factors potentially affecting your web traffic next year, you’ll want to hire experts who are well-versed on Google Page Experience.
Making Your Website Design ADA Compliant
Because websites are considered places of public accommodation, site owners need to make sure that they adhere to the guidelines set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Non-compliance may result in a lawsuit, so you’ll want to make sure that your website complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
Your page content and functions must be accessible to people with disabilities. Some items to implement on your website are:
- Providing text alternatives for non-text content
- Ensuring content and function accessibility using only the keyboard
- Providing detailed instructions that don’t rely on single sensory ability
Don’t get sold on widgets and automation offering a quick fix. What works best is conducting site audits and remediating appropriately.
So aside from offering website design services, the agency should also ensure your website’s ADA compliance. Consider having a web accessibility policy page on your website when planning your website design and content.
Exploring the Elements of a Great Web Design
When designing your website with your chosen agency or design professional, consider both aesthetics and user experience. Prioritize page speed, load time, personalized content, interactivity, navigation and ADA compliance as much as you prioritize your visual design elements.
Select the best website design that speaks to your brand and company values. The overarching design trend for 2021 is anything fast, clean and attractive. Utilize graphics and videos to engage your audience but make sure these elements don’t slow down your page. Always opt for a responsive web design to score well on the mobile-friendliness metric.
Many companies hire agencies that can provide more than website design services. There are digital marketing agencies that have technical expertise to create the best web design for their business, help them secure a good spot on the search engine results pages (SERPs) and their online reputation management at the same time. This comprehensive offering along with the guaranteed results can help ease the worries of companies who are looking to close more sales, scale their business and beat their competition.
