7min
A website is the face of your business, the entry point for your customers, and the place where many of your customers will form opinions about your company. That’s a lot of pressure to put on one page.
But imagine this…
You just realised your website is holding you back. So, you’re going to get that site redesigned. You’ve got some ideas, and probably some objectives of what you want out of the new site. You’re a smart marketer, so you’ve probably even come up with a few keyword terms to target. You’re ready to start the planning process and you need to find someone willing to take on the responsibility - A Website Designer!?
But is that the best decision for your organisation?
Even though web designers are incredible at their job, they are typically limited to just designing and developing websites. In most cases, your website designer does not consider conversion paths, lead generation, and other important aspects after it has been designed.
Too often, businesses get so caught up in the day-to-day tasks that they lose sight of the "big picture." Your website is no longer a static site, it's a digital system that requires constant maintenance to remain effective and generate revenue. As you improve marketing, conversion optimisation, and user experience, you will start to extend your web presence.
Now let's look at a few key reasons to hire an inbound marketing agency rather than a website designer.
Marketing goals
The average company's website has three primary goals: traffic, lead generation, and sales. While this is the most common goal structure, some companies opt to use their website more as a brochure or landing page. If this is the route your company wants to take, it can be effective if done correctly. With that said, it's important to set expectations and know what you want to achieve by the end of the redesign process. This way, your team or individual workers will be on the same page and working towards a common goal. Short-term and long-term goals should both be communicated clearly to avoid any confusion or misdirection.
As a website designer, it's important to focus on logic and guide users through pages in a way that is visually appealing and encourages conversions. However, before starting any work, it's essential to ask the client what the primary goals of the redesign are. This question will help shape the project and ensure that the result is something that meets the client's needs.
Before you can stick a fork in your website and call it done, you first need to figure out exactly what your website needs to achieve. Are you trying to design something that's just visually stunning and functions as an interactive brochure? Or are you using your website as a tool to generate leads?
The answers to these questions will help set the direction for the design and ensure that you get the best results for your investment. When it comes to coming up with a strategy, begin by talking to your employees, especially sales and client-facing staff, not forgetting a few clients. In this way, the designer can determine which "holes" your current website has and how to fill them.
The majority of these solutions will probably be related to visual/design changes. A different expert can address any positioning or content issues.
What An Inbound Agency Can Do for Your Marketing Goals
Many inbound marketing agencies are like website designers in that they understand the importance of your website's goals. However, agencies usually don't stop at just websites. Inbound marketing agencies also look at the bigger picture of your marketing plan and see your website as just one tool to achieve success.
A marketing agency that's worth its salt will always make sure that your marketing and website strategies work together in harmony. This can manifest in a variety of ways, such as optimising your website content for search engine ranking or making sure that your web pages have a good user experience that encourages conversions.
When it comes to putting together a website or marketing campaign, it's important to have the right resources in place. Many inbound marketing agencies have internal teams or external partners who can help with all the different pieces of the puzzle. However, not all website designers have these resources available. That's why it's important to know what your end goal is and find the right company or individual for your specific needs.
Level of Support
A website redesign is a huge undertaking no matter what your goals are, so you must have the dream team in your corner. You're going to be working with the website design agency or inbound marketing agency for a few months (the time frame depends on how much work needs to be done), and you need to make sure that your partner can help you every step of the way.
But how would that look?
Website designers typically offer varying degrees of support depending on both their level of expertise and the types of services they offer. Most of the time, these designers work alone, although they may have a designer or developer supporting them. This method of working can put a strain on the overall budget later on down the line.
While website designers can create amazing designs, they typically don't offer much in the way of marketing strategy or content generation. Search Engine Optimisation is also usually not included in their services. If you're looking for someone to help with long-term lead generation, you may be better off working with an inbound marketing agency.
Inbound marketing agencies’ benefits: Level of support
Inbound marketing agencies are similar to one-stop shops. They have a client services team that can handle everything from website design to development. This team typically includes project managers, designers, and developers who are always available to help.
In addition to their team of experts, inbound marketing agencies also have experts such as SEO specialists, Google AdWords specialists, and copywriters who can take your project to the next level. These experts either work for the agency or have established relationships with the agency, which allows them to provide you with the best possible service. Incorporating Search-engine Optimisation, marketing, and content strategy can significantly enhance your website's sales and leads.
