When it comes to getting a web project off the ground in any industry, there’s a number of important considerations that have to be made. Realistic deadlines need to be set, budgets need to be agreed and stuck to, and ultimately everyone must be agreed on what the end project should look like. Anyone reading this who has ever worked in project management will likely be trying not to laugh, as oftentimes, at least one of these criteria will run into trouble throughout the process.
With more and more SMEs starting up in the UK every year, it’s likely that we’re going to see a further increase in the demand for the types of skills necessary to get these projects off the ground. With this in mind, we can expect to see a greater number of digital agencies working to offer more services to their clients.
When a business approaches an agency for work, they come looking for expertise in areas where they do have extensive knowledge. From an agency perspective, you don’t want to be in a position where someone is approaching you with questions on a trend to the digital landscape, and their questions are the first time you’re hearing of it. This is why participating in the discussions seen on sites like BIMA amongst other industry professionals is so vital.
Though we have seen a flood of new tools like Wix, WordPress, and Squarespace in the market, they are still no match to a professionally built website. The demand for new sites is continuing to grow, and any agency that wants to be on the cutting edge should be able to offer the tools and expertise to build to any specification. This will require development capacity across a number of different web languages that are used such as Umbraco.
Having a positive relationship between client and agency is vital across any type of work that is being undertaken. Positive relationships are guaranteed through regular communication at all points in the life of a project. If the client doesn’t communicate with the agency, their specific needs might not be satisfied with the final product.
If the agency doesn’t communicate with the client, project progress can be lost and deadlines are more likely to be missed. Many agencies are now starting with a client services team from the ground up to guarantee conversations over the course of a project.
We are moving into a period of time where the levels of expertise that are demanded from digital agencies are greater than ever before. With so many variables entering the world of an online marketing strategy across site creation, PR, innovation, and changes to the way consume information, an increased talent pool across a broader range of disciplines is what the market is demanding.
We’re likely to see the need for fully integrated agencies increase, and only those who have the very best talent coming through their doors will be able to progress in an increasingly crowded marketplace.