What To Look For In a Website Designer For Your Small Business

You’ve just started your own small business, and you’re trying to figure out how to get new clients. You know that you need a website, but you don’t know where to start or what to look for in a website designer.

A professional-looking website is essential for any small business. Not only does it make you look more credible, but it also helps potential customers find you online.

In this article, we will help you find the right designer for your needs and make sure you’re getting the most out of your website.

What to Look for in a Website Designer?

Expertise

Make sure that your website designer has experience working with companies like yours. Suppose you’re a new restaurant owner, hiring a web designer with experience with restaurant websites will ensure that your website reflects the same professional aesthetic and messaging of other established restaurants.

 

A website designer needs to understand your industry and the type of company that you are trying to represent. Using the restaurant example again, if your developer has built other restaurant websites before, they can make specific recommendations e.g. the importance of your Menu and Location pages and the best layout for them. This kind of specific experience can apply to any other industry as well.

Quality

Another critical factor is the quality of work they are able to produce on each page of your website. The web designer should create a website that is both attractive and easy to navigate. You can get an idea of the quality of their work through their portfolio.

Creativity and Interpretation

A professional web designer will be able to create a unique identity for your brand. They will bring their website expertise and provide a highly unique and creative website. Hire a website designer who is flexible and open to variations in design. The best websites are where the designers have interpreted the client’s wishes into their style, rather than simply following an existing template.

 

Good Communication

A good website designer will let you know what ideas they have for your site and listen to your suggestions. They should be able to answer all of your questions in a timely manner and make any changes that you request.

Good communication skills are essential because the designer will need to communicate with you throughout the process to ensure that your site reflects exactly what you want it to.

Customer Support

Your website developer must offer customer service after completing your project. This can include changes to specific pages on your site and technical support.

This assistance comes with a price, of course, but having a one-call-away support system for any site-related emergencies will ensure that you get the help you need as quickly as possible.

Design Process

A web designer needs to provide you with an overview of how they work, their design process, and what kind of timeline they have in mind to complete your project.

Find out how much time they will need to build your site, the amount of communication you can expect throughout that process, and what kind of plans they have for getting it launched.

Price

Prices can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands, but the price shouldn’t be a  point of focus if you think about a website as a long-term investment. How much do you expect your website to return? Over what period of time?

It would be best to ask for a detailed quote explaining what you’re getting and how much it will cost. If your web designer is unwilling to provide this information upfront, look for someone else who is more transparent with their pricing.

It’s also important to keep in mind that your web designer can be a partner as well as a one-time contractor. As your business grows, your website will need new pages, updating of your team page, products, services, FAQs, adding to your blog, and more. Having a reliable, consistent web developer with you every step of the way will be ideal.

Questions You Should Ask a Potential Website Designer

1. How much experience do you have designing websites?

This question helps you determine whether or not the designer has done this kind of work in the past. You can also ask to see samples of their work and look for clues about their skill level.

2. What processes do you use when designing a site?

Understanding your designer’s design process will help you determine how much input and control you have. A good website designer will work with you to create a site that has the right balance of your ideas and their own.

3. Can you give me some examples of sites that I might be familiar with that you’ve designed in the past?

This question will help you get a feel for the designer’s aesthetic sensibility. Make sure that these sites reflect what you’re looking for as well or else they won’t be helpful at all.

4. How long will it take to build my site?

This is one of the most important questions because you need a realistic completion time frame. Make sure that the designer’s estimate is in line with your expectations.

5. Do you have a customer support system set up?

This question will also help you determine how responsive your web developer will be to your needs after the project is complete. If they don’t offer you good customer service, look for someone else to work with.

 

6. What is your price range?

Your designer will need to know your budget to determine whether or not they can create a site for you that falls within it. They should be able to provide you with a detailed quote that explains what your money is going towards.

7. What sets you apart from other web designers?

Every designer is different and has a creative process that you should be aware of before they start designing your site. This question will also allow you to get a sense of their personality and how that might mesh with your own.

8. Are you familiar with the kind of website I’m looking to create?

This is another critical question, as it will help you determine whether or not they’re a good fit for your project. If they’ve done something similar in the past, they should be able to tell you what they liked and disliked about it and give you some ideas for taking your site to the next level.

Cost of Hiring a Website Designer 

The cost of hiring a website designer varies depending on the complexity of your site. But on average, it costs around $5,000 to $10,000. 

Conclusion

If you are looking for a website designer for your business, Start Creative will be more than happy to help. We have experience helping businesses in Brisbane, Australia, create their ideal website. Contact us for more information about our services and how we can help you on your journey to success!