How to Choose a Digital Agency for Your WordPress Site

Your nonprofit is currently working with or considering using WordPress for your website. Or perhaps your past webmaster or developer has left – and you are looking for a long-term agency to rely on. You don’t know who can or who should help. There’s many factors that go into your site – the design, hosting, plugins, SEO, analytics content creation, etc. etc. – and you don’t have the experience or time to do it all.

You ask, “how are we to choose a digital agency for our WordPress site?”

There’s not an easy answer or a formula, but there are a few questions to help further uncover your needs. Ask yourself and/or your team the following and you will be a bit closer to finding the right digital agency for your nonprofit.

Shameless plug: ArcStone has been working with several nonprofits over the last few years. They’d love to work with you. Call us up today to see if we fit your needs.

choosing-a-digital-agency

5 Questions to ask when choosing a digital agency…

1. Which technology do they typically work with?

There are endless possibilities when it comes to technology these days, so it’s important that your nonprofit hones in on what its specific needs are currently and will be down the road. When it comes to your digital agency, look for one that specializes in the technology that matters most to you.

– What language does your IT department use? Do you need a website host?Which CMS does the agency typically recommend?

– If you need someone with WordPress experience, how long have they been working with the platform? Do they use other platforms or have they standardized on WordPress? Do they custom build and design their WordPress sites or purchase WordPress templates?

Each of these factors can influence the quality and cost of your nonprofit’s WordPress website.

Read on for more on why ArcStone works with WordPress as our go-to CMS. Also, learn about 3 WordPress plugins we work with and recommend specifically for nonprofits.

2. What services are included within their agency? What do they have to outsource?

In working on a website, you obviously need an agency that has both a technology and design background, but what other needs might arise in the long run?

– Can this agency host your site? Help you with your marketing analytics? Set up your paid ad campaign? What are the on-going support costs?

– And what about on the creative side of things? Can they provide photo or video services? Do they do rebranding projects or design marketing collateral?

nonprofit-wordpress-agency

3. Do they have relevant experience? 

This is especially important for nonprofits. When an agency understands the depth of stories a nonprofit deals with and what audiences you are attempting to reach, they are way ahead of the game in helping you. Ask for case studies, testimonials and references.

– Has the agency worked with nonprofits in the past? Have they built nonprofit WordPress sites? Any case studies available? Are they similar results to what you hope for?

Take a peek at ArcStone’s case studies with nonprofits such as Youthlink, Kids In Need, MN Firehire, Masonic Charities, and Hunger Solutions.

4. How do they typically approach a project like this? 

This is a more nuanced feature of any agency. Some companies may be really focused on getting to know your audiences and developing a strategy on targeting those (read more about our focus in our ebook: Nonprofit Audience Persona Development). Others rely more on a design heavy or flashy website. Either is appropriate depending on your needs.

5. Does their culture fit with yours?

This is probably the most important question to consider. You should figure out how they communicate, and if it fits with your nonprofit. Since there are so many agencies out there, your nonprofit’s communication habits and culture don’t have to adapt – you can find an agency that makes a good match with what you have.

– Visit their agency itself and invite them to your office. Try to get to know their team and ask more in-depth questions like: Are you large and diverse or small and agile? How do you typically communicate with your clients? What do you do that sets you apart from other agencies? What do you love most about our nonprofit?

choosing-a-digital-agency-for-my-nonprofit

Read more on culture fit in “Choosing a Digital Agency: My First Week at ArcStone.” 

Idealware’s recent report, The Landscape of WordPress for Nonprofits, dives into several questions to ask as well. Read more on deciding if your agency should be local, if you should work with an individual consultant or a firm, and under what circumstances you might be able to tackle alone. Download the report here.