Finding the One: How to Choose a Website Designer
It’s time to take the plunge! You are ready to create a website and get your business out there mingling with potential clients online. Or perhaps your business already has an online profile. However, you feel it has become a bit staid and is long overdue a major glow up!
In our digital world, the well-meaning sentiment “it’s what’s on the inside that counts” does not fly. Competition is fierce. According to this study, “visual appeal can be assessed within 50 ms, suggesting that web designers have about 50 ms to make a good first impression”.In the blink of an eye, visitors to a website will have already made their judgement; they will either “swipe left” (hit the back button) or “swipe right” (scroll down or click the menu icon to learn more).
Hiring the right web designer then is a big deal! You kind of want them to be like the friend who you would entrust to build your online dating profile. Okay… bear with us on this analogy! What we mean by that is someone who totally gets what your business is about. Someone who can pick out all of your business’s best qualities and flaunt them in the design. The ultimate wingmen and wingwomen who will help you attract the right customers. But how do you find and choose one?
We have put together a step by step guide to help you find the ideal website designer for your business.
Set Out The Parameters
Determine Your Needs
This may seem obvious but worth reiterating: it is wise to know exactly what job needs doing before looking to hire a person to do it! That way you waste less time communicating with those who either don't want the job or don’t have the relevant skills to do it. Plus, knowing what you want and need before you set out means you are less likely to get side-tracked or drawn in by any unnecessary bells and whistles!
Website design is a multidisciplinary artform. Those who enter this career path are programmers, SEO experts, graphic– and UX designers, all rolled into one. Each designer will have their unique skill sets and excel in different areas to varying degrees. You want to choose a designer with the right balance of attributes that will suit the needs of your business.
How do you figure this out? Here are a few areas to think about that can help you whittle down what you are looking for:
Features and functionality — Make a list of all the features and functions your website needs. For example, are you setting up an online store? If so, your website will need specific functionalities such as a payment gateway. You will also want a strong SEO strategy to get your product pages ranking high on the search engine results pages (SERPS). You will want someone with experience in e-commerce.
If you are an artist, sculptor or any form of creative, you will need an online portfolio. Going with a web designer with a strong design background is a great shout, as they will create layouts and designs that elevate your work, making it your website’s star attraction.
Maintenance — Consider the practicalities beyond the build. Do you have in-house IT personnel, who can maintain your website after launch? Or are you looking for a web designer who can host and maintain your website thereafter?
Branding — Do you have your business’s branding all sorted out? Or are you looking to get branding assets as part of a web design package? There are a number of web design agencies, like us at Made by Dave, that offer both services. Not sure what (re)branding involves or how to start? Have a read of our Top Tips for a Smooth-Sailing Visual Rebrand.
Web Platform — Different web designers will tend to specialise in one particular website builder. For example, at Made by Dave we only build sites on Squarespace. Other popular website builders include Wordpress, Wix and Webflow to name but a few. All of these platforms have their pros and cons. It is just a case of figuring out which platform suits your business needs best. A good web designer will be able to advise on this.
If the above list feels a bit overwhelming and you are not sure what features of functionality your business’s website needs, don’t worry. We have put together a checklist to help you articulate the base requirements for your website build.
Set a Rough Budget and Timeline
Before reaching out to website designers, it is also advisable to set a rough budget and timeline. Do your research and run some calculations. What is the highest amount you are willing to pay? When do you need your website up and running by? Web designers can get booked up months in advance. How long are you willing to wait for your dream website designer to do your project?
Do set realistic parameters. If it was a viable option on the table, everyone would be opting for a free website completed yesterday!
Where to Find Website Designers
Now you know what you need from a website designer, you can start to look for them. But where to find them? There are multiple ways you can broach this.
You can try word of mouth. Seek out recommendations from friends and family. However, be warned approaching anyone who may have a biassed agenda. You don’t want to be strong-armed into hiring your friend’s nephew who has just started studying for their IT degree, for fear of losing your friendship. Approach people whose opinion you trust and who know a little bit about your world.
You can do a Google search. If you want to hire someone local, so you can conduct meetings with them in person, search for “top web designers in Watford” for example. Or, if you are looking for a designer who specialises in a particular industry search “top e-commerce web designer.”
Other reputable places to look are industry specific directories such as Clutch. They rank “companies based on over a dozen quantitative and qualitative factors, including client reviews, company experience, client list, industry recognition, and market presence.”
As we mentioned above, websites can be created via a variety of website builders. At Made by Dave we use Squarespace. “We like this platform for this reason and that.” If Squarespace appeals to you, why not have a browse of Squarespace’s own list of Expert Designers here.
Finally, if there is a website that you already know and love the look of, the web designer is normally credited in the footer of the website (bottom of the page) and will usually contain a link to their own website.
Creating a Shortlist
Browse Portfolios
First things first, it is important to look at a website designer's previous work. Every web designer should be in possession of a portfolio – red flag if they don’t!
As we mentioned above, “web designers have about 50 ms to make a good first impression.” So what is your first impression of a designer’s work? Do their websites make you instantly go WOW? You want to go for a website designer whose designs make you all weak at the knees!
It is possible to really admire a designer’s work but acknowledge it is not your style. Ask yourself, do your styles align? If their previous work has a similar vibe to what you envisioned for your own business, add them to the shortlist. If you like clean, uncluttered, muted designs, go with someone who specialises in those. If you like designs, where it looks like a rainbow has exploded, go with a designer who isn't afraid of colour!
Design is not purely about aesthetics, it is also about function. Visit the websites that designers have created and have a browse. Do you find it easy to navigate? Are there call to action buttons on every page? Is the most important information front and centre? If the answers are yes, yes and yes, add them to the shortlist.
