When it comes to web design, there are countless paths to reach your destination—some more complex, costly, and time-consuming than others. We learned this the hard way when launching version one of our website and asked ourselves the simple yet overwhelming question:
Where do we even start?
Successful web design involves much more than design. There are various stages, including strategy, planning, hosting, development, testing, and ongoing maintenance. After navigating these hurdles, we realized the process becomes significantly easier when you follow three simple, yet powerful rules. Whether you’re working with a web design and marketing agency or managing the project in-house, these principles can make or break your success.
1. Always Stick to Your Goal
This might sound obvious, but it’s incredibly easy to lose sight of your goal during the website development process. Before you start selecting design templates or debating color schemes, take the time to set your goal:
- Are you trying to build brand awareness quickly? Identify any upcoming deadlines.
- Are you looking to generate leads right off the bat? A website might not be the answer.
- Are you launching your first website? There’s more at play than just a website.
- Are you enhancing your current website to scale existing operations? Determine the must-haves and nice-to-haves.
These are common challenges our clients face, and each one requires a unique approach to web design. When you’re clear on your goal, decision-making becomes much simpler. You avoid unnecessary features, stay focused on the end result, and ensure the final product actually meets your business goal.
It’s also important to understand that your website needs will evolve. You may not launch everything at once—and that’s okay. Rolling your site out in phases is often a smart approach, as long as each phase is aligned with your specific, achievable goal. For us, evolution is common sense, and we refer to this as our CWR Methodology.
2. Everything You Do Is Resource-Bound
Your time is one of your most precious resources—and that’s especially true when working with a marketing agency on your web design. The truth is, no agency can deliver a successful project if expectations and resources aren’t clearly defined from the start.
When you sign a contract with a web design agency, you agree on a specific scope of work, timeframe, and budget. If you start adding new features mid-project, this naturally impacts the timeline and workload. And while some agencies may accommodate changes, it usually leads to delays—especially if the new requests are clearly out-of-scope.
Another factor that can delay a project? Responsiveness. If your agency is waiting weeks on you for copy and imagery or the reverse is true, your launch date will certainly suffer. Successful web design is a collaborative process—your agency can guide and support you, but it can’t move forward without your timely input.
The more proactive and communicative you are, the more smoothly the project will go.
3. You’re in Charge—Act Like It
One common mistake we see is when clients completely hand over creative control to the agency and take a back seat. While it’s great to trust your agency’s expertise, no one knows your brand better than you.
As your marketing agency, we bring creative strategy, digital tools, and proven systems. But you bring the subject matter expertise, company vision, and voice. We need that insight to translate your business into a compelling, high-performing brand.
You don’t need to know everything about web development—that’s our job. But you do need to make key decisions about your branding, messaging, and goals. Think of your agency as a co-pilot: we’re here to navigate with you, but you need to steer.
Your decision-making includes everything from selecting a hosting platform and outlining your sitemap, to reviewing designs and testing functionality. Yes, we’ll offer our expert opinions and best practices—but ultimately, this is your website, and your leadership is what ensures it reflects your brand.
The Bottom Line
Creating a high-performing website isn’t just about choosing the right CMS or picking what’s trending—it’s about aligning your business objectives with a clear, resource-conscious strategy. If you’re working with a marketing agency on your web design, remember:
- Set a clear, focused goal.
- Respect your budget, timeline, and scope.
- Take ownership of the project with your agency as a trusted partner.
Building your online presence doesn’t have to be chaotic or overwhelming. With the right approach and the right team, it can be one of the most impactful investments your business makes.
Need help launching or revamping your website? Let’s talk—we’d love to help you bring your vision to life.
