Website Design Firms Opting for a New Business Model

When a new website was needed Leon Sangha thought dealing with website design agencies would be different to ad agencies. But as he learnt, this wasn't necessarily the case. Here he talks of the new business model sweeping through the digital world.

Recently, the company who I work for wanted to change their website. It needed an update, a new look, a different feel. It wasn't the print media we needed, we needed a more demanding online presence.

The initial meeting is the usual, figure out what it is the company needs, is it: an ecommerce website, one with a shopping cart, how the brand can benefit from Search Engine Optimisation? The next step though, of you speaking to multiple people in the design agency has some what changed.

Website design and search engine optimisation companies will give you your own account handler. Your 'go to' person, someone who will manage your project from start to finish. This is common in the advertising agencies and has been for years, now however they have become more popular in website design firms.



I feel that it's good that design agencies are changing to. Go to any creative person in an ad agency and ask them where the industry is going and they will of course say: digital.

What I like about the new model is that you are not linking with various people in the company who manage different parts of the site, you don't have to contact the designers, the developers, the people who 'skin' the website or 'slice' the design. No, your account handler plans all of this out for you. Moreover, the account handler knows how to talk to you. They explain what needs doing, suggest what could be done, and they do this all without the jargon.

"Only 5 years ago clients who used a website design firm would be talking to one person who handles the design, another who handles their coding. That's over and out dated now. That model is old," explains Jeffery Baits an internet entrepreneur. He continues, "now companies will give you your own personal account handler who is really an extension of your company. The key is for you to ensure your handler is fully conscious of your vision."

It's interesting that these two worlds are colliding together. As print and TV adverts become less powerful and the branding of your website gets more paramount, it seems as if the design agencies are learning from their advertising brothers.