Finding a web development agency for your small business

In this day and age, if you do not use digital tools, there is a good chance your company will not grow much, if at all. Even a tiny food production company that is run by one person can greatly benefit from having a website. Most private consumers and businesses search online for everything they need. So, if you are not online the chances of your products and the work you are doing being found are extremely low.

Initially, you can potentially put together a  yourself. But, very quickly you will need something that is far more sophisticated. At which stage, you will have to hire a designer and developer. But, it needs to be the right one for you and your business. 

Think about your future needs

You have to think about the future when deciding which web development agency to hire. For example, with long-term hiring, a Laravel web development firm to build your site rather than turning to a WordPress developer would be a wise move. Once your business starts to grow, your site and backroom operations will quickly need to become more sophisticated. 

Laravel is a PHP framework, that offers a huge amount of flexibility. The right developer will be able to do far more than just put together a nice-looking website. They will create apps and backend software that enable you to handle important customer service-related tasks more efficiently.

A firm that can help you to market your business effectively

Ideally, you want to be working with a web development agency that has the ability to take you from startup to multinational. The best firms offer a huge range of services to their clients. Including, digital marketing and brand development. Working with an agency like that will help you to build a long-term strategy, as well as have access to the digital tools you need to follow it. 

A company that offers plenty of flexibility

Because you have no idea of how fast your company will grow you also need to look for a team of developers who are prepared to be flexible. They need to be able to tailor the package of services that they offer you to meet your business needs as you grow and change.

A firm that offers a truly bespoke service

Some web development companies take a cookie-cutter approach. They offer more or less the same thing to all of their customers. Often, once you start looking at the websites they have developed you can see that they have done this. They are basically all the same. It is just the graphics and text that they have changed. This can work but it is not ideal. You want to be sure that your firm stands out from the crowd rather than blends in. So, if you think all of their previous work looks more or less the same it is probably best to move on and hire someone else.

Annika Bansal
 

Annika "The Chick Geek" is the founder of AnnikaBansal.com. Small Business Sense shares small business ideas, tips and resources for independent Entrepreneurs and Small Business owners.