According to Adobe’s research, 67% of consumers around the world prefer companies that are authentic. The first step in creating unique brand messaging that connects with consumers and generates leads is to use website design and development services.
This article explains how these services work, who needs them, why they are needed, and offers guidance on selecting the best one.
Highlights
- 5.03 (65.7% of the world's population) billion people are using Internet globally, meaning that most of them want to find a specific website, information, product or service.
- A website is #1 when it comes to building a new or improving existing business and turning visitors into customers and leads.
- The design team and the client work closely together to ensure that every design decision is accurate, moving the project forward.
How Do Web Design and Development Services Work?
Web design and development services encompass various activities, from data analysis to customer journey mapping and interface design, website development, and usability testing.
Here is to make it short and clear.
Web Development vs Web Design
Web design is a set of principles—from art direction and UI/UX design to prototyping, information architecture, and post-launch strategy—that work together to contribute to the website’s goals.
Web development is the final phase in web design, transforming the web design files into a live website. Usually, a website developer uses programming languages — HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — to develop a website.
And one of the best website builders is Webflow - a “low-code” visual development platform that encourages users to seamlessly design, test, and launch highly customized websites.
The necessity for coding or low-code proficiency in website dev varies depending on the development platform; some platforms require extensive coding skills, others involve a low-code approach, while some demand no coding at all.
For instance, developers who work in Webflow use custom coding features or do not use any code at all. In contrast, those who use WordPress or Drupal need to have an advanced understanding of coding.
And here is a breakdown of the whole process between the client and the web design and development team:
Meeting 1:
During this phase, the client outlines their requirements, objectives, and any specific information they want to showcase on their website. Design teams then thrive in the realm of execution, unlocking the door to innovative ideas that transcend the status quo.
Discovery:
Based on the insights gathered, a design team starts working on a brief that aligns with the client’s expectations. In order to offer a client a one-of-a-kind website plan to help them expand their client base, designers must first set measurable goals about the site's structure and features.
Meeting 2:
The design team presents a prototype to the client. Achieving precision and pushing the project forward is made possible through a linear approach, encompassing upfront research and transparent communication between the design team and its clients.
Design (+ Content):
During this phase, designers craft the visual aesthetics of the website, frequently followed by the integration of compelling copy.
Ever found yourself contemplating the order of priority: Copy or design – which should come first? Does copy follow design or vice versa?
Here is the answer.
He put the copywriter and the art director in a room together, to think and work together, simultaneously. And the best ideas come out of collaboration, teamwork, not isolation.
Eddie Shleyner
The conclusion is that web designers shape the layout, color schemes, typography, and overall feel of the site. And content writers logically focus on developing SEO content. Together, designers and content writers work simultaneously in order to contribute to the overall success of the website.
Depending on the scenario, clients may first deliver their content to the team, while in other instances, content creation comes as an integral option in design services.
![Diagram illustrating the relationships between content and design.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/656dd58b47dae519df534c46/66d9742da7011ca014d8bd54_66d5a6583cc1beebac3ead76_65f1b45433d6044a50e30b70_Design.avif)
Development:
The development phase requires extensive code knowledge or a low-code approach to make the actual site work. The result is that developers work seamlessly on a website, ensuring that you never feel limited by code alone. This way, clients can focus on other business things.
Usability Testing:
This usability testing session covers testing of the website’s functionality, such as load times, interactivity, and responsiveness. The main goal of usability testing is to discover users’ pain points and highlight areas that need to be improved.
Delivery:
The success of this phase hinges on both the timely delivery and high quality. Clients expect to receive a fully functional website within a short timeframe. And the design and development team must meet those needs effortlessly.
Ongoing Partnership:
When the design team matches user needs with the client’s business goals, it creates a multi-beneficial scenario—where user satisfaction and the website owner's success seamlessly intertwine. This usually leads to an ongoing partnership.
Who Needs Web Design and Development Services?
Anyone who wants to establish a robust online presence, engage with customers, and build credibility needs web design and dev services. Even individuals who don’t have specific business goals want to take advantage of web services.
