A Guide to Business Web Consulting Services and Fees

What Does a Web Consultant Do?

Web consulting services are external services offered by independent website development consultants or agencies. They can come in the form of experienced teams or individuals, knowledgeable about web development, design, optimization, and maintenance.

A website development consultant or agency offers advice, guidance, and counsel on specific topics. Typically, web consultants don’t work directly on project tasks, but may oversee them. Businesses with inexperienced internal teams often seek out professional web consulting services.

The purpose of a consultation is to get expert advice on building or improving an existing business website, app, or both. Your business may seek to hire a web design consulting agency or consultant for a one-off consultation. However, they’re more likely to step in and work with your internal team or management for a longer period, during which they may offer guidance surrounding the design, development, and implementation stages.

Reasons Why Businesses Need Web Design Consulting Services

If you have an internal web design, development, and maintenance team, you may wonder why you need to consult externally. Website consultants and agencies may not always be necessary, but there are valid reasons why businesses seek them out.

1. Lack of In-House Team Experience

The internal teams of some businesses are not as knowledgeable as they should be about building result-driven websites. As a result, there is often a need for a web development consultant to train and guide existing employees through part of or the entire process.

2. Existing Website or App Is Not up to Par

An intervention may be the order of the day if an existing business app or website is underperforming, either due to poor design or technical issues. A web development consulting agency or consultant will typically troubleshoot, tell you why the issue is occurring, and offer advice about and what you can do to get your website to deliver desired results.

3. Unbiased External Feedback

When you work on a long-term project such as web design, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Website consultants offer unbiased external perspectives. This valuable feedback may help you and your team make better web design and development choices.

4. Expert Guidance

Working with a team certainly has its advantages. However, internal politics, alternative viewpoints, and rivalry may hamper or even detract from the website or app creation process. An external expert’s opinion might be what you need to level the playing field and iron out the creases.

5. A Helping Hand

It’s challenging to get a custom mobile app or website off the ground and operational. Many businesses hire web consultants to bolster their workforce during this demanding period. Having an experienced web consultant or agency on your team ensures things go more smoothly.

How a Web Development Consulting Agency Can Help

Website development consulting agencies and consultants offer invaluable advice. These teams and individuals are very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of web development, design, and optimization. They have a lot to offer your business and here are the top benefits of partnering with a professional.

• Give you the competitive edge. A web development consultation agency or consultant will help give your business website or app a leg up in the digital space.
• Upskill your internal team. Highly skilled web consultants can help guide and train your internal team.
• Identify overlooked website or app issues. An experienced web development consulting company will easily spot website problems and provide effective solutions.
• Optimize your website or app. Professionals know web design best practices back to front and are in tune with the latest web development trends.
• Ensure smoother sailing. An expert’s advice may ensure that your website or app development process progresses with fewer issues.

Types of Web Development Consulting Services

Website creation is a complex process consisting of many steps and demanding different types of expertise. From visuals to coding, and brand voice to user experience, it takes more than a few experts to bring a website to life.

Similarly, specific web design and development agencies as well as consultants may specialize in areas such as web analytics, marketing, branding, development, and design consulting services. Here are a few types of website development consulting services.

Web Analytics Consulting Services

Web analytics refers to the monitoring of website or app user engagement and traffic using tools such as Google Analytics. Consultants who offer web analytics consulting services may use collected data to help improve your website’s performance across all the parameters that matter.

Website Development Consulting Services

Website development is the technical creation stage of a website that involves coding, programming, launch, and testing. Web development consulting services focus on this specific process.

Web Design Consulting Services

Web design is also a part of the website development process. However, it encompasses more of the visual aspects of your website and its usability, such as graphic design and UI/UX. A consultant or agency offering website design consulting services can guide you when it comes to getting the design right.

Web Branding Consulting Services

Branding is another area where businesses consult with professionals. In most cases, a company is likely to have existing branding, including colors, fonts, and logo set up. However, web branding consultants may offer advice about how best to implement these on your website or app.

Web Marketing Consulting Services

Web marketing requires an understanding of search engine optimization (SEO), data-driven marketing, content marketing, and other effective online marketing strategies. Web marketing consulting services can help augment your organic and paid marketing strategies.

How Much Do Web Consulting Services Cost?

Web consulting services come at a cost that’s in addition to the money you spend on website design, hosting, and internal team hires. How much a web consulting company or consultant charges varies based on expertise and experience. However, as web consultants are external professionals, they usually charge a flat or per-hour fee.

