What to Consider When Choosing a Web Designer for Your Business? Web design is a multi-faceted and ever-changing industry, and it can be difficult for small business owners to know what to look for when choosing a web designer. While there are many factors that go into making the best choice possible, there are some basic elements that should be considered in every case.
Read on for some great tips to consider when choosing a web designer for your next business project.
Experience and Expertise
The first thing that you want to look at is the experience and expertise of any web design company that you’re thinking about hiring. A team with years of combined experience will more than likely create a better website because they have seen it all before. The best way to determine if a web designer has the experience you need is by looking for testimonials from past customers.
Try getting in touch with them to ask about their experiences with the company, particularly how well they were able to meet deadlines and stick to budgets. Any good web designer should be able to provide recent projects upon request so clients can take a look at what they are capable of doing themselves.
The design of the site is also important, as well as whether it matches your brand identity. Some web designers specialize in specific industries, such as health care or retail, while others are generalists who may not have specific expertise that relates to your industry. If you want a website that matches your brand’s visual appearance and messaging, then hire a designer that specializes in that type of work. If you don’t mind having a site that looks a little different from what you’d expect for your type of company, then a generalist may suffice.
Business Ethics
Another important consideration is the business ethics of any web designer that you are thinking about hiring. While most designers are ethical people, some have been known to take shortcuts if they think clients won’t notice. Before signing any contracts or handing over any money, make sure to ask for an upfront pricing structure and avoid any companies who refuse to do so. It’s also wise to look at reviews online from past clients of each prospective company before making your final decision.
Technology and Tools
Another important factor to consider is what tools, technologies, and programs will be used to bring your website to life. A good web designer should have access to plenty of design and editing programs so they can create a site that matches your expectations. If you’re concerned about their ability to meet deadlines or stay within budget, find out if the company uses project management software such as Basecamp or Asana to keep everything on track.
You may also want to ask if they use any collaboration tools such as Slack for easier communication with clients and stakeholders throughout the process. It’s also useful if they make use of CMS (Content Management Systems) like WordPress because it makes updating the content on your own website much easier once it’s live.
You’ll also want to consider what hosting service will be used to host your site. A good web designer should be familiar with any major hosting companies like Amazon, Rackspace, or Bluehost, but they should also have their own professional hosting service that’s optimized for website speed and security. The last thing you want is for your site to go down because it gets too much traffic or becomes infected with malware so make sure the designers you’re considering know how to provide proper site uptime and protection against hackers.
Conclusion
There are many things you need to consider when choosing a web designer for your next business project, particularly if you’ve never worked with them before. While it may seem overwhelming at first, once you ask the right questions and know what to look for, the process will go much more smoothly. By getting in-depth answers that pertain to your specific situation, you can choose a web designer who is more likely to deliver exactly what you want.
If you need professional web design tips and advice about building an online presence for your business, then contact us today!
