Did you know that the layout and content of your website impact the traffic you get? In fact, 38% of users will find a different website if yours isn’t visually appealing to them. In order to keep the leads and traffic on your website, you really need to consider investing in a website designer. Investing in a designer will give you a website that is created for quality and appeal to better drive your brand.
Throughout this post, you will learn more about how to find a website designer. Also, you will get 9 tips that will absolutely change the way you go about finding one.
Is a Website Designer Really My Best Choice?
You are all set to start designing a website for your company, but you don’t know whether or not you should invest in a local web designer. We can offer clarity by providing you with these 4 signs that you need a designer for your website.
4 Signs You Need A Web Designer
- Your Spare Time is Limited
- You Lack the Experience to DIY
- You Are Unsure How to Drive Results
- You Want a Website That is Unique
We will go over these 4 signs, talking a little bit about each one.
For starters, if your spare time is limited, you may not have time to design your own website. It is a time-consuming process, and developing a website that is impactful enough to drive results isn’t easy. It takes time, experience, dedication, and they know how to build a successful website, one that is unique compared to your competition.
Not building a website because you just don’t have the time isn’t a choice, not if you want your brand to excel. It is a valuable opportunity to bring in traffic to your business, both in-store and online. Also, if you do make a website and it isn’t appealing or professional, you will lose leads.
So, if you find yourself in this situation, then maybe you need to consider investing in a website designer. Don’t miss the opportunity to bring invaluable business to your company. You are able to rely on a designer to build you the perfect site for your business. They set aside the time it takes to perfect your dream site. That leaves you with plenty of time to worry about other, more important, responsibilities involving running a business.
Next, we want to talk about the second sign you need a website designer. Do you Lack Experience to DIY? Well, that should be enough reason to hire a web designer alone. If you don’t have the experience to do it yourself, then you probably shouldn’t be doing it. In fact, many businesses that make their own website do not see any increase in traffic because of their lack of experience in designing sites.
This crucial part of your business requires expertise to put together. You want the designer of your site to put in the extra time and effort to make it the ideal site that represents your vision. If you or your team isn’t experienced in doing just that, it is time to invest in a web designer.
The fact of the matter is, building a website isn’t as easy as just ‘building a website.’ It takes thought, research, experience, and knowledge to make it drive the results you need. You need to leave it in the hands of someone who can create the absolute best version of the website that will drive the results you deserve.
Let’s say you don’t know how to drive results yourself. You shouldn’t be ashamed. In fact, there are many aspects of building websites and driving campaigns that business owners aren’t completely sure about. In those situations, consulting an expert is always the best choice. In regards to your website, it is important that you have a website designer in your corner if you don’t know what it takes to drive results.
It is important to know that the experience your audience has with your site is dependent on different elements. Even if it is something that seems unimportant, like adding the right CTA (Call to action) or video, your audience’s experience will be impacted. If you don’t have the knowledge about adding these elements and tweaking them to working right for your website and business, then maybe you need to consider a website designer.
Not only will an experienced local web designer help you drive results, but they will provide you with guidance throughout the process so you can better understand how it works. A designer is a guarantee that your website will show impressive results.
If you want a website that is unique, you need to put in some serious time and effort in perfecting it. It is about having your dream website, one that stands out from your competition. This will give your audience a memorable experience.
Most business owners who build their own websites use template builders. While this is an easy way to make a basic site for your business, it won’t separate you from dozens, if not hundreds, of businesses just like yours. The idea is to stand out.
However, there is hope. A website designer has the experience, knowledge, and ability to make sure your website stands out above all the rest. They don’t use the cookie-cutter templates that so many DIY business owners use. With a designer in your corner, you will get a website that not only stands out but drives traffic. You will have more time to manage other affairs, and you don’t need to worry about not having the experience to get a site that will drive results.
How To Find a Designer For Your Website
Knowing how to determine whether or not you need a web designer is only the first step. Next, you need to know how to pinpoint the best designer for your business. So, to get to the meat of the article, we will go over 9 ways to help you decide on the perfect web designer.
Set A Budget
What can only be considered one of the most important steps in finding a web designer knows your budget. You have to know what to expect and what you are willing to spend on your website. There isn’t any standard price in the industry, so make sure you have a grasp on an upper limit for your budget.
Basically, it is your budget that determines what standard of website design you get, as well as what company is best suited for giving it to you. Once your budget is worked out, you will have a general clue as to what to expect as far as results. Also, you will have eliminated many design companies with the right budget, so you have an idea of who you will go with.
Decide on the Type of Designer
With the web design industry being saturated, it makes it a lot easier to find the ideal designer for your project. Below are common web design providers:
Design Agency
A design agency will work with their clients with their websites using small or medium-sized teams. You get the perks of frequent communication, quick turnarounds, and extreme customization. However, you will be paying more with a design agency then you would with our next type of designer, Freelance designers
Freelance Designers
The field of web design is overflowing with freelancers that vary in their capabilities. They are normally the cheaper option as far as affordability, with the exception of well-known designers that are popular in their field.