Average Hourly Website Consulting Fees

Hourly website consulting fees are generally similar to typical IT consultant fees. Website consulting fees that an agency or individual may charge per hour depend largely on expertise. You may expect to pay around $50 to $125 per hour based on the reputation and expertise of a web consulting agency or consultant.

Average Website Consulting Flat Fees

If you require website consulting over the long term, you may be able to hire a web development agency for a flat project fee. It might charge you for a week, a month, a year, or for the entire project. While you may get a discounted rate, a percentage or all website consulting fees might be required upfront. Expect to pay a set website consulting fee of around $1,000 to $100,000 based on the size and complexity of your project.

Tips to Select the Right Website Development Consulting Agency

Not all web consulting agencies and consultants are as experienced as the next. Besides, you don’t always get what you pay for and a web consulting agency or consultant may quote any amount. To ensure you get the best value, service, and turnaround, ensure following these steps.

Phase 1: Find Suitable Web Consulting Agencies and Consultants

Your first step is to find web consulting agencies or consultants you wish to hire. You may find professionals online or offline, but don’t forget to carry out due research.

• Shop around for web consulting services. When looking for web consulting services, be sure to shop around, and don’t just go with the first advertised agency. Ask for referrals, look at all the top browser results, and find local listings. Web consulting services don’t come cheap, so you want to make sure you find the right fit.
• Browse the web consulting agency’s or consultant’s website. A web development consulting agency can only offer a consultation with results as good as its own consulting website. An easy way to find out is to take a look at its website firsthand. Navigate through its website, noting functionality, design, user experience, and mobile-friendliness as you go.
• Read client reviews and testimonials. A long-standing reputable web consulting agency or consultant should have online reviews and testimonials. Look at its listing on Google Maps, social media pages, and review websites to find the information you seek.

Phase 2: Enquire About Web Consulting Services and Fees

Once you’ve shopped around, you should have a list of a few agencies or consultants you’d like to approach. Follow these steps to learn more about the web consulting services they offer.

• Ask for a client list. If you can’t find a client list on a web consulting agency’s or consultant’s website, ask. They should be able to provide you with a list. Don’t just consider the high-profile clients with whom they’ve worked. Look at the industries, client company sizes, and market audiences as well.
• Make sure the web consulting agency is the right fit. If a web development consulting agency or consultant has worked with similar size and industry companies as yours, chances are it will be a good fit. Be sure to ask about its area of expertise; design, branding, marketing, and the like. Then, consider whether its consultants will complement your team.
• Ask for quotes. Asking for quotes is a necessary step. However, never choose an agency or consultant purely because it’s the most affordable. Weigh value and fit against its website consulting fees to find the best fit. After all, more affordable web consulting services that don’t meet your needs will be a wasted expense.

Phase 3: Meet With Potential Web Consulting Agencies and Consultants

Once you’ve shortlisted the top website development consultants or agencies that are a fit for your needs, it’s time to chat with them. Bear in mind that your project requirements and deadlines, and the agency’s availability are of high importance.

• Be upfront about your needs and budget. Time is money. Be upfront about your needs and budget to ensure you don’t waste time. Most web development consulting agencies and consultants will be open to negotiating fees based on your unique needs and budget. However, if you know you can’t afford the fees, either reconsider your budget or look elsewhere.
• Outline your web development or optimization schedule. Before consulting an agency, be clear on your web design or optimization schedule. As web consulting agencies and consultants offer one-off services, their schedules may be tight. In order to be a good fit, they need to be available for your project to remain on track and go smoothly.

Phase 4: Select the Agency or Consultant You Wish to Hire

After understanding what the top alternatives have to offer, pick one. You may need to negotiate and sign a consulting agreement or contract at this point. You also need to prepare your team for the exciting collaboration.

• Read the contract’s fine print. Most website development consultants and agencies will ask you to sign a contract. Even if they don’t, it may be in your best interest to ask for one. You may want to forward a copy to your business lawyer to ensure everything is in order. He/she may also suggest additional clauses depending on your expressed needs.
• Prep your in-house team. If you have an existing team, integrating a new team member or leader into the mix, albeit temporarily, may be challenging. Avoid nasty surprises by filling your in-house team in beforehand on who is coming, why, and how to treat them. Doing so will avoid conflict and ensure the web consultant feels welcome, appreciated, and respected.

Conclusion

Now that you know more about web consulting services, you are better positioned to find the right fit. Whether it is web analytics, development, or design consulting services you’re after, you may certainly find a website development consulting company or consultant to guide you in the right direction.