How to choose the right WordPress agency for your website build

A full website build is a daunting task for businesses. It can be time-consuming and potentially quite expensive. So, choosing to DIY it might seem like a tempting, cost-saving option. But you'll get a much more professional, bespoke website if you choose a WordPress agency to help you. 

It'll be done far quicker too.

Yes, it's possible to DIY an acceptable WordPress website. But you might want to consider working with expert developers to give you the edge. After all, your website is one of your most valuable marketing assets. The online world is busy. So, you'll want a website that helps you stand out. 

Let’s take a look at what a WordPress specialist agency could help you achieve…

To achieve a WordPress website that accurately reflects your brand and helps you meet your business goals, you'll need expert help. A specialist WordPress developer creates custom themes and functionality to improve user experience.

We can integrate essential plugins that don’t affect your website’s speed or security. This means striking, professional web design with the best visitor experience in mind.

A specialist WordPress designer will build you a website that resonates with your audience. We take time to understand their needs. And we create a tailor–made, interactive and intuitive website. One that will make sure you stand out in the competitive online world.

When you choose a specialist design and development agency, you know WordPress is our bread and butter. 

Our expertise isn't diluted by spreading ourselves too thinly across multiple platforms. Our specialists focus on WordPress as our preferred CMS. So you can be sure that we're always up-to-date with all the latest developments.

Laser-focused technical knowledge means a high-quality, high-performing website with everything aligned to your business goals. 

It’ll also be intuitive to navigate, mobile-responsive, and optimised for SEO. Our specialist team is fluent in the right programming languages for WordPress. This means you get the best overall design, functionality and features. 

Once your website is launched, we don't leave you high and dry. With our ongoing support and maintenance services, you're safe in the knowledge that you're being looked after. 

This means regular software updates and checks. It helps us pre-empt and solve any potential issues before they arise. 

In addition to these checks and updates, we can also offer support with content, too. So we can take this time-consuming job off your hands.

Want to manage your content yourself? That’s no problem either. We specifically design websites that are easy to use. They’re all built with our clients in mind. This means the back end mirrors the front, for easy in-house content management. 

If your team isn’t too confident on managing content, we provide CMS training videos for you to work through. So you can access and have full control over your website with ease, even if you’re not a WordPress expert.

WordPress is a dream for SEO. It generates title tags and meta titles automatically. Making the whole process much easier.

When we build your website, technical SEO is included as standard. It’s integrated into the coding stages to check performance at every point.

If you want to go further with your SEO efforts, ask us about our SEO tools and services. You can choose extra packages that include keyword research to boost your search engine rankings. We review this with your team each quarter and make updates to continually improve your SEO.

Another great feature of WordPress is its built-in feature to allow a network of sites from a single dashboard.

This is particularly useful for franchise businesses. As well as other organisations who need several similar sites, like universities. It allows you to run these sites centrally, while also meeting the needs of your different audiences. 

We’ve created multisite networks for many clients. Ask us about enabling the multisite features, custom domain mapping, and development of individual sites.

Outsourcing your website build to an expert team gives you peace of mind that you're in good hands. It takes the pressure off your in-house teams and frees them up to focus on other things.

Plus, it will get done a lot faster if you hand it over to the experts. Your team have other priorities pulling their focus. So, it’s difficult to devote the time and energy this kind of project needs. 

And don’t forget, when you choose to work with WordPress specialists, you know we’re up-to-date with all the best practices. So you can be confident that your WordPress site is protected and your data is safe.

Each project that we work on is a collaboration. When you hire us to build your website we don't just disappear after the first plans are approved. We form a partnership with you. There's an ongoing dialogue throughout the whole project.

So you know that we’re as invested in the success of your project as you are. We listen to you and share your vision and goals for the website. 

Beyond the launch, we offer ongoing support and maintenance. This ensures your website continues to work just as well as it did on day one. 

When you come to choose a WordPress agency to work with, the first thing you'll need to look at is their experience. 

Are they truly WordPress specialists? Or do they work across a range of different platforms? It’s always better to go with an agency that only works with WordPress. That way you can be sure they have deep knowledge and aren’t trying to superficially cover all bases. 

You’ll know that all their training and focus is on WordPress. So check that they truly specialise. And do they have certifications?

We use accredited WordPress hosting for all our website builds. We’ve also been granted cyber essentials status, reflecting our commitment to reducing threat risks. Website and data security is the top priority for our clients, so it’s something we invest in continually.

You can also check out the agency’s portfolio for their previous projects. And ask them if they’ve built websites for other organisations in your industry. 

When you choose a developer, you'll want to know who else they've worked with and what the results were. 

Have a read through their reviews and testimonials. Pay attention to how their past clients have described their service. Did they meet deadlines? Were they responsive and available? Were they professional and knowledgeable?

You can find our testimonials in the highlights section of our Instagram profile and in the case studies on our website. 

All good developers will have a portfolio or a variety of case studies on their website. Have a browse. They will help you get a feel for how they work and whether they have the experience to handle your project.

Have a look at the designs they’ve created for previous clients. Do they not only look great but also work well too? Are the websites intuitive, and easy to navigate? Do they load quickly and provide a good user experience?

Browse our case studies.

When quoting for your project, does the developer outline the budget and project timelines? 

Do they offer a range of packages for you to choose from? For example, we offer a variety of retainer packages as well as project services. So say, once your website is launched, we can help you with content entry if required. Or, you could handle it within your in-house team to reduce costs. 

Whatever your needs, you’ll want to pick a specialist team (that’s us!) who can be flexible and tailor their service to your specific needs. 

We get that overall cost is an important factor in your decision-making process. But it shouldn’t be the ultimate decider. Your website build isn’t something you want to cut corners on. Going for the cheapest option can lead to all sorts of issues with performance. 

Instead, think about value over cost. What are you getting for your investment? Will you get a quality WordPress site that helps you stand out and provide an excellent user experience?

Or are you risking a mediocre website riddled with glitches?

Good communication is key to the success of any website build project. If your chosen agency isn't a communicator, there will be red flags from early on. 

Consider how they communicate through the quoting and proposal phases. If you’re having to chase them even at this early stage, it’s not a good sign. 

Ask them questions about the build. They should be able to explain complex technical aspects in a way you can understand. You shouldn’t need expert tech knowledge to figure out what they’re trying to say. 

If they baffle you with jargon, that’s not a good sign either. With us, there’s no middle person. Throughout your project, you’re in direct contact with the very people working on your design and build.

This means that, as we don’t have account managers, nothing gets lost in translation. And our experts are well-versed in communicating directly with our clients. It completely cuts the faff and makes the whole process much smoother.