You probably already know that in today’s world, if you are a small business, then you must have a website. Otherwise, you miss a major segment of your target audience. Some people still consult the physical phone book to find a service provider, but in the past few years, it dropped to only about 40 per cent, and that percentage was typically those over 55. The younger generations grew up with the Internet as their first choice when it comes to finding out just about anything. That is why hiring the perfect web designer for your business is essential.

Benefits of Hiring Web Designer

When you begin looking into getting a website, one of your first considerations might be the cost to hire a web designer. Of course, you could do it yourself, or do it through a provider that has a built-in editor. While this might seem like the lowest cost option at first, it can end up hurting you in the future.

Unless you have some experience as a web designer, you might sacrifice user experience and usability. It is easy to click out of a web page because it loads too slow, or you cannot find what you want quickly. Beating the competition depends on speed and ease of use. There is more to that than the words on a page. Not to mention, you want search engines to be able to find you, which requires another area of expertise.

5 Tips for Hiring Your Designer

It is important to find the right person for the job. Here are our top five tips for hiring a professional web designer.

  1. Define Your Needs. What is the primary purpose of your website? Is it to inform your customers, provide engagement, or drive direct sales? Will you be selling products online, or do you want customers to find out about your business and give you a call? Knowing what you want your website to do is the first step to finding a match.
  2. A Look to the Future. Not only do you need to know what your business needs now, but you also need to understand how you expect to grow. When planning a website, you need one that is scalable enough to meet your future needs. If you do not, then you will find yourself needing to start over from scratch at some time in the future. Make sure that your web designer understands your current and future needs and considers them in the website design.
  3. Define Your Budget and Scope. Your website is an investment, and its quality will reflect on you and your business. If you want something as cheap as possible, you need to rethink how you want your customers to see you. You want a designer who understands your needs, but you should remember that you are hiring a professional to design something that represents you and your brand.
  4. Look at Past Work. Taking a look at the designer’s past work can give you a good indication of what to expect. However, make sure you understand the role that they played. Is this their own work, or did they work as a team? Did they do the graphics and content, or just the backend?
  5. Everything Must “Click”. You will develop a long-term relationship with your designer, so make sure that this is someone who you can work with and develop a lasting relationship.

Things to Avoid
Now, you know what to look for, but here are some things to avoid.

  • No Written Plan. Make sure that your designer understands your needs and get them in writing. You should avoid anyone who does not write down your goals, a development plan, and measurable expectations. Avoid vague contracts, or a worst, non-existent.
  • Quick and Easy Solutions. Make sure that your designer is willing to take the time to know your brand, and most importantly, your customers. If they offer a one-size-fits-all approach and promise to be fast and cheap, it is not a good sign. If you pay for something fast and cheap, you can be assured that you will get what you paid for in the end.
  • Domain Ownership. Make sure that you will own your domain, not the design company. If you do not, and you decide to move, you will have to start over.

Questions to Ask Your Web Designer
Think of hiring a web designer as an interview. Here are a few questions that you should ask.

  • What is your approach to usability and user-friendly design?
  • Can you meet the deadline and budget requirements?
  • Can you show some examples of projects that you have completed that are similar to this one?
  • Is your team in-house or outsourced? If it is outsourced, what parts are outsourced?

Just having a website is not enough nowadays. You have to have a site that can be found by your customers, drives traffic, and that turns visitors into customers. It must also be mobile-friendly and user-friendly. Otherwise, it will not get the expected results. The tips in this article will help you find a web designer who can deliver on all of these things and at an affordable cost.

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