Website Services for Marketing Agencies
Marketing agencies can meet their sales targets with a high-quality marketing website. When a reliable website design agency offers a strategic approach to delivering world-class marketing agency sites tailored to achieve revenue targets, here is a breakdown of what the marketing agency gets:
- % Increase in traffic
- % Increase in revenue
- Immediate purchases
- Audience trust
Website Services for Startups
Small businesses and startups can tap into their best discoveries and connect with those who matter most to them by choosing the best website design company. To align with the startup’s mission quickly, designers and developers must craft exceptional design solutions for startups to grow revenue more predictably.
Here are some benefits of UX design subscription for startups:
- Positive first impressions
- % Increase in revenue
- Business reputation
- Investor attention
Website Services for Venture Capitals (VCs)
As a venture capitalist, you are probably aware of the impact that both brand personality and website functionality can have on your VC portfolio companies' overall success. By choosing the best design company, you can finally enjoy watching your portfolio companies grow.
Here are some benefits of digital services for VCs:
- Long-term success with startup investments
- % Increase in revenue
- Doubling the impact of the portfolio companies
- Pioneering new venture capital solutions
Website Services for Small Businesses & Medium-sized Businesses
With website design and development services, small and medium businesses can accelerate growth and grow annual revenues with ease.
Our agency, for instance, brings boundless enthusiasm to design outcomes, offering a custom website development service that helps strong and ambitious enterprises in various sectors to win new customers.
Tailoring expert website development for small and medium businesses, our team ensures a scalable online presence to meet diverse business needs.
These are the benefits our clients acquire:
- Competitive edge
- % Increase in revenue
- Brand recognition
- Continuous growth
Website Services for SaaS
SaaS companies can sustain their path to growth by forging a lasting bond with users and investors. Only serious SaaS development — that builds up the full SaaS product experience — drives substantial changes.
Here's what SaaS businesses gain with professional website development:
- Distinctiveness
- % Increase in revenue
- Better cost control
- Higher growth SaaS opportunities
How to Work With Web Designers and What They Need From You
Putting users first is crucial for creating a strong design. And this is the first thing you should expect from web design experts. They must understand your business deeply.
But how to work with web designers? Considering that it’s not easy to find a custom website design company, here is an overview that will help you get a clearer picture of who’s responsible for what.
Web Designers:
Ideally, web designers are working with clients who appreciate their work ethics and attention to detail and are even willing to take a risk.
When designers determine the strategy based on the client's goals, they choose to make style choices that might not match the client's expectations in the first place.
But working linearly, clients get a presentation that breaks down all the design decisions. This ensures that clients quickly build trust and approve the specific style based on the designer’s broad knowledge.
If both parties don’t play a game of broken telephones throughout the design process, the final round is usually followed by minor or no tweaks.
Both clients and designers must have a clear understanding of customer-centric design which is a seamless blend of beauty and purpose. Every web page must be intuitive, mirroring precisely what visitors seek.
Take for example FlyChain startup.
- Clear purpose: The landing page’s copy is straightforward by inviting visitors to receive cash for their insurance claims by just clicking on the button Get Started.
- Easy-to-read layout: FlyChain gives customers an incentive to invest in their growth with secure cash in the bank. Their top three impact results are presented in a digestible arrangement, making it easy to understand their services, so that visitors can immediately start taking action.
![Easy-to-read layout illustrating the FlyChain’s landing page copy.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/656dd58b47dae519df534c46/66d9742da7011ca014d8bd5a_66d5a6583cc1beebac3ead73_65f1b5c5d6bf895e53239f1c_Design-2.avif)
Easy-to-read layout illustrating the FlyChain’s landing page copy.
- How-it-works content form: Not only do the initial lines of the pitch propose a potential solution to the visitor's problem, but they also convey to visitors in just a few words how the service works. Using the right design language prompts prospects to visualize how the offering can enhance their lives.
![How-it-works content form illustrating the FlyChain’s landing page copy.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/656dd58b47dae519df534c46/66d9742da7011ca014d8bd57_66d5a6583cc1beebac3ead79_65f1b6114b1ffd7c2f2ae81f_Design-1.avif)
Luckily, our collaboration with FlyChain was smooth, and we encountered no issues with design decisions.
Client:
Client’s feedback is of much importance. Beyond listing your design requirements, such as the number of website pages, it's crucial to actively provide feedback at each project stage.
Collaborating with a reliable web design company grants you access to experts with extensive design and development skills. This results in seamless communication and efficiency.
So, to attain a well-designed website, your role is important too. Timely feedback is key, and delving deeper to comprehend the decisions made by the designers will ensure a more successful collaboration and results.
