Specialization can be a very good idea or a very bad one, depending on the situation. If a bakery wants to specialize in making cakes, they can become experts and create some truly excellent cakes. However, if their true expertise lies in decorating cakes, and they don't know how to properly mix or bake the ingredients to make the cake itself, the end result will be less than stellar.
Web Design Firms vs. Marketing Firms
In the online realm, some service companies specialize in website design. These artists can create some beautiful, functional websites. Unfortunately, some of the most visually appealing websites out there never get seen or never produce sales leads--because design experts are experts at design, not SEO or marketing.
To fill that need, online marketing and SEO firms have developed. These companies know how to reach your target audience and how to convert your prospects into customers by using lead nurturing campaigns. Of course, since they don't specialize in design, those visitors will not be all that impressed by the look and functionality of your website.
One at a Time
It seems that one solution would be to utilize two companies: one to design your website and one to manage your online marketing and SEO campaigns.
Some companies do exactly that, but it is far from the ideal. Website design, marketing and SEO are intertwined to such a degree that it is difficult to separate them. Your website is a marketing piece; the design, content flow and navigation represent a big part of the overall message. And much on-site search engine optimization is integrated into the code itself.
When it comes to website design and marketing, trying to do one and then the other is like baking a cake and then trying to include eggs and sugar.
Two at a Time
A few web design and marketing firms try to get around such problems by working together. One may hire the other to work on their client, or a company might hire both and ask them to collaborate on a website redesign.
Full-Service FirmsThis is certainly preferable to the one-at-a-time approach, but it still seems like a needlessly complicated arrangement. You, the customer, have to pay for two different service providers. The two firms have to communicate every detail with each other, which leads to some inefficiencies and a longer turnaround time. It is like trying to assemble one cake in two different locations.
By now, the best solution is probably obvious: if you have one firm that can handle both web design and marketing, you will get the best overall results in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
A full-service firm still provides expert help because it is still specialized; its specialty is creating a web presence for your company that gets results.
There are several benefits of choosing a full-service firm that provides both web design and marketing:
- Easy and effective communication. With one firm, you have one contact person to deal with. You only have to explain yourself and your goals once. No time is wasted, and nothing gets lost in translation, as can happen when separate design and marketing firms try to collaborate.
- A full understanding of how everything works together. A full-service firm knows how the SEO elements and design influence conversions and how your various marketing campaigns integrate into your overall message. They manage both your on-page and off-page SEO efforts, so that your site ranks as highly in search results as possible. When it comes time for a change, they know how to update your website without losing its SEO value.
- Designing for conversions. Full-service firms understand that the purpose of your website is to generate leads and sales. They don't build cool-looking websites just for the sake of looking cool; they design sites to get results.
- Managing your brand. People today interact with both your company's website and your social media properties. A full-service firm can manage both, ensuring that your efforts at branding are consistent.
- No need to correct the other firm's mistakes. For example, improper SEO tactics are more than just ineffective at getting results; they can get your site actively penalized by search engines. A single firm does not waste time cleaning up another company's work.
- Continuous improvement. A full-service online marketing firm will be able to track the effectiveness of each landing page, each keyword and each social media network to see which actually result in customers. Through analysis and testing, they can help you get the best possible marketing return on investment.
In short, a full-service web marketing and design firm can create a great cake--and get your target market to eat it, too.
* Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
