Needs to hire a website designer? Please don’t miss out on our 10 great website design tips!
In the digital age, businesses need websites to market their products and services, reach potential customers, and sell products online. The website is your virtual storefront that users can access from desktop computers or mobile devices. A great website design catches the eye and entices visitors to explore your company and its products. However, creating a website isn’t easy and requires specialized skills in web design and coding. Unless you have that expertise, it’s best to hire a professional web designer to create your site.
However, finding the right web designer for your business can be a difficult and lengthy process. With so many designers out there, each offering different types of services and rates. There are also many things to consider when hiring a web designer, like experience, skillset, portfolio, and more. To ease the process and make sure you’re hiring the right designer for your company, we’ve put together a list of helpful tips to guide you through the process.
Thoroughness and Attention to Detail
This is a must! The attention to detail a web designer displays during the hiring process is a great indication of what you can expect when they start working on your site.
Communication
Good communication is key when working with a remote team. Make sure the web designer you choose is someone who you feel comfortable talking with and who is willing to answer all of your questions.
Creativity
The right web designer for your business should be someone who can help your brand stand out and make a lasting impression on your audience.
Ask for recommendations from friends and business associates.
You can’t go wrong by asking for recommendations from other business owners who have websites. Ask them who designed their website and whether they would recommend that person. You can also ask them if they would recommend hiring a freelancer or an agency, as they may have experience with both. If you’re unsure where to start, check out online business forums and websites where entrepreneurs and online businesses congregate. These types of forums often have sections dedicated to web designers and hosting.
Research potential web designers in your area.
Once you have a list of potential designers, do some research on each. Check out their websites, portfolios, and customer reviews. Look for designers with experience designing websites for businesses in your industry. Also make sure the designers have experience with responsive design, which makes sure the site is user-friendly on all devices.
Hire a company with responsive design experience — not just WordPress or HTML knowledge.
WordPress is a popular website platform for both personal and business websites. However, it’s not the only platform out there, and it’s not the best for every business. For example, if you’re in the medical field, you probably don’t want to use a blogging platform like WordPress. Instead, you want a website that’s built for medical practices and is optimized for search engines. You should also check for designers who specialize in eCommerce websites. While many website designers understand how to add a shopping cart to their client’s sites, an eCommerce website designer has specific skills that make it easier to integrate payment options, tax information, and shipping capabilities into your site.
Check for licensing and certification.
You should also check if the designers you’re considering are licensed and/or certified. There are no industry-wide standards when it comes to certifying designers, so some states don’t require designers to be licensed. In some states, though, you can only hire a licensed designer. Check your city or state to see if this applies to you.
Ask to see portfolios from multiple designers, not just one.
Some website design firms specialize in the design, while others specialize in development. Designers typically create gorgeous mockups of what the website will look like, while developers are the ones who actually build the website. Designers usually work with a development firm to create the site, while some designers also develop websites in-house. If you hire a design firm, you want to make sure they work with reliable developers who can meet your website’s delivery schedule. Ask to see the design firm’s portfolio, but also ask to see the development firm’s portfolio. The two should be a good fit for your project.
Web developers are also important — don’t overlook this step.
Web developers make sure your site is optimized for search engines like Google and has the proper tags and metadata. If your site is constructed properly, it will show up higher in search engine results and get more traffic. The developer will use the information you provide about your business, products, and services to create the appropriate tags and metadata for your site. The developer will also make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Mobile search engine traffic is growing every year, so your site needs to look good on smartphones and tablets. If your designer or developer doesn’t specialize in responsive design, you may want to find someone who does.
Don’t pay all the money upfront — specify a delivery schedule and hold the web designer to it.
If you decide to hire a freelance designer, you may be asked to pay the entire amount upfront. You should avoid this if possible, as it could put you at risk of losing money if the designer doesn’t finish the project. Instead, offer to pay a portion of the design fee at the start and the rest when the site is complete. This is especially important if you hire a designer from a freelance website like Upwork. These designers are working with multiple clients at the same time, and there’s no set schedule for when the project will be finished. Instead, you can specify a delivery date for the project and hold the designer to it. If you have a good relationship with the designer, he or she should understand why you’re doing this.
Final Thoughts
If you’re not a designer, don’t try to design your website. There are a lot of web design myths, like the idea that you need a full-width image on the homepage to be successful or that you need tons of graphics and animations. Those design elements may grab attention, but they may also distract visitors from their goal. You don’t want to turn off potential customers with your design. Hire a professional web designer and let him or her know what you want your site to do. Then, sit back, relax, and enjoy the results.
DBWebs is a Bay Area leading web design agency and web development company offering a full range of services including brand design, website design and development, website hosting and maintenance, SEO services, paid advertising services, copywriting, and email campaign services. More than 300 clients, large and small, thrive online with our web design, website development, and marketing services. It is a big joy to witness the success our clients achieve. We can’t wait to start your online journey with us! Contact Us Today!
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