4 Factors to Pay Attention to When Choosing the Best Web Design and Development Agency
While many design agencies offer full-service web development, not all of them possess the capability to truly understand your objectives and meet deadlines reliably.
That’s why it is important to watch out for several factors before making an informed decision.
- Project-based costs: Consider the complexity of the work required, including the number of web pages, features, and other design elements. An initial cost assessment will help you determine what to expect.
- Hidden costs: Take into account any hidden costs associated with hiring an internal employee, such as benefits, workspace, equipment, and training expenses. A subscription-based agency often provides a more transparent cost structure without these overheads.
- Long-term partnership vs. one-time project: Decide whether your design needs are a one-time project or if you anticipate an ongoing need for website design services. That way, you can decide between hiring internally for continuous support or involving external agencies on a project-by-project basis. Or simply opt for a special agency that can meet both those needs by offering one-time or ongoing solutions.
- Timeline: Consider the project timeline and the expected duration of the design and development work.
Now let's compare how design subscription agencies can meet project timelines more efficiently than internal employees who would even need to be hired and onboarded.
Freelance Web Developer vs Web Design Subscription Agency
Even with tailored project quotes, you will have limited flexibility in terms of deadlines and costs when working with freelancers. As a result, each revised quote may lead to delays and higher margins.
But opting for a reliable web design model instead of freelance web development gives you much more flexibility so you can have access to specialized knowledge and scale your web design needs up or down depending on your business needs.
![Comparison table illustrating key point differentiation between a freelance web developer and web design subscription agency.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/656dd58b47dae519df534c46/66d9742ca7011ca014d8bd3b_66d5a6583cc1beebac3ead70_65f1b6585fd6505e19db2e9b_Design-3.avif)
In-house Team vs Web Design Subscription Agency
When hiring an in-house team, the process may take several months. Additionally, there's a lot of uncertainty about the employee's skills. It's possible that your in-house staff doesn't have the necessary knowledge or expertise in all aspects of web design.
But when you partner with a subscription web development agency, you will have a direct influence on the design process and instant access to the talent pool. You can keep an eye on things and give feedback right away.
![Comparison table illustrating key point differentiation between an in-house team and web design subscription agency.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/656dd58b47dae519df534c46/66d9742da7011ca014d8bd50_66d5a6583cc1beebac3ead7c_65f1b6b435462c632814a4be_Design-4.avif)
Conclusion
The various components of a website, including photos, color schemes, logos, navigation menus, and search boxes, play a crucial role in turning website visitors into consumers. Therefore, business owners and marketing teams should prioritize professional website design and development solutions, avoiding cheaper options.
In conclusion, start slowly, but patiently: plan your business strategy and website development with the right people. No one is running a business alone. And since there is no thriving business without a website, choosing web design and development services is your first step.
If you feel ready to take it, our website service can help you reach your business goals. We strategize, test, and develop websites leveraging the power of Webflow and design memorable brands and digital experiences to help businesses of all sizes move in the right direction.
You ask. We answer.
Who can make a website for me?
Freelance designers, developers, in-house teams, different types of design agencies and even you can build a website.
With completely free website builders, you can create and publish your website, but you will encounter limited design options. However, if you want steady growth and to outperform your competitors, you must rely on a high-quality design subscription agency.
Who makes websites for big companies?
Only professional web design agencies can cope with highly-demand website projects for enterprise-level clients. These agencies often have a wealth of experience in trends analysis, usability research, customer journey mapping, as well as user experience (UX) design and user interface (UI) to handle the complex requirements of large corporations.
What services do web developers offer?
Web developers offer a wide range of solutions, including technical strategy and consultation, CMS implementation, web application development, cross-device testing, quality assurance, maintenance, and UX/UI design implementations.
How much does a website design and development service cost?
It depends on the size of the companies the design agency typically works with. It also depends on the pricing model, whether it’s an hourly rate, commission, project-based, or value-based.
For example, an hourly rate of $75 is common for web designers. Also, depending on the regions and countries of the design team, freelancers, agencies or the industries they specialize in, rates can vary too.
According to FreshBooks, design and web development services for smaller projects can cost between $5,000 and $10,000. But average one-time costs for large enterprises in need of more features can range from $2,000 to $15,000.