December 10, 2019

Top Thirty-Five Reasons To Hire A Web Design Agency In 2020

At the dawn of a new decade, the digital landscape continues to evolve. Social media, mobile optimization, video integration, and other changes mean you’re constantly adapting your approach to your company's digital footprint. However, one aspect of the modern business remains constant: the need for an appealing website. Though there are dozens of free website builders and hundreds of amateur web designers clamoring for your attention, if you want to remain competitive in the digital space, you need to hire a web design agency to handle your website. If you’re not sure why it matters, consider these 35 reasons that a professional designer is your best choice for website creation and maintenance as you head into 2020. 1. More Design Options If you look online, you are sure to find dozens of sites that offer free web design services via “easy-to-use” templates and ready-made site shells. While these templates don't require much in the way of prior knowledge, you are very limited in your design options. A web design company can design your site in any way you want, so your online potential isn’t limited by a stock template. In practical terms, this means you aren't restricted in the type of content you post, nor do you have to worry about format restrictions. 2. Unique Appearance The other problem with using a template service for web design is that all of their sites start to feel the same. There are only so many ways a template can be reconfigured, and the more popular the template, the more likely it is that your layout will look just like someone else's. If you hire a web design agency, you know your site will be unique from top to bottom. Because of the extraordinary design potential, there are plenty of ways to put your stamp on the project. What’s more, when working with designers, you have a significant amount of control over the site's look and feel. 3. On-Trend Designs Have you ever been back to a website designed in the late 1990s or early 2000s? Flashing fonts and rotating images were all the rage in the early days of the web, but now those elements feel dated and out of place. Even a site that is only four or five years old can have an out-dated feeling because trends in web design evolve quickly. When you hire a web design company, you are hiring someone up-to-date with the latest trends, ensuring your site will have a modern, vibrant aesthetic. With only seconds to capture the attention of your customers, you don't want a weak, out-dated design to be the reason they leave your site. 4. Digital Rebranding and Reimaging Creating images for your website and your brand is 60% creativity, 40% science. You need to have a good understanding of art and lines to create a visually appealing image. Still, a healthy helping of science knowledge can help you build an image that resonates with the psychological profile of your customers. New business owners are often shocked at how much simple modification of their brand images can alter someone’s perception of their company. A web design company can assist you in rebranding and reimaging by providing your site and other marketing materials with a sleek, custom design that is all your own. 5. Audience Targeted Designs Not all websites are appealing to every customer or demographic. A younger consumer typically wants to see more motion and has no trouble interacting with objects on the screen that act as links (like. clicking on a tire to take them to a page with information on tire purchases). On the other hand, older customers typically want a more streamlined web experience, with clear menus and direct flow from item to checkout. You have some insight into the type of customers your company targets, as well as who purchases your products or services, but a web designer will know how those demographics shape what consumers want in a website. Utilizing the designer's knowledge about your audience will generate a website that meets the expectations of your customers. 6. Eye-Catching at First Glance In the modern digital ecosystem, business success is driven by your ability to catch the consumer's eye in a matter of seconds. Studies have shown the average user makes a decision about whether or not to stay on a site in the first 15 seconds of landing on a site page, so you don't have much time to make an excellent first impression. A professionally designed site ensures you put your best foot forward for every customer. The designs are exciting in a way that entices customers to explore your content. 7. More Effective, Efficient Designs Having the right information and the right products/services are just the first steps in turning a site visitor into a customer. Often neglected in this process is the need for an intuitive site layout. Customers don't want to have to hunt all over the page for a “Contact Us” or “Checkout” button, nor do they want to see all of their progress lost on their search or shopping cart when they hit the “Back” button. Web designers will build effective and efficient pages that have the right links and images, in the right places, for almost every customer need. 8. Intuitive User Experience A poorly designed website stops acting as a tool for your business, and instead works to alienate and frustrate your customers. Visitors demand intuitive designs from websites with pages that flow naturally into each other and links tied together orderly. If you hire a web design agency, they will start with a clear sitemap for your entire website, and then build out from there. The sitemap provides a clear structure for the site that keeps all new additions or expansions of content consistent with the rest of the website. 