Just because you aren’t an expert programmer doesn’t mean you can’t build your own website! Thanks to platforms like WordPress and Squarespace, it’s easy to create an attractive and functional website without knowing any coding languages, but should you? If you have no experience in coding, is it worth hiring a professional to build your website? It depends on the situation. Let’s take a look at some situations where it may make sense to hire out the work and others where it may not.
It can be helpful to look at what type of website you’re looking for before you look for a designer. HostGator has this great article on the overall feel of your website.
What makes a good website designer?
A website designer that is a good fit for your needs will be able to help you with all of the aspects of website design, while also being knowledgeable and experienced in the industry. It’s important to find someone who can offer web design services like graphic design, code editing, copywriting, information architecture and more. Website design inspiration from sites like SiteInspire can be helpful for people just getting started with their new website. There are many options when it comes to finding a website design company, but it’s important to find one that has experience in your specific industry.
The benefits of having an expert handle your project
Website design is an area where most people can’t help but feel a little bit lost. For one thing, there are so many different styles and practices to keep track of that it’s easy to not know where to start. If you have no experience in coding, is it worth hiring a professional website designer? If you’re looking for website design inspiration or ideas for your site, you could hire a freelance designer or web design company. The benefits of having an expert handle your project outweigh the cons by far – because with their knowledge and experience comes speed, efficiency, and creativity.
Things to look for when finding a designer
When choosing a website design company, it’s important to evaluate the company based on their web design services and how they cater to your needs. Some things to consider are how much experience they have in website design ideas, what type of websites they typically design, and if you like their work. It can also be helpful to find out what kind of websites they specialize in, like business or blogs. It’s also a good idea to see if they offer any guarantees or warranties for their website design services.
Twenty Questions to ask a Web Designer before Hiring Them
Here is a list of 20 questions to ask and the types of answers to look for:
1: Do you use templates or custom designs? Templates are fine, as long as they are planning to customize it as well. Strictly custom designs can be much more expensive.
2: Who will be my point of contact? You should be a single person, not “everyone here.” A committee in control of your web design can be a mess.
3: Did you build any of my competitors’ websites? Some companies specialize and that’s fine, but you don’t want your site to look like everyone else’s.
4: How long will it take to launch my website? Waiting a couple of years for a new website is not a great idea.
5: Can you create a logo for me? If you’re doing a complete rebranding, this can be helpful.
6: Do you write the content for my website? Handing you an empty site isn’t going to help unless you’re really confident your team can write well.
7: Do you do SEO on my website? There are SEO specialists, but it will be easier if it’s all done at once.
8: How much say do I get in the design of my website? Some companies take the order and come back with a whole website. Others will keep you in the design process to help you keep everything moving well.
9: Are outsourcing any of the work and how are those people being paid? Outsourcing is fine, but you don’t want the designer suddenly handing you a bill for $2000 for the content writer.
10: What are the issues with my website? Find out if there’s a specific procedure in place for fixing problems with the website.
11: Will you make changes and for how long will you guarantee the work? Some companies drop and run. Others will support any changes you want to make for a year or more.
12: Will my website be mobile-friendly? This is not optional. In fact, depending on what you do, your website should be mobile-first.
13: Will my website be ADA compliant? The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that websites have certain user-friendly attributes built-in.
14: What do you need to get started? Knowing the first steps will help you decide if they understand your needs or not.
15: Will you have Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel on my website? These analytics will help you see where your traffic comes from and what people do when they get on your site.
16: Will I have a blog or can I start one later? Blogging is important for SEO, but many businesses aren’t ready to start on right away.
17: Will I be able to make changes later? Making changes to your site is important and you don’t want to have to call in an expert to change a photo or a headline.
18: Will social media be integrated? Having social media feeds, links, and share functionality can help to increase the value of your website.
19: Can I see your portfolio? The work they’ve done before is only a guide. If you don’t see your perfect website there, don’t immediately dismiss them, but ask questions.
20: What if I come up with other questions? Make sure there’s a simple way to reach someone that won’t frustrate you.
You might come up with some questions of your own, but these should get you started in the vetting process of possible web designers.
How much does it cost?
The cost of hiring a professional website designer will depend on the company’s rates and how much work you need done. If you already have a logo, colors, and text in mind, then that work is usually included in the quote. However, if you’re not sure what your site should look like or need help with designing it from scratch, then there may be additional fees. Other factors that can affect the price include: the type of website being created (e-commerce? blog?) and its complexity (does it require a newsletter?). Costs can range anywhere from $500-$25,000+.
The conclusion – pros and cons
There are pros and cons to hiring a website designer. The first is that you will have a professional looking site with a design that stands out from the competition. If your website is designed well, it can really help attract potential customers. Hiring a website designer also gives you a chance to start off with the best possible foundation for your business. It’s also worth noting that some designers offer great customer service and can make all of the changes you need as your company grows and evolves so hiring them from the start can be easier than finding someone else later on. But there are also some cons of hiring website designers too, like cost for example.
Before you accept your website design, be sure to check out our blog, 5 Tips For Optimizing Your Website Design For Small Business Success.
