Web design
Source: Canva

AI is making everything so much easier. You can use it to make logos, write copy, and even design and build whole websites yourself!

But just because you can, does that mean you should? While AI can do lots of things really well, a website might not quite be one of them just yet.

Can AI build your website?

With plenty of moving parts to consider — not just the design and copy, but also accessibility, SEO, sustainability best practice, security, and so much more — there's a lot that goes into a website. Entrusting it to an AI alone could be a recipe for disaster.

That's why there's still a place for experienced web design and development agencies. Even if some of them use AI themselves (and some, but certainly not all, of them do), something as business-critical as a website needs that steady hand.

When you find the right partner, nothing beats working with a website design and branding agency that can help you throughout the process, tailor it to your specific requirements and deliver something truly unique.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of digital agencies in the UK who will be able to handle the task of delivering a website that looks great and functions exactly as you need; you'll be spoiled for choice.

This can make the decision of who to choose even harder, but knowing what you want to get out of the whole process is the real task. Here are a few key factors to think about when choosing an agency for your new website design that you might not have considered in your search.

Why choose an agency over AI for your website

Agencies are real people–you can even go and visit them!

Even if you find AI helpful in your work, you surely can't deny the benefits of the personal touch?

When working with an agency, they don't need to be on your doorstep, but it's always good to shop local. If you're a fan of in-person meetings, finding an agency close to you so you're not travelling for hours for a quick catch-up can save you money and time.

The North of England is full of incredible talent, both in big cities like Leeds and Manchester, which have thriving digital communities, and in smaller towns, from Ashton to Yarm. Sometimes agencies in those smaller towns offer an amazing price thanks to their lower rents!

You might be surprised by just how many you can find. If you're looking for a web design agency in Huddersfield, for example, there are plenty to choose from, including long-established web specialists like Splitpixel, who are just a stone's throw away from the centre of Huddersfield, and many others.

If you're a remote or hybrid worker who isn't fussed about visiting people, you can look further afield, but you ideally still want to be in the same time zone as your agency. This doesn't always pose a problem; some agencies offer 24-hour support no matter where you are, but having to hop on a call at 5am or 9pm because you and your agency are in different time zones can become inconvenient.

Agencies have lots of skills–some you might not know you need

Not all web design agencies are built the same. Some agencies are made up of expert design teams who only provide design and branding, such as logos and leaflets, and will offer printed and digital materials; others are more data marketing-led with less creative chops. Plenty provide a mixture of services!

Digital agencies often have teams working within them who each have a specific set of skills to help a website design come together. For example, Splitpixel, an agency mentioned above, is a full-service digital agency with dedicated Marketing, Design, Development and Content teams who all work together with the project leads and clients to create a digital solution to suit you.

You might begin your project looking for a simple, stand-alone website that just tells your customers and clients who you are and how to find you. After a while, you may decide you want to expand your reach, with ads or more web updates.

Working with a full-service agency allows you to form a relationship with the team working behind the scenes on your project and utilise the other services they offer. You'll also find that many of them will think ahead, and start to feed in best practices for things like SEO and sustainability as standard, before you even know you need them.

Marketing teams can work with you to produce Google Ad campaigns that boost your reach, design teams can create new logos and develop rebrands, content teams can re-work your web pages and optimise them so you appear in more searches. Having a full team, from developers to writers, allows you to expand your project further and allows you to sit back and enjoy the process with just a few meetings here and there, while the agency team works hard behind their screens to bring your website vision to fruition.

Agencies have lots of experience–and can support you long term!

Any good agency will have not just your needs, but the end user — your clients, customers or colleagues — in mind when they are developing your website. They're able to see beyond internal biases and provide a fresh perspective on challenges.

The agency will have expert knowledge and years of experience creating a website that works for you and your clients, and will be able to provide examples as to why you need certain features.

Working with an agency can also help guide you when you're unsure what your project requires. If you're a theatre, for example, a web developer at your chosen agency may have worked with several theatre companies before and know how to create custom integrations and box office add-ons, while the design team at the same agency could come up with some clever merchandise ideas and branding that can boost your online and physical presence.

However, your agency is there to support your project and ideas, without overshadowing what you and your brand stand for. They can have a creative input and point you in the right direction, but ultimately, the end goal is to create something you and your business can be proud of, and that represents you as a company.

Get help from the experts

While AI is helping us learn and produce more than ever before, it's still so important to maintain that human touch. Web agencies exist, and the best ones endure, for a reason–they can deliver the very best, no matter how the tech world develops!