Over 33% of businesses still don’t have a website. A website is a critical part of any business marketing strategy.
Most people assume that if you don’t have a website, you don’t have a legitimate business. If you do have a website, you have to make sure that it’s appealing to visitors.
You could as much business as people who don’t have a website.
No matter what your situation is, you need to rely on the skills and expertise of a web designer. Selecting a web designer is easy when you know what to look for.
Read on to learn how to find the perfect person for designing business websites.
1. Your Business Needs
What do you want your website to do for you? That is the key factor in how it’s designed.
For instance, if you want a person to sign up for a consultation, then you need to have buttons throughout your site that make it easy to book a consultation.
If you want to grow your email list through your website, then the web designer would add a form to encourage sign-ups.
You also have to keep in mind the future of your business. Do you plan to sell products or courses online? Share that with your website designer. They can add those elements in and you can turn them on when you’re ready.
It would help you and your designer brainstorm ideas if you showed them a couple of examples of websites that you like.
2. Web Design Experience
It seems like anyone can build a website these days because so many tools make it much easier to do so. You need to tread carefully because someone could have designed a couple of websites. The next thing you know, they’re a website design expert.
Take a look at the website designs they’ve done for other clients. Make sure they’re mobile-friendly because most of your visitors will view your site on mobile devices.
There is a connection between website performance and conversions. You should test the speed of those sites to ensure you have a quality designer.
You also want to ask them if they focus on the design, development, or both. Some website designers just do the design and hand off the rest to a programmer.
3. Range of Services
There’s a big difference between someone who uses a website template and someone who digs deeper into your business.
The top website designers integrate brand strategies into website development. They understand how important your brand is to attract your target audience.
They also know that it’s not enough to build a website. They should help you create strategies to get found on search engines. Some may offer this as an additional service or do basic work as they design the site.
4. Timeline and Deliverables
This is important because it can mean the difference between a great experience and feeling like you got ripped off.
You might have an idea as to what you want your website to look like. The web designer has their own idea.
For example, you might want an ecommerce option while the designer is doing a five-page website. That ecommerce work is likely to be out of the scope of the project. The designer will ask for more money to complete the work.
Be very clear as to what is going to be delivered and by when. It might take a few weeks to come up with preliminary design ideas. It could be another few weeks to develop the site, test it, and then launch it.
Make sure you know each step in the process.
Keep in mind that the designer is going to ask for your feedback. Make it a priority to get back to them. Not responding to them will hold the entire project up.
5. Communication and Rapport
You should feel at ease with your web designer. You’re going to work very closely with them.
It’s important that you like them and trust them. That sets the foundation for a good working relationship.
Ask them how often they communicate with clients. Do they give frequent progress updates? You don’t want your project to get lost in the shuffle. There should be some way to hold the designer accountable.
6. Online Customer Reviews
What are other people saying about the website designer? This is something to find out. Look at the designer’s website for testimonials and case studies.
Check review sites for more online customer reviews. Google is a good place to start. If they’re a local designer, then check with networking groups or your local chamber of commerce.
7. Comparing Designer Fees
You have a few proposals in front of you. How do you compare them? There are two areas that you have to pay attention to.
The first is the scope of project. This outlines everything the website designer will create for you. Make sure that everything you previously discussed is in the proposal.
The next item is the cost. There’s usually a flat fee attached since it’s a one-time project. Some website designers offer a monthly maintenance plan, which may or may not be included.
Most web designers charge a deposit to start the project. They may ask for another payment during the project and at the completion of the project.
Selecting a Web Designer for Your Project
A website isn’t easy to design and develop. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a programming expert to get a business website up and running.
You only need to hire a web designer. The tips in this article guide you through the process of selecting a web designer. Follow them carefully and you’ll be thrilled with the results.
What’s the scoop on growing your business? Take a look at the other great articles on the blog for more business advice.