This important checklist will help you choose an agency

Choosing an Agency? Start Here.

You can tell within the first hour whether an agency will help you build something that actually works or just something that looks good in a presentation. Great partners ask about KPIs, users, constraints, and systems. They think in components, patterns, and outcomes long before they pick colors. The rest create rework. Here’s what separates them.

1. They recognize you’re working with an agency because you don’t have internal resources.

The right partner reduces friction, not adds to it. They deliver complete assets, communicate clearly, and don’t make you scramble to fill in gaps.

2. They ask about your KPIs.

If they don’t connect design decisions to performance metrics, you’re buying decoration instead of a growth engine.

3. They ask about your audience and your competitors.

Good agencies learn your ecosystem before they make recommendations.

4. They understand conversion and growth best practices.

‍Copy placement, CTA hierarchy, page speed, SEO fundamentals, and modern UX patterns. These should be table stakes.

5. They prioritize practical design over aspirational aesthetics.

‍Beautiful work is great, but usable, maintainable, and launch-ready wins every time.

6. They think in systems, not one-offs.

‍You want components, patterns, and foundations you can keep using instead of a single-page artwork.

7. They design accessible first.

‍Accessibility isn’t an add-on. It’s core to usability, SEO, compliance, and trust.

8. They treat mobile as a first-class experience.

Mobile-first is ideal, but the real test is whether they design thoughtfully for smaller screens, including content, hierarchy, and interactions that should all work cleanly on mobile.

9. Their color palettes are complete, intentional, and scalable.

A real palette supports states, hierarchy, data, and dark modes. Designs shouldn't have just a single look.

In short: the right agency won’t just give you designs. They’ll give you a system you can operate, measure, and grow.