What do you want from a design agency?

This is something we have been asking ourselves during this quiet lockdown period.

Let’s just say this is not one of those negatives “what the hell do you want from us?” slogans – no!  It’s more a cheerful “what can we best do for you?” and “what do we feel you need to have?” lines.

We ask this as we have seen some new work going out online lately, where the design agency used doesn’t seem to be doing things quite right; at least, nowhere near our standards.  We aren’t saying we are the Apple of website design companies; striving for total perfection, pixel perfect chiselled at the edges, absolute attention to detail, even down to the fine areas.  Well actually, all that is correct of us.  It really is, perhaps this is why Apple tends to cost more for a 1m USB lead than any other manufacturer out there!  But they also do things to make the product work brilliantly.  Simple.  Obvious.  What you want, where you want it.  Unless if course you are an Android user, never ever to leave, no matter what.

…. waffle over…

Where is this leading with web design?

Some companies will get a WordPress theme, chuck it on the server, add a bit of fancy animation, background image, text and done deal.  “That’ll do”.    Not us.  Firstly we look at a website design with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) at the core as well.  Meaning, if the site is not coded correctly, how do you expect Google to ever find you among all those other companies in your area doing the same thing…. that are coded correctly?

Going back to the phone example: we tried out an Android phone once a few years ago.  Granted, this was back in the iPhone 5s days, so things weren’t quite as slick as they are now … but still.  We tried a Sony phone, and the icons weren’t easy to tap and ‘activate’.  Things were not so obvious to us on how to do stuff.  Certain things were easy (popping in an SD Card for example … ahhh bliss), but other than that, when we went back to the 5S, it was all normal again.

Labels were obvious.  The toggles were simple.  Everything was right again.  It’s the same with a website.  Google is looking for certain things on your site.  In certain ways.  If these things are missing, or done wrong, or unreadable, then you will get a ‘slap on the wrist’.  These sorts of things are done by people with a ‘that will do’ attitude, as we said before.

Make that text slide in.
Spin that around as it loads.
Add that image that bears no relation to the company.
Make that text huge.

All these things sound funky – they really do.  But are they all necessary, or done right.  For example: adding massive text is a modern thing today; we even do it.  But coded badly, it has no effect on Google finding you.  Just because it is big bold text, does not make it a ‘title’.

Is this what you really want, or do you want it done properly?

I’m, spinning around….

Making something spin is rather cool.  But not if it just looks like it was added…. “because you can“.  It can be distracting.

We have worked with a few clients who have actually taught us a few things about ‘cliches’.  Way back when websites were not WordPress or other CMS tools, we were building them in code and Dreamweaver (software, back in the day).  We had this idea of when the mouse hovers over the menu links, it makes a noise.  So funky, and it would suit the website.  But the owner said “too cliche”.  He was right.

It’s the same today.  If you scroll down a page and every row of info has movement.. slide in, turn, spin around, fade in… slide up…. it’s too much.  Just because you can – you don’t need to.

Attention to detail and SEO

One of the areas we feel proud of is our attention to detail.  It’s very easy to drag and drop some sort of ‘element’ on screen that performs a function.  It’s something else to put time into making it look correct and on brand.  The right colour.  Is the font ok or would a lighter, thinner version look better for this part of the page?

Some agencies charge very little for a website, and it often shows.  It makes other agencies who really put the time and effort into your business, look expensive.  As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for”.  While we are not up there in the London Agency pricing, where you can be paying thousands for a simple site.  We do feel quality is key when we are doing something for your business.  Else, what really is the point?!  As a UK WordPress Agency, our partner site has info on WordPress, the latest version, and a simple contact form.

This is the same with SEO.  We have seen websites where there is no SEO at all.  Image are not optimised.  Titles are not coded correctly.  There might be no menu on a phone (no idea why!), or it might just have very poor reports on checking tools like GT Metrix.

If you are not interested in being found on Google, then who cares.  That’s the bottom line here.
But most people (granted, not all) do want to be found.  Then SEO is key.  It is top of the list, slap bang right in the forefront a MUST HAVE.

After all this droning on, our summary is that we… do this proper.  (see what we did there?).
We get the details right (even on our comedy), we check each element.  We check it with you.
Depending on the package, we set up your SEO, we ensure your logo looks just perfect.  It’s your brand.

We do not take the shortcuts.  It has to look right for you.  If it looks a bit of out place, it doesn’t go live.

If you want a website that looks perfect, stunning in all ways.  With time taken to ensure it is your ‘shop front’ and looks gorgeous, then we are definitely the company for you.

Visit our Quote page if you want to make an enquiry today.  Or just ping us a message on the live chat.