Guide · Before you hire
How to choose a web design agency in Colombia.
You're about to trust someone with your business's digital face. These are the checks, warning signs and questions that help you choose well, whether the proposal comes from an agency, a freelancer or us.
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The short answer
Choose based on what you can verify, not on what you're promised: live websites you can open, a written proposal, the domain in your name and a clear plan for what happens after launch.
01 The options
An agency, a freelancer or doing it yourself.
None is best in every case. What matters is that it fits what you need and the time you have.
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An agency
A team that handles strategy, design, copy, integrations and what comes after. It makes sense when the website has to sell and you don't have time to coordinate several people.
Ask who will work on your project.
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02
A freelancer
One person who can do great work on a simple website. The risk is what happens if they get sick, change jobs or can't keep up with changes.
Ask who answers when they're not available.
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Doing it yourself on a platform
Wix, Shopify or a similar builder let you publish quickly and edit every day. You put in the time, the copy and the photos, and you learn as you go.
Compare platforms
02 Before you believe it
Five things you can check yourself.
A nice portfolio in a slide deck proves nothing. These checks take half an hour and tell you much more.
- Live websites
Ask for the addresses of websites they built and open them. If there are only screenshots or designs that aren't published, ask why.
- Test on your phone
Most of your customers arrive on their phones. Open those websites on yours and measure their speed with PageSpeed Insights, the free Google tool.
- A real client
Ask for a client contact and ask how the process went, whether they met the deadlines and what happened after launch.
- The company exists
Check on RUES, Colombia's Single Business and Social Registry, that the company has a commercial registration and that the name matches the one on the proposal.
- The first contact
Notice how long they take to reply and whether they ask about your business before giving you a price. That's how they'll treat you once you're a client.
03 Warning signs
Six signs to think twice.
A single one rules no one out. Two or three together should make you pause.
- A price without questions
They give you a figure without knowing what you sell, to whom or what the website has to do. That price is for a template, not for your project.
- A guaranteed first place
Google says in its official guide that no one can guarantee the top spot in its results. Whoever guarantees it is promising something they don't control.
- Everything upfront
Paying 100% before seeing progress leaves you no leverage if the result isn't what was agreed.
- Nothing is in your name
The domain, hosting or access stays in the provider's name, and switching later becomes difficult.
- Everything looks the same
The portfolio websites share the same structure and only the colors change. Your business won't stand out with a page identical to others.
- No one mentions data
Your website will receive names, phone numbers and emails. If no one mentions the data processing policy that Colombia's Law 1581 requires, ask.
04 The proposal
What it should say in writing.
If something on this list is missing, ask for it before you pay. What isn't written down later becomes your word against the provider's.
The project
- Which pages, features and integrations it includes, and what is left out.
- Who writes the copy and who gets the photos.
- How many rounds of revisions it includes.
- The delivery dates and the payments tied to each one.
- How you will measure whether the website brings in customers.
What happens afterwards
- Whose name the domain, the website and the accounts are in.
- What you pay each month and what that payment includes.
- Who makes changes and how quickly they respond.
- How the service ends and what you get if you leave.
- How the data of people who contact you is handled.
05 At Blinq
Apply the same list to us.
We're an agency, so this guide applies to us too. Here's what you can check before talking to us.
- Websites you can open
The projects on our case studies page are live and linked, so you can review them on your phone.
- Written proposal
After the free assessment we send you scope, timeline and price in writing, within 24 business hours.
- 50/50 payment
50% to start and 50% on delivery of the approved project, with two rounds of revisions. Never 100% upfront.
- When we're not the right fit
If you want to edit your website every day and have the time to do it, a platform like Wix or Shopify may suit you better. We'll tell you in the assessment.
Sources
What the official sources say.
Tools and rules change. Before you decide, check the current version on each official site.
- Hiring SEO
Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO? It includes the questions Google recommends asking before you hire.
- Speed
PageSpeed Insights, Google's free tool for measuring a page on mobile and desktop.
- Commercial registry
RUES, the Single Business and Social Registry, where you can look up a company's commercial registration.
- Personal data
Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC), Colombia's data protection authority. Also read our Law 1581 guide.
06 Questions
Frequently asked questions about choosing an agency.
Have another question? Message us and we'll reply the same business day.
Ask on WhatsAppThe brands mentioned in this guide, such as Google, Wix or Shopify, belong to their owners. Blinq isn't affiliated with them.
Which is better, an agency or a freelancer?
It depends on the project. A freelancer can be a good option for a simple website and a tight budget; an agency usually makes sense when you need design, copy, integrations and someone who answers after launch. Either way, ask for live websites you can open and a written scope.
How do I know if a web design agency is trustworthy?
Open the websites in their portfolio and check them on your phone, ask for a client contact, confirm on RUES that the company has a commercial registration and notice how they respond at first contact. A trustworthy agency gives you a written proposal before charging you.
Is it normal to pay upfront?
It's normal to pay part of it to start. What you should avoid is paying 100% before seeing progress. A common arrangement is to pay part at the start and the rest when you approve the delivery, with dates and deliverables in writing.
Whose name should the domain be in?
Your business's. The domain is your website's address: if it's in the provider's name, switching providers can turn into a negotiation. Also ask for access to your analytics and your Google Business Profile.
Can an agency guarantee first place on Google?
No. Google says in its official guide that no one can guarantee the top spot in its results. Be wary of anyone who promises it, and ask instead what they'll do, how they'll measure it and how long to expect results to take.
Want a second opinion on a proposal?
We review your business and what you were offered, and tell you what's missing. The assessment is free and comes with no commitment.