Also, have a browse of these websites on your mobile devices too. Are they mobile responsive i.e. do they adapt their layout from the desktop version to create an optimal user experience (UX)? With 59.92% of browsers searching the internet using mobile devices, it is essential that your business website is built for mobile.
It can be helpful if the web designer has industry specific experience. They are more likely to have a sensitivity to the needs and demands of the sector. This is particularly true if you need a specific technical function such as a payment gateway of CRM integration.
Read Testimonials
It is always wise to read reviews and hear about other people’s experiences. A website may look beautiful but what you don’t see is that it launched a year later than the project deadline, doesn’t have all the functionality it had promised to or could be the result of many stressful exchanges! Beyond ability, it is important to consider a website designer’s conduct and reliability.
You can read reviews on the designer's website but don’t base your decision solely on those. Although we want to believe that everyone has honourable intentions, reviews on a website can easily be faked. Definitely read reviews from independent websites such as Google My Business, Clutch or Trustpilot.
Social media is also a good tool for due diligence. We know people can buy followers, but on the whole a substantial follower count is a good indication of a business’s repute. You can also see when they last posted; ascertain whether they are still active or see examples of their latest work. You can also see if you have any mutual contacts. If so, reach out to them and ask for their opinion.
Ascertain Experience Level
As they say practice makes perfect and life is a continual lesson. A website designer who has been operating a while and has more projects under their belt, will bring a wealth of experience, insights and lessons learnt to the table. They will have fine-tuned their process and can work at speed. However, all of this comes at a premium!
A less experienced web designer will be cheaper. Their comparative lack of experience, insights and lessons learnt, will most likely mean the process is slower and less smooth. The extra time could quickly rack up, adding to the bill. On the other hand, you could be the one to discover a prodigy. Or if someone is hardworking and eager to establish themselves, they will pour their heart and soul into your website. Experience level is a factor to weigh up!
Referring back to our first point, you definitely need a website designer with the relevant experience and skill set. If you want to integrate your website with your existing CRM software or build an e-commerce platform, you will need to dig a bit further into the designer’s credentials to see if they are right for the job? A good web designer will say upfront if they are not the right fit for the job and can potentially point you towards a recommended contact.
Meet with Your Top Picks
Once you have your shortlist of web designers, arrange discovery calls or meetings with them in person, to chat further about your business and vision for your website. Here are some helpful things to have in the back of your mind when meeting with them.
Clarify Budget and What’s Included
There isn’t a going rate as such within the world of website design. Packages will vary between designers. It is wise to gather a few quotes before making your final decision. Be sure to avoid any disappointment by making sure you know exactly what is included in the package before signing on the dotted line.
The pricing of a website build will depend on a multitude of factors:
Size of your website — Are you looking for a simple parallax (one page) website? Or are you looking to build a website with multiple pages for e.g. the product pages of an e-commerce website can quickly rack up! The larger the website the higher the cost.
Complexity of the design — A website with minimal graphics and static web content (i.e. doesn’t move) is going to cost far less than one with lots of animations and interactive elements.
Bespoke or Template — Are you happy to go for a tweaked, off-the-shelf design or do you want to opt for something truly bespoke?
Maintenance — You also want to factor any maintenance costs into your budget . Who is going to maintain, update or fix any technical issues with your web page once it is built?
Expertise Level — If a website designer has been in the business a while or has worked for big name clients, they can charge a premium. However, they can do the job quicker and bring with them a wealth of knowledge and insights to the table.
Ask About Their Process
Be clear on their process and what it will involve. Consider whether it will work for you and the best interests of your business.
First off, are they collaborative and good listeners? Obviously, you are hiring them for their expertise. You want someone who provides input and will push back when something wouldn’t work for whatever reason. However, this can go too far the other way! You don’t want to work with a website designer who drowns out your voice and pushes their own agenda, so you end up with something you don’t even like or want. Remember, you are the authority on your business.
It is important to gauge how involved you will be. How will communication work? Will it be over video call or in-person meets? How many revision points will there be? If they take forever to get back to you, to arrange a meeting or provide a quote, do you want to work with someone who doesn’t meet deadlines?
Determine a Connection
Your business is your baby and you want a designer who is going to treat it as their own. Meet with your shortlist of designers. Who gets you and what your business is about best? Really pay attention to how many and what questions they are asking to get to know your business.
A website build can take anywhere between 1-6 months. You will therefore spend a significant amount of time working alongside and with the designer. If you are hiring them for maintenance too, even longer. So do you get along? Do you like spending time with them? As with any healthy relationship, you are looking for trust and a bit of chemistry!
Choosing the One, Go With Your Gut
If you are firmly on the fence, despite having drafted up innumerable pros and cons lists, just go with your gut! Ultimately, you want to feel at peace with your decision. If you flip a coin and it says one designer but you instantly feel sad, that kind of says it all.
Conclusion
There you have it, a step by step guide to choosing the right website designer for your business. Prepare with the groundwork; work out in detail what your website needs, do your research and run some numbers to establish a preliminary budget and timeline. Then begin your search, be it via word of mouth, Google or directories.
Browse portfolios, read testimonials and clarify experience. Make a shortlist of designers who have relevant experience, have received rave reviews from previous clients and ultimately whose work makes you go WOW! Arrange discovery calls or meet up to clarify the budget and what's included. Ask them about their process and seek to establish a connection. Can’t make a decision, go with your gut!
We hope this blog has been helpful and made the search for your one true web designer less daunting. Made by Dave are proud Squarespace Experts. We not only build websites but we also offer branding services and maintenance support too. Take a look at our portfolio here and if you would like to get in touch and arrange a discovery call, we would love to hear from you!