Learning about a great agency from someone you trust is often the easiest and most reliable way to start your search when you need a website redesign.

‍

Ask good questions and you get the real story: How did the agency handle tough situations? Was communication open and concise? Were deadlines met? Did the final product meet expectations?

‍

Relying solely on your network can be limiting, though. Project details may differ from yours, recommendations may be based on old work, or maybe you need to vet multiple agencies to meet due diligence requirements. This is where Clutch can become a valuable tool.

Is Clutch Reliable?

We've all heard of or experienced fishy online reviews, so is Clutch any different? Their answer points to its verification process. 

‍

At its core, Clutch is a B2B rating and review platform where clients can leave feedback about agencies they’ve worked with. Clutch offers a verification process that companies use as an additional layer of credibility and trustworthiness. 

‍

Clutch-verified companies have undergone a multi-step vetting that includes a credit check, and that has deemed them to be legitimate, trustworthy, and serious about their operations. Two verification levels exist - Premier and Verified.

‍

Premier Verified agencies must have:

• Greater than a 3 average star rating from client reviews
• 3+ client reviews that have been verified by Clutch, which occurs through phone interviews or online surveys
• Creditworthiness as assessed by Creditsafe

Verified companies lack 3+ verified client reviews, but meet other credit and business verification requirements. (Cantilever is Premier Verified, with a 4.9 / 5 referral rating from 32 reviews.)

How to Use Clutch Effectively

Thousands of companies are listed on Clutch – far too many to wade through in search of your next partner, so you need to narrow the field. Do this by knowing what you want.

‍

Before you begin, note that companies can pay their way into Clutch’s search rankings. Those that do appear beneath a Featured heading in search results.

‍

Begin your search by selecting a company category (e.g. Web Developers, Digital Marketing, etc.) Then use Clutch’s search filters to narrow the field. 

‍

Click the All Filters button to access the full range of available filters. You’ll immediately reduce your overall list size by toggling on Clutch Verified, in addition to experimenting with other filters.

How Humphrys’ Director of Marketing Used Clutch to Find Cantilever

We asked Charlie Dwyer, Director of Marketing for Humphrys Awnings, to share his Clutch experience when he searched for a new web design agency. This is what he told us:

‍

We had a trio of outdated WordPress websites designed and maintained by a small local web development agency when I started at Humphrys. I immediately set out to bring these websites to a higher standard, and it was clear that our current agency was not up to the task. I turned to Clutch to find a new agency.

‍

I wanted an agency that:

• Was located anywhere in the US (I believed a wider net offered more options)
• Developed fast, well-coded websites. This meant one that:
  
  • Didn’t use existing WordPress themes or frameworks like Divi or Genesis
  • Was proficient in custom coding and not simply installing dozens of plugins on top of a CMS
• Made websites with creative and unique designs
• Evidenced thoroughness and consideration for user experience in their work

‍

So how to find the best examples of this amongst thousands of web agencies on Clutch? First, I set these filters:

• Location: United States
• Services: Web Design, eCommerce Development
• Hourly Rates: $100-$150, $150-$200, $200-$300 (to weed out freelancers)
• Reviews: 3+

‍

This gave me about 150 potential agencies, which I organized by review rating. I skipped all sponsored listings and began going through the rest, one by one, by:

• Ensuring services offered roughly matched my need
• Checking that minimum project size wasn’t too small ($1,000, for example, would indicate a local / small business focus)
• Making sure the agency wasn’t too big (based on my experience with agencies, above a couple dozen people and a project’s success becomes a factor of the agency team that you get, and this means the company’s portfolio is less suggestive of your potential results)

‍

With this step done, I’d visit the agency’s site to:

• Review the homepage
  
  • Is the hero area engaging, fast loading, and effective?
  • Do I like the messaging? Can I digest it effortlessly?
  • Is the user experience good, with a clear path suggested for me?
  • Is the design unique or something like what I’d find on ThemeForest?
• Use the BuiltWith chrome plugin to see how the page is built
  
  • Is this WordPress or something more uncommon?
  • What tools is the agency using?
    
    • Yoast for SEO, or are they doing the right things on their own?
    • Anything for A/B testing and optimization?
• Visit the About page
  
  • Do I get a clear sense of the people in this agency?
  • Does their story fit the type of agency I want to work with?
  • Is the design and writing creative and unique?
• Glance through Service and Portfolio-related pages
  
  • Do these interior pages share the same theme and layout, or are they custom designed to fit the content of the page?
  • Does the agency strike a balance between unique layout, content, and ease of use?
  • Is there unique interactivity that aids storytelling?
  • Is there a high level of polish as I get deeper into the site?