9. Better Customer Retention A customer who has a bad experience on your website is hard to retain. The sheer volume of online shopping options gives consumers many other options for the same products or services you offer, and the consumer will not hesitate to explore those choices. With a properly designed website, you eliminate the most common reasons customers get frustrated or angry at your site. In the long run, if you hire a web design agency this will lower the cost of customer acquisition, creating more repeat customers for your business. 10. Lowered “Bounce Rate” The one statistic that indicates a site is underperforming is the “bounce rate.” The bounce rate metric tracks the number of people who only visit a single page on the site. Customers who “bounce” don't engage with your content or browse the things you are trying to sell. Bad designs are the primary culprit for a high bounce rate. The customer gets a wrong first impression from the site, can't see what they want on the page where they land, gets confused by the menus, etc. Fortunately, these issues can be addressed if you hire a web design agency, and will significantly improve your conversion and bounce rates. 11. More Time on Site The amount of time a visitor stays on your site has several consequences for your business. First, more time spent means more time to make a sale. Second, the longer a customer is on your page, the more likely it is you are delivering valuable content to the consumer. Third, dwell time and time on page impact your site's ranking on Google and other search engines. The two most significant issues that affect the time spent on your site are the content you have and the design of the website. Excellent content/products/services are things you, as the business owner, have direct control over; however, site design is usually in the hands of your web designer. By removing the obstacles that frustrate customers and by designing sites that appeal to the demographics your company is most interested in targeting, you eliminate the design elements with a negative impact on your time on site statistics. 12. Greater Browser Accessibility Ten years ago, as long as your website was compatible with Internet Explorer, you were going to be able to reach your customers. Since then, there has been an explosion of browser competition, and optimizing your site for a single browser could be disastrous. Working with a professional web design team guarantees maximum compatibility among industry-leading browsers, as well as popular enhanced technologies that keep your site friendly for those with disabilities. 13. Mobile Optimization Currently, 51% of users only access the internet on a mobile device, and that number is expected to climb to 72% by 2025. This creates a unique challenge for web designers because optimizing a site for mobile is much different than doing so on a desktop or laptop. Failure to build responsive design functionality into your website could cost you sales as the mobile market continues to grow. 14. Cross-Platform Design Even as the demand for mobile-optimized websites continues to grow, there is still a need for sites to be accessible on more traditional platforms. Emphasizing one platform at the expense of another puts your company in a weak position, and could alienate customers. A web design company can help you deliver your site on whichever platforms your customers are using. 15. Creates the Foundation of Your Digital Presence Your digital presence starts with and always comes back to your website. Social media pages and YouTube accounts can help accelerate the spread of your ideas and get your information in front of a larger audience, but the one place that customers continuously come back to is your website. Changes to the rules and regulations of various site builders and social media platforms show that you are never really in full control of your social media content. Without a reliable website to rest your digital presence on, you will remain at the mercy of third-party companies, leaving your company and website vulnerable. 16. The Professionalism of the Site Your business is your livelihood, and you want customers to know you take it seriously. In the digital age, your website is like your business card. You wouldn't make business cards out of folded index cards and crayons, so why take a casual approach to the design of your website? If you hire a web design agency they will help you put your best foot forward with a site that is visually appealing and secure. 17. Improved Search Ranking Search engine optimization, or SEO, refers to the place where your site ranks on search engines like Google and Bing. Most consumers never move past the third link on the search page, and fewer than 20% click past the first page of results. Having a high site rank is essential to ensure your website is visible to the customers that you want to reach. A web design company includes SEO strategies in the site design, organically raising the profile of your site. On-site SEO and content marketing strengthen the overall rating for your website, which places your company higher on the list of results for targeted keywords. Building the site with the right SEO targets in mind from the beginning will make your online marketing more productive, and it is more cost-efficient. 