There are many benefits to having all of your resources at one company. Normally, seeing that these positions overlap, you will get an assortment of different ideas and strategies from their previous experiences to help produce a remarkable end product.
When it comes to the level of support, it's important to know that you're getting the help that is in line with your goals and strategy. Otherwise, you run the risk of not achieving your objectives. That can be detrimental for anyone involved.
Relationship
A successful website redesign hinges on the quality of the relationship you have with your team. In most cases, inbound marketing agencies are more focused on developing long-term relationships, while website designers typically only work with a client for the duration of the project. If you want a successful redesign, it's important to choose a team that shares your vision for the future.
Nevertheless, what is the best type of relationship between your business and your project? Here is the thing.
Website designers, by nature, typically work project to project.
Website design is a process that typically happens from project to project. Designers help you plan and strategise your website's look, making sure that it is consistent with your brand identity and aesthetically pleasing. Once the design is complete, the relationship between you and the designer usually ends. Of course, there may be some follow-up support to fix technical issues, but unless you plan to redesign your website frequently, there is no need for continuous communication.
Designers and clients do not typically form long-term relationships, regardless of whether you alter the template or get a standalone design.
Depending on what you want from your website, you might want to consider taking a different approach. You can get longer-term help from a website designer as needed, but that means that the designer has to be available and can take on new projects on short notice. Their shorter-term engagements (3-6 months) might mean that they're booked up more quickly, though, as they try to keep a consistent flow of work.
The length of your relationship with a website designer largely depends on your goals and what you hope to accomplish.
Inbound Marketing Agency Benefits - Building Relationships
Inbound marketing agencies typically focus on forming long-term relationships with clients. However, there are some instances where a shorter relationship is more beneficial for both parties. For example, if you have an amazing marketing team, but lack the design and development skills to redo your website, working with an agency on a shorter-term project can be the perfect solution.
Having the right agency will be crucial for your company to make sure that your strategy is sound and will work together with the amazing design that was created. Usually, after a redesign project is completed, many companies lack a robust marketing team that can take charge of the newly designed website. In this case, it would be beneficial to keep the marketing efforts in-house. By doing this, you will save money and be able to control the outcome of your product.
However, when you're driving aggressive results, it takes more than just a great marketing team - it takes dedication and a lot of manpower. partnering with an inbound marketing agency for the long term is a great way to maximise the effectiveness of your redesigned site.
An agency's high level of support will help you make the most of your new website in the long run by giving you more ideas on how to use it to achieve your goals.
Cost
The cost of a website redesign can vary greatly depending on the size and scope of the project. Generally speaking, however, most redesigns will fall somewhere in the middle range, costing a few thousand pounds. For larger projects or those with an aggressive timeline, the cost can increase significantly - sometimes totalling tens of thousands.
Where Does That Cost Come From?
As we mentioned before, how big and ambitious your project is will have a direct impact on how much it'll cost. A five-page website usually requires fewer resources than, say, a website with 500 pages, each with its individualised design and functionality. With such a large website, you'll need a team of experts to make sure everything runs smoothly and that users can find what they need.
There are a few things to keep in mind when budgeting for a website redesign. First, design and development will take up most of the budget. Second, some strategies may be involved, but most of the cost will be associated directly with the visuals and coding of the redesign. And third, you can take advantage of the direct association between cost and level of support to keep your budget low.
Whether your website is small, your budget is limited, or you do not want your website to generate leads, a website designer can help you.
Inbound Marketing Cost Benefits
Compared to a traditional website redesign company, inbound marketing agencies provide more value. When you want aggressive lead generation, hire a company that specialises in it to get the most out of your marketing budget.
When it comes to redesigning your website, it's important to have a solid marketing strategy in place. Utilising the knowledge of SEO experts, content strategists, and others will help you create a well-rounded plan. With all these resources at your disposal, your budget may be higher, but the results will be worth it.
What Is the Best Decision for You?
Time and budget are always important considerations, but when making decisions that will affect your company's long-term success, it's crucial to examine all the pros and cons of each option. Keep your eye on the prize by focusing on your long-term objectives and let that guide you to the best decision for your company.
When it comes to choosing between a designer and an inbound agency, it depends on what you need for your website. If you just need a basic, good-looking site, then a designer may be all you need. However, if you want a website that will generate leads and help with your brand and marketing strategy, then an inbound agency is the better choice.
