Hiring a website designer is critical for your business's website success. Your website isn't just a digital storefront — it's a tool for driving leads, conversions, and growth. The right designer will understand your business goals and deliver a website that aligns with your brand and attracts your ideal customers.
What to Look for in Hiring a Website Designer
1. Portfolio & Experience
Does the designer have experience in your industry or a similar niche? This is not the end-all and be-all, but be sure to take the time to explain your business so your designer can design with your company in mind.
Do they have a track record of creating compelling, user-friendly websites? Review their portfolio or talk to them about what they plan to implement on your website.
Are the designs modern, mobile-friendly, and optimized for performance? This should be straightforward forward, but there are still 'new' sites with poo mobile design, and considering mobile visits make up nearly 75%. of website traffic for many businesses, a great mobile site should be a priority.
2. Understanding Your Business Goals
Will your website designer take the time to understand your business objectives? Whether through in-depth conversations, a worksheet or previous expertise (or a mix), ensure you feel confident they understand your business and objectives before they get started.
Can they align the website’s functionality with your specific needs (e.g., lead generation, e-commerce)? Once you know your top priority for business growth, you should be able to communicate this to your website designer and they should be able to design a strategy on your website based upon your goals.
3. SEO & Performance Optimization
Will/ Is the website optimized for search engines to drive organic traffic? How current is your designer's knowledge? Are they familiar with the latest rules, guidelines or algorithm changes?
Will it load quickly and perform well on both desktop and mobile devices?
Do they offer any on-going SEO, or search support or suggestions?
4. Ongoing Support & Maintenance
Does the designer offer maintenance and support after the website is launched? Will you be trained in how to navigate it, edit it or keep it maintained? Is there a monthly fee?
Are there options for updates and troubleshooting? Do they provide service for any issues or a contact for any further support?
5. Communication & Project Management
Is the designer responsive and clear in their communication? Do you understand the designer (aka you are not overwhelmed with jargon or terms you are less familiar with?)
Do they provide a clear project timeline with milestones and deliverables? Do you feel comfortable with the timeline? Are there any guidelines that the designer has for you, and are they achievable?
6. Cost & Value
Is the cost reasonable for your budget?
Are there any hidden fees or ongoing costs?
Common Pain Points:
1. Lack of Prioritizing Business Needs
Some designers focus too much on aesthetics without understanding the business goals. Websites are designed to connect with visitors, provide information, and drive action. They can look good, but not at the cost of the business objectives.
The website may look good but doesn’t convert visitors into leads or customers. You can spend a lot fo money driving traffic to your website (ads, social), but if your website does not satisfy the audience, it's money wasted.
2. Communication Issues
Poor communication or long response times can delay the project. This can happen on both sides. You should engage a designer when you are committed to seeing the project to the end and set clear guidelines about communication expectations with your designer.
Some business owners feel left out of the design process. Some business owners want to participate in the design, others do not. If you want more involvement, mention it upfront and your designer will work with you.
3. High Ongoing Costs
Surprise maintenance fees or expensive add-ons can frustrate business owners. I offer clear cost outlines and will mention any additional costs before they are incurred.
4. Poor SEO & Performance
A website not optimized for search engines or mobile devices will struggle to drive traffic. Some aspects of SEO take time for Google to 'crawl' the site, and some SEO aspects are ongoing, it's not overnight, but ongoing lagging performance should be addressed.
Slow-loading websites lead to poor user experiences. People are not patient, so using the correct-sized images and being aware of all of the 'bells and whistles' that affect page loading time is essential, as too many reduce fast loading.
5. Lack of Control Over the Website
Business owners often want to update their websites without relying on a designer. I will train you in the basics of website editing and the features available so you can maximize the use of your site and feel empowered by its possibilities.
Finally, websites are an investment, and though they currently only last under 5 years (due to technology updates), they are a valuable asset of your business and a direct sales tool, it's essential that you feel you have gotten substantial value for your investment.
Let's talk about how we can maximize your website!
Julie Boake
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