18. Avoids SEO Killing Features SEO is a science that requires fine-tuning whenever a search engine algorithm changes. Old forms of SEO targeting can hamper your site's ranking. Strategies like keyword stuffing and over linking used to be the best way to achieve a high site rank, but now there is a greater emphasis on click-through rates and time on site. You want a website with the latest trends in SEO and digital marketing built into the site, so you get the highest return for your marketing dollars. 19. Increased Traffic to the Site The best way to see increased traffic to your site is with a comprehensive digital strategy that includes all aspects of your digital footprint. Your social media and SEO targeting feed into your website, and the content from your website provides the material needed to fuel your social media. A web design company can make sure that all parts of your digital strategy are working in sync with one another to drive increased traffic to your site and to increase sales. 20. Gives Attention to Overlooked Site Pages Did you know that one of the essential pages on your site is the “About Us” page? This is where you showcase the things that make your company unique and where you tell potential customers about your mission. A lackluster “About Us” page gives consumers the feeling your company is generic and lacks the all-important human element. Another page that often gets overlooked is the 404 Error page. This page is displayed when a customer clicks on links that either no longer works or lacks the correct redirects. Every site needs the 404 Error page at some point, but few take the time to develop a page that serves a practical purpose, such as providing a search bar or a link to another part of the site. Website success is often in the details, which is where a web design company excels. They will ensure that you have all of the right pages and content for your site, so your site visitors always get the information they want and need. 21. Understanding User Expectations By Demographics Different demographic groups want different things from the websites they visit. Older consumers often need more substantial fonts and higher contrasts than other customers, while middle-aged consumers are typically more interested in a multimedia experience. The latest trend, especially among young consumers, is a desire for minimalist websites. Targeted website design optimizes your site for the consumer that you are most likely to reach. 22. On-going Content Marketing Savvy consumers got tired of direct marketing techniques, and over time, traditional ways of presenting products and services have fallen out of favor. Today, the best way to reach consumers with your company is through content marketing. Content marketing offers consumers with information that helps them solve a problem or answer a question, and is then followed by a call to action that highlights how your company can be part of the solution to their issue. A great web design company includes on-going content marketing services into your website so that there is a constant stream of information about your company being promoted on your site and social media. 23. Social Media Integration It has become challenging for companies to operate in the 21st century without the use of social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more are often the place where your potential customers receive their first exposure to your company. What separates a web design company from an online web-builder template is the option to use the designers to integrate social media into your site and create a cohesive social media marketing strategy. You need buttons to “like,” “share,” “tweet,” “reblog,” etc. on your site so that customers can spread information about your company with a single click. Hire a web design agency to have their designers build these items seamlessly into your web pages, making it feel natural to share your content. 24. AdWords Management Digital marketing can be a black hole that drains financial resources, with little return, if you don't have the data to justify your spending. Web designers build AdWords management into your site, giving you detailed metrics about the effectiveness of your pay per click advertising and other marketing efforts. With this detailed information, you can make better choices about how to spend your marketing budget. 25. Video Optimization A slow-loading video or videos that need constant buffering are significant points of frustration for consumers. When site visitors click on a video link, they want the video to play right away, without having to stop for any reason. Professional web designers eliminate poor video performance by optimizing the video for the site and devoting enough site resources to support the streaming. With professional services, you can host the video on your website, so third-party hosts, like YouTube, don't negatively impact your site visitors. 26. Back-End Support Over time, there will be issues with your website. The host may go down, or there might be an increase in traffic that causes a site crash. Whatever the item may be, you want an expert who can fix the problem and get your site operational again as soon as possible. All you have to do is make a call or send an email, and the problem will be solved. 27. End-User Support Consumers visit your site at all times of the day and night, and you are not always there to answer their questions. Issues like login problems or failed integration with PayPal can be points of frustration for your customers, especially when they are not able to get a solution to their problem promptly. You can alleviate the stress of this situation by turning over the end-user tech support to a full-service web design company, which will provide 24/7 solutions for all of your online customers. 