Having a website designed or redesigned is a huge step forward for any business that wants to be successful. A great website can play a huge role for your branding and marketing. Therefore, every business should look for the assistance of a professional and creative web designer (and developer) to get a ‘wow-piece’ done. Here are some tips you should consider ending up with a great web designer.
1. Identify your requirements
Before you start searching for a web designer, identify your requirements. The easiest way to do so is to perform some internet searches, look at similar businesses, and create a list of websites you really love. Use this list to create a checklist of visual and functional items that you like. Later on, you can show this list to the designer, so they know what you are exactly looking for.
2. Ask for a link to their portfolio
Regardless of all the claims designers make, a portfolio is the best way to see their aesthetic and design capabilities. A good web designer will be more than happy to showcase work they have completed for other customers and clients. So, don’t hesitate to ask for a portfolio before you make any decisions.
3. Know the CMS(s) they work with
If you have already selected a CMS (for instance, WordPress), make sure your potential designer can work with it. This is a vital aspect to the success of your website, particularly when you have to update and manage the content of your website later on.
4. Be realistic with your budget
Depending on the type of end result you expect, you should have a realistic expectation about the budget. In other words, if you are expecting a high-end website with hundreds of pages, products and special functionality, the budget will on the higher end. However, a basic website that has 4-6 pages will be more affordable. So, go for a high-end design only if you are prepared to spend substantial amount of money. You will be able to find web designers that can provide cheap prices, but be prepared to sacrifice quality over cost.
5. Know if they can meet deadlines
It’s always better to know if your web designer can meet the deadlines of your project. However, from your end, you should have a realistic deadline and let the web designer know it. You should also verify how flexible they are with the changes you may need. Ensure your designer has a thorough project management process that matches your needs. A great designer will have the experience to identify processes and bottlenecks in the project lifecycle and will explain, at the onset, what a realistic timeline would be.
6. BONUS! Ownership rights
In addition, you should be 100% sure about the usage rights of your new website. Ensure the designer is willing to handover total ownership of the website, graphics and content to you. If they don’t, you should look for another web designer without giving it a second thought.
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