I quickly disqualified agencies that underperformed on any of these points. Next, I further reduced the list by running a Pingdom speed test on each agency’s site. If an agency can’t code their own website to perform well, they certainly won’t do so for yours.

‍

I finished my process where some people may begin: with a look through the agency’s portfolio. I wanted to see output that matched the style and vision I had for my own website. If the agency’s portfolio resonated, I set up a phone call to discuss my project and get a proposal.

Once Contact Has Been Made

As CEO of Cantilever, I have spoken with hundreds of executives and marketers wrestling with underwhelming website performance, ineffective in-house teams, or in need of something special to support business goals. 

‍

These consultations have taught me a tremendous amount about how and why resourcing decisions are made. In my experience, when these decisions fail to pay off, it typically is because the wrong resource has been chosen for the job.

‍

Web agencies can tackle your project with a depth of knowledge that provides outsized value, but of course can also present risk. Once you’ve filtered down to a short list of candidates and you make contact, here are a few criteria you may consider for your vetting process

Team Composition

The agency should identify who will work with you on the project, including resumes and locations (if remote). Any lack of transparency during the sales process is a red flag. If an agency cannot or will not identify the team, its operation may be outsourced. 

‍

Your pitch team may not be the project team. While it’s unlikely that everyone in the pitch will also be on the day-to-day team, get the agency’s guarantee of a team and meet those people.

‍

You’ll gain comfort with those you may work with for an extended period of time. Having someone from the actual project team present during the sale process also eliminates gaps in information as you transition to the project itself. 

Project Management & Communication

Clear and consistent project management should be evident in every interaction you have with an agency. If they’re late, confusing or disorganized during the sales process, odds are that they’ll be this way during the project, too.

‍

When reviewing the agency’s Clutch profile, look for a majority of reviews that mention how the client received great service. When speaking with the agency, ask about its process. This isn’t the fun, flashy side of web development, but it’s crucial to an agency’s ability to ship on schedule while keeping you updated and well-informed.

Technology

Agencies that you seriously consider should present a clear set of technologies they recommend, and rationale for their selection. If the firm works only with a specific technology or platform, speak with third parties to assess whether this is a good choice for your business.

Long-Term Plan

A good agency is a guide, not just an order-taker. Those that you assess should have a compelling, post-launch vision for the site and be ready to support and grow it. Alternatively, the firm may recommend partners who can assume site management post-launch. 

References

Read Clutch reviews during your vetting process, but then keep going. Always try to speak to at least one reference who has previously engaged the agency. Ideally, that company’s project was similar to yours and performed within the past year to two.

‍

Ask for references pertinent to your business and project, but we suggest you also independently contact clients (for example, those shown on an agency’s website) to get a truly balanced picture of working with the firm. 

What To Watch Out For

Low Cost

Some agencies outsource work without transparency. Be aware of this potential when a project estimate is just too good to be true, especially when compared to competing proposals.

‍

Reputable firms have higher costs. They pay better and attract the best talent. If a firm puts a really attractive offer on the table, ask yourself how it is possible that they can go so low when other firms do not.

Lack of Experience

Every agency has a process. Newer firms often have one that’s scattered, and this presents project risk. This can be true of small boutiques. New firms trying to survive and find their legs present risk because they may pivot business models mid-stream, leaving you absent a needed, long-term partner.

‍

Generally, try to select a firm with at least three years of experience doing projects that are the same or very similar to yours.

Lack of Focus

Full-service agencies that do full service well are hard to find. Those that do are usually larger and costlier. When you encounter a firm that offers website design and development alongside social media management, search engine marketing, brand development, or other diverse services, start probing.

‍

Many firms like this do not have deep website experience, and may outsource or underestimate the web work. For web design and development, you get the best outcome when this type of work is clearly the agency’s wheelhouse. 

Conclusion

A website redesign is an investment that needs to yield the best possible return. You’ll need a great team to make this happen. Tools like Clutch make it easier to find that perfect fit by combining trusted referrals, smart search filters, and thorough vetting.

‍

Approach the process with as clear a picture of your needs as possible. Think of ways to sleuth for clues about an agency’s quality before you ever reach out to them, as Charlie Dwyer at Humphrys did before hiring us. Take your time, ask the right questions, and choose an agency that aligns with your vision and goals—you’ll set your project up for success.

‍

Check out our Clutch profile and contact us at hi@cantilever.co to learn more about Cantilever.