When beginning the process of interviewing and vetting out possible creative partners to design or refresh your website, it is important to think about certain details and factors that could impact the process. From researching platforms, content management systems and placing proper long-term goals and priorities for the website that are critical to a successful website and collaborative collaboration with an agency.

Research Platforms

Take into account what the overall function and conversion expectation of the website. What is the return on investment for this project? Taking into consideration if a brand is B2B, B2C or C2C, as this helps determine what platform to be on and how to create an optimal user experience. Begin by researching what platform your current website is on, and what other platforms you think might work for your company. For example, if your company is an eCommerce business, platforms such as Shopify might be a solution to your business as Shopify is a great resource for eCommerce solutions.

Content Management System

“A content management system, often abbreviated as CMS, is software that helps users create, manage, and modify content on a website without the need for specialized technical knowledge”.- Kinsta 

The three most popular content management systems include- WordPress, Drupal, and Magento. The function of a CMS allows more control and customization of content and content distribution. A headless CMS, is a back-end only content management system and can be utilized for brands that are looking for their content to be optimized in many different platforms. 

Develop a Long-Term Strategy

Consider short-term and long-term goals for your brand’s website. These questions are important to answer before reaching out to a creative agency for help. When collaborating with a third party, it is best to know what can be done in house, and what you would like to collaborate on. 

Factors to consider:

  1. Timeline: Do you have a specific timeline the website needs to be live by?
  2. Budget: Can you afford all the bells and whistles of a website right away?
  3. Collateral: Do you have all of the pictures and content ready to go? 
  4. User Personas: What is your target market and ideal customer?

Realistic Expectations

Be honest with your internal team, and your creative partners. Take into consideration all factors before beginning a journey to create a new website. Are budget allocations in alignment, does your schedule allow for weekly or bi-weekly collaboration sessions and does your brand or company have a clear vision for the website and expectations of the overall look and feel- that align with project goals.