So long as there is an Internet, there will always be a need for web design. While some companies use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to promote themselves, there’s something about having a web site of their own that comes across as just a little more professional to the average consumer. For that reason, web design continues to be a field with plenty of demand.
Naturally, that also means it’s a very competitive market. A badly designed web site can turn customers away or bring a business’s seriousness into question. Web designers, therefore, have to strive to make sites that not only look appealing but scream professionalism. Yet what is it that truly makes a web design company great?
It’s Easy to Find
If your web design company is based in Miami and somebody was to type Miami web design company on a search engine, yours should be at the top of the results. While there are many search engine optimization tricks to accomplish such a goal, the best way is through establishing a reputation for quality and self-promotion. Pass around business cards to your customers and spend money on both online and physical advertising. Also, make the most of your company’s website, which of course, must itself be superbly designed. One way to attract traffic and possibly more customers is by adding a blog to the site where employees can share web design tips and samples of their work. It’s a great way to show prospective clients your skills.
It Values Excellence and Creativity
A great web design company understands that it’s important that web designers should be allowed to show ingenuity in their work, so long as they do not stray too far from the basics of good web design. Sites should be eye-catching, but also easy to browse through and navigate. The last thing a client wants is a site that reminds them of late-nineties web design.
It Places the Customers’ Wants First
While creativity on a web designer’s part is a good thing, what’s most important is that the customer’s needs and desires are satisfied. If a customer is struggling to define a clear vision for what they want for the site, try to guide them by asking useful questions. At the end of the day, however, while there is some room to experiment, the customer always has the final say.
It Has a Healthy Office Environment
It should be the norm in all workspaces, but too many offices have fallen victims to warring egos and unjust treatment over the years. If you’re working with others in a physical office daily, you have the great advantage of being able to work on projects as a team and learn from one another. Don’t waste that opportunity on petty rivalries and instead make the most of your collaborations: encourage each other and offer constructive criticism that can help everyone improve. Working with others also allows web designers to tackle more difficult projects, and often provides more avenues for career growth than working alone as a freelancer would.
It Doesn’t Keep the Customer Waiting
Da Vinci once said, “art is never finished, only abandoned.” While you may disagree, keep in mind that web sites are generally expected to be completed within a certain timeframe: constantly pushing back deadlines is bound to frustrate customers and fellow designers alike. Map out each step of the web design process, assign an allotted amount of time per day to work on each, and most importantly, put it in writing so you can your teammates will constantly have it out in front of them.
Does your web design company have these traits? If not, don’t get discouraged and take charge instead. Like any other company, if often takes time for web design businesses to become successful, and sometimes, even more, to become truly great. Think of these traits as goalposts you’re always striving to reach. And while you’re at it, think of other ways your web design company can improve, e.g. if it adapts easily to change in technology, design expectations, and the market. Perhaps that’s the sixth major trait of great web design companies: they always strive to do better, even when things are already going well.