When looking for an update to your website or mobile app, there are a lot of different options on how to get it done. A common option is to hire a freelancer or agency to do both design and development. Some people will also go with a general marketing agency that does everything under the sun (design, development, social campaigns, email — you name it!) With so many options, it can be hard to determine what is best for you and your project. Here’s a some quick tips to help you sift through the options.
We come across a lot of people who used a design and development agency who aren’t happy with the design. Since that structure of that type of agency often specializes in development more than the design side, they aren’t going to give you the best designs. You’ll get a middle ground type of quality of work from this agency, however, the price may be very economical for both design and development. Make sure to ask the development agency how they execute the design and if there are dedicate designers on their team!
When you hire two separate agencies to complete your website/mobile app, you’re going to get a lot of expertise and suggestions in both realms. This is when you have a complex project and you need expert advice on all sides to make it the most efficient and effective product.
This option is higher cost, however, you get better quality, more in-depth research and collaboration, and a bigger team of support. In this situation, you also typically have a point person for both teams who communicate with one another — this is helpful if you’re in a high managerial position in your company and cannot manage the teams yourself.
This type of agency is great if you have a lot of work going on and are having trouble managing it all (you need everything and the kitchen sink!) This type of agency works well when you want one single point person to go to instead of different teams, however, this comes at a big cost.
Oftentimes general marketing agencies have much higher costs to you because they need to make profit margins for outsourcing the work. The quality is a hit or miss with these agencies — it does really depend on who they hire (if it’s in-house or outsourced). However, if you’re a busy CEO, you may consider a general marketing agency to be able to orchestrate your entire online digital presence.
Overall, the type of agency you hire depends on the quality you’re looking for as well as the structure of communication and your budget!
Still undecided? Contact us to talk about how our design agency can help you on your next project and how we partner with other agencies by emailing info@irisdesigncollaborative.com.