The process of teaming up with a freelance designer is a little more informal than when you go with an agency. That can be a good thing, as well as a bad thing. You will get excellent communication, accommodation, and decent turnaround times with a professional freelancer. That being said, you should know that there are those who are not as professional and will not give the desired results.
Full-Service Agency
The name says it all, you do not only get the web design you seek, but you will get services like PPC advertising, SEO, and much more. This option is often more expensive than freelancers, and some agencies, so you need to make sure you are picking the right full-service agency.
When do you need a full-service agency? When you are interested in services for digital marketing, and not just basic web design, then a full-service agency is ideal for you. The specialized teams will bring expertise, professionalism, and dedication to the table as they work closely with you to produce a positive final result.
Examine Their Portfolio
As you figure out your budget and the type of designer you require, you need to make sure you are examining the portfolios of all your options. What are you looking for? Experience, specifically, experience in your industry. The portfolio of a web design company is a great way to get insight into them as a whole.
Portfolios give you the ability to see the experience of the team in front of you, giving you a look at the successful websites that they have designed. This is also a way to figure out if you like the agency’s/freelancer’s work. You get to find out what potential they have for designing your dream website.
- Read Client Reviews
The reviews and testimonials of previous clients should tell you everything you need to know about a web design company. You have to know about their previous work and success rate, and what better way to find that out than looking at testimonials. If you get a company with a dozen bad reviews and one with a dozen good reviews, you are likely to go with the one with better reviews. The better reviews are likely a result of the better company.
- Be Aware of Pricing
Now that you have managed to eliminate the bad seeds with reviews, set your budget, and figure out what type of designer you need, it’s time to look at the pricing of your chosen companies. Your budget is important, so making sure you are aware of the prices that these agencies/freelancers are charging will make a big impact on your choice.
It isn’t all about the cheapest price; in fact, sometimes, the cheaper you pay, the less you get. You need to know whether or not you want a simple or in-depth site. A cheaper service is ideal for a simple site, but for something more in-depth, you should expect a higher price of hire.
There are websites that don’t post their prices online. These companies, normally, just want you to reach out to them for their prices. This isn’t a bad thing, but it is inconvenient when you are comparing prices between multiple companies. So, to make it easier for yourself, make sure you are going with agencies/freelancers who have an indication of their prices online. Many websites will offer a calculator that will help you determine what your estimated cost will be. These tools are simple to use and give accurate results. Use them.
- Explore Different Services
When looking at web designers, you want to be aware of what additional services they can offer you. Your site is being built custom to your business’ needs. You may come to the realization that additional services are needed, such as SEO, Copywriting, PPC advertising, and more.
A good designer will offer more than just web design, that is one of the reasons why full-service companies shine above agencies and freelancers. Using one company for all your needs will keep your campaign organized, coherent, and cohesive.
- Ask Questions
If this industry isn’t your cup of tea, there are many aspects that may confuse you. The better companies/agencies and freelancers will be more than happy to explain the process with you, and how their steps will benefit your business. When you get this opportunity, ask any and all questions you have about the process.
If they use terms that are technical and you don’t understand, or their promises are far fetched, ask for more details or a plain description of their services. If they can’t provide that, it is a red flag. Ambiguity can be an indicator of a company that rushes their work, shady dealings, and a solution that they use for every client. You need your experience to be unique, so make sure you ask a lot of questions and get as much information as you can before you decide on a web designer.
- Get References
One of the best methods of deciding on a website designer is asking those within the same industry for a reference. That way, you are getting someone who can level with the type of work you are looking to have done. It will also give you a lot of inside information on any agency/company or freelancer that you are looking into. If a prospect isn’t able to present you with a list of references when you request it, be wary of them.
- Explore Your Options
DO NOT sign a contract with the first agency or freelancer that comes along. Even if they try to pressure you, make sure you are exploring all of your options. After all, it is the money that you are putting into your website design. Put in the effort to find a good web designer, and you will find one.
There are several website designers that will gladly offer you a free consultation or quote, and if you get that opportunity, take it. This will give you the chance to learn about what is necessary for your dream site, as well as how much you can expect to spend when it is all done and over with.
Be wary of high-pressure sales techniques, pushy behavior, and constant upselling. These are not qualities of top-tier web designers.
Where To Look for a Web Designer
You need to know where you should be looking for your web designer. There are a few ways to find one, and you should utilize each one to make sure you are getting the right one.
Like we said, there are a few ways to find a web designer, and you should be using each one. Here are the places to look:
- Review Sites- There are sites like Clutch that can help you find an agency while offering prices and reviews. They often times offer examples of work as well.
- Search Engines- Using search engines like Bing or Google will help you discover agencies and freelance services that fit your needs.
- Hiring Websites- Freelance web designers use websites like Upwork to find clientele for their services. Utilize these options for finding the right fit to design your website.
There are other ways to network with web designers. Often times, business associates, friends, and colleagues will know others in the field you are looking for. Use them to get recommendations and suggestions. This will make the process of finding a web designer easier while saving you valuable time.