28. No Maintenance Worries Website maintenance is the process of checking for issues in the site before they become problems for the end-user. The larger the site, the more likely issues will develop over time. By utilizing a web design company, you don't have to handle any of the site maintenance; instead, you can stay focused on running your business. 29. High-Quality Workmanship The adage, “You get what you pay for,” is just as true today as it was 200 years ago. Free website builders and cheap amateur web designers are ideal for hobby pages, but they lack the quality of craftsmanship necessary for a successful e-commerce platform or online business. Your company deserves a team of web designers who are as committed to giving your customers a positive online experience as you are. Professional web designers have both the expertise and the motivation to fulfill that need for your company. 30. Latest Technology/Languages The past five years have seen an explosion of new programming languages for web developers. These new languages give programmers more flexibility than ever before, but it also means designers have to be more proactive than ever about learning the latest technologies and languages. A web designer can program in multiple languages that keeps your site will be at the forefront of evolving web technology, not lagging behind the competition. 31. Makes Your Site More Credible For many consumers, your website is the first experience they have with your company, and that first impression determines whether or not they will do business with you. A consumer who sees a broken site with little direction and pages that don't make sense will begin to question the quality of the goods and services that you are trying to sell. The truth is that it doesn't matter how amazing your company might be if you can't convince people to buy what you are selling. Poorly designed sites don't just make customers think your site is wrong; they also lead to assumptions about your business. 32. Gain a Sense of Trust Consumers are more conscious of cybersecurity than they were just a few years ago. Serious data breaches at major companies demonstrated that even multi-national corporations might struggle to keep online information secure. If a customer visits an amateurish website, their first instinct is not to trust that site with their data. A business that doesn't take the time to invest in a well-built site is one that likely skimped on cybersecurity as well in the eyes of the consumer. For this reason, people are less likely to commit to a purchase with their credit card information, less likely to provide legitimate contact information, and unlikely to link their social media to your site. On the other hand, a site from a professional web design company gives a sense of gravitas that puts consumers at ease. The consumer feels if they give your website their personal data, it won't be stolen via a hack. 33. Greater e-Commerce Security Bad publicity from a data breach is more than embarrassing, and it, it can have a significant negative impact on your bottom line. You expose your business to lawsuits, and simultaneously erode consumer goodwill for your company, costing your business revenue. Even with extensive security upgrades, it can be next to impossible for an SMB to regain customers lost in this way. Securing customer data is a task that requires experience and a professional touch. A web design company will provide the encryption and back end support to ensure your customer data is not exposed to those who would do them harm. 34. Long-term Return on Investment A professionally designed website is an investment for your company's future. SEO rankings and social media links will increase the flow of traffic to your site, giving your company opportunities to sell to more customers every day. If you hire a web design agency to work alongside you, your website will become a powerful tool to promote your business, and you will reap the benefits of that investment for years to come. As with any investment, the earlier you make it, the higher the overall returns. 35. Frees You to Run Your Business It is said that small and medium business owners wear many hats, but they are masters of few. There are hundreds of decisions to be made every day about how to run your business and take care of your customers, and building/maintaining your company's website shouldn't be an additional burden. Hire a web design agency to serve as a partner for your business, freeing you to focus on delivering the highest quality goods or services to your customers. Online customers have grown more sophisticated and savvy over the years, and they expect a certain degree of quality and stability in the sites they visit. Failure to meet these expectations, even one time, can turn a customer off to your business for good. Fortunately, a professional web design company can solve many of these issues for you. For more information about a holistic approach to your online footprint, please visit Simplemachine Designs. Our team of highly trained and experienced designers can help you build a new site for your company from scratch, modify your existing website, or add digital marketing tools to enhance the value of your online presence. Contact us today to learn more about why to hire a web design agency in 2020.