Nowadays we have more No-Code agencies than ever before. And with the No-Code space growing by an average of more than $1B per year (Forbes), there are many more agencies to come in the near future.
In this article, we’ll share some tips that will help you choose the best No-Code agency from the plethora of options that populate this growing market.
We’ll cover:
- Why you should choose a No-Code agency to begin with
- What to look for in a No-Code agency
- 5 agency red flags you shouldn’t ignore
- 15 questions you should ask your next agency
Let’s dive in.
Why Choose a No-Code Agency to Begin with?
There are many reasons why you should choose a No-Code agency to develop your online presence.
No-Code agencies have numerous advantages over traditional agencies, including:
- Speed to market
- Predictability
- Cost-effectiveness
Let's delve into these benefits further.
Speed-to-market
No-Code agencies excel in high-speed development, allowing them to create functional websites in significantly less time compared to traditional development agencies. This is a significant advantage for businesses aiming to outpace their competition and quickly enter the market.
Moreover, No-Code agencies enable faster and more efficient iterations, surpassing the capabilities of traditional development teams.
Predictability
Opting for a No-Code agency brings the advantage of predictability in terms of timeframes and iterations. These agencies offer a streamlined and easily traceable development process, providing you with a clear understanding of the project's progress. It becomes simpler to anticipate the next steps and have a reliable grasp on how the development process is going.
Costs
One of the primary reasons to consider a No-Code agency, in many cases, is the cost advantage. Building a project from scratch with No-Code can cost nearly half of what traditional development would entail. Additionally, No-Code solutions reduce expenses not just in development, but also in terms of maintenance and hosting.
Overall, No-Code agencies offer an excellent option for budget-conscious individuals to develop competitive websites that rival the quality of more traditional and expensive development cycles. However, it is important to find a balance between price and quality, which we'll discuss further later on.
What to Look for in a No-Code Agency
Choosing the right No-Code agency requires considering various factors, including their portfolio, pricing, and communication approach with clients. Evaluating their portfolio gives you insights into their previous work and expertise. Pricing considerations ensure alignment with your budget. Effective communication is crucial for a smooth collaboration and understanding of your project's needs.
In this section, we’ll highlight some of the most important aspects to consider when choosing your No-Code partner, including:
- A strategic perspective
- A solid portfolio
- Great communication
- Culture fit
- Transparent pricing
More than design & development, strategy
Your No-Code agency should be more than just a design and development partner. They should give you poignant insights on how to approach the market, they should understand your needs and fears and have actionable answers to them.
In other words, they should provide you with a strategy for the website they’ll be designing and developing. They should be an integral agency, not only dedicated to pushing pixels but also to the ideas that go behind the release of a new online presence. Look beyond tool proficiency; seek agencies with strong ideas.
Portfolio
Always, and we can’t stress this enough, pay close attention to an agency's portfolio. A lack of projects in their portfolio is a big red flag, indicating a lack of relevant experience. Conversely, a well-established portfolio offers valuable information about an agency's work process, project handling capabilities, and potential familiarity with projects similar to yours. Take the time to carefully assess an agency's portfolio as it can tell you so much about your future partner!
Great communication
Communication can make or break a project. Good communication is key to the success of almost anything in life, and No-Code agencies are not the exception to this rule.
Ensure the agency prioritizes clear, efficient, and concise communication. Does your point of contact take the time to explain this to you in the clearest way possible? Nothing hampers a project more than miscommunication, or jargon-heavy talks that lead to more questions than answers.
Additionally, don’t forget that communication must be a two-way street, meaning that both parties should be exchanging ideas and insights whenever necessary.
Culture fit
This may sound like a no-brainer but, when choosing an agency, ensure they align with your culture, vision, and objectives. Understand their agency culture thoroughly because even slight mismatches can lead to problems and hinder the development process.
For instance, let's say your company values open communication and collaboration, but you choose an agency that has a hierarchical culture where decisions are made top-down without much input from the team. This discrepancy in communication style and decision-making process can lead to misalignment, delays, and frustration among team members, ultimately hindering the progress of your projects.
Transparent pricing
Another no-brainer, but worth mentioning nevertheless, is to always check if the agency’s pricing is consistent, transparent, and easy to understand. Look for agencies whose pricing system is well consolidated and communicated.
Avoid agencies with fluctuating prices or inconsistent pricing. Also, be wary of hidden charges, which are prevalent among shady agencies and scammers.
5 Agency Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore
Even though there are many positives when hiring a No-Code agency, not all agencies are created equal.
When looking for a No-Code partner, don’t overlook these red flags:
- A lack of testimonials
- Exceedingly low prices
- Impossible speed and scope
- No onboarding
- Disregard for context or strategy
No testimonials
Having no testimonials on the agency site or review sites like Clutch is a clear red flag. It signifies either inexperience in the field or a deliberate attempt to hide past work due to development or client issues. Either way, the absence of testimonials should always raise concerns.
Exceedingly low prices
Exceedingly low prices, those way below the market average, may seem tempting at first glance, but they hide an awful truth: The output of those who sell their work at impossibly generous prices is usually subpar, to put it nicely.
Beware of agencies that offer low prices, as they typically fall into two categories:
- Inexperienced newcomers
- Subpar providers, bordering on scams
Always exercise caution when encountering bargains.
Impossible speed and scope
No-Code development cycles are fast. But if someone promises you a go-to-market time that’s significantly shorter than the market average, along with an abundance of impossible features, consider it a major red flag.
The development process, even for No-Code projects, takes more than just a few days. Proper no-code development entails:
- Project planning
- Testing
- Optimization
Even the simplest websites must go through these stages to meet industry standards. Beware of anyone claiming to deliver a full-featured, large website in a week; it's likely to be a dubious proposition.
No onboarding
Having an onboarding process is standard practice for any agency when approaching a new project. It helps team members to understand the needs of the client and aligns everyone within a common goal.
So having no onboarding process constitutes a massive red flag. Basically, it entails starting a new project with total disregard for the client and their ideas, vision, and goals. It’s like going on a date with someone and not even asking their name, it’s just something you don’t do.
Disregard for context or strategy
Very much in line with the previous point, having no regard for context or strategy is a big red flag. Without understanding the "why" and the “how” of your project, team members will lack direction.
This is especially detrimental when your No-Code partner will design your platform. Designing without strategy results in websites that are expensive and beautiful, but have no business impact.
15 Questions You Should Ask Your Next No-Code Agency
Meeting with potential agency representatives? In this section, we’ll share 20 questions that could help you cover all your bases and assess your potential partner.
We recommend asking:
- What’s your No-Code stack?
- Can you provide examples or case studies of similar projects you've successfully completed?
- How do you ensure effective communication throughout the project?
- What’s your process for handling changes or revisions during development?
- How long would this project take and what factors could delay delivery?
- What is your pricing structure, and what does it include?
- What factors could add extra costs down the line?
- Do you have a clear onboarding process to understand our specific needs?
- How do you handle quality assurance and testing?
- Can you provide references from past clients?
- What support and maintenance options do you offer after the project is completed?
- Will you develop a style guide or any other asset to help us maintain the site?
- Do you include hosting costs?
- Will your code be optimized for performance and SEO?
- How could we help you make this project a success?
Looking for a No-Code Agency? We’ve Got Good News
In this post, we briefly explored how to choose the best No-Code agency.
Are you looking for a No-Code agency that can help you structure an omnichannel, conversion-oriented strategy? You’re in the right place. Some of the most promising startups choose us as their strategic partner.
Discover why, book a free consulting call.