What To Look For In a Web Designer
Choosing the layout for your website is always troublesome. There are hundreds of aspects to consider and perfectionists everywhere cringe at the thought of trying to get it right- and let’s face it, most business owners seek perfection. There’s little to no leeway when it comes to your business’ effectiveness; that’s why when contemplating your move to the digital world, the future of business everywhere, you need to be careful when choosing who designs your website for you. Just like with anything, there are professionals that care, some that don’t, some that will convince you to settle on things, and those that will go the extra mile just for you.
With hidden motives and everyone trying to make money (including web designers), it’s tough to know who to trust and at the same time know who’s capable of creating your dream website. Don’t let the perfectionist in you be disappointed- a web designer’s job is to carefully craft that blank space on the web to be your company’s personal atmosphere and stand for everything that your company represents. With this in mind, there are many things to consider.
All-Encompassing Abilities
The Internet brings a world of possibilities to your company’s front door. It’s a medium that offers the ability to produce text, video, audio, and visuals- unfortunately, smell and taste aren’t available just yet. However, with all of this potential, you need a web designer that knows how to effectively produce each of these specifically for your company. A web designer that knows how to also create videos, take great photos, and contribute good content is a must. If you don’t know how to do it yourself/have someone on board designated to do these things, you should search for a web designer that can.
Don’t settle for a basic website- get someone who can create additional material specifically for your company to add to the digital world. With content marketing becoming an essential part of your business, the ‘content’ (a.k.a. these videos, text, and visuals) that you offer your visitors and search engines is what will get you more visitors and visitors that will stay on your website. They’ll enjoy the experience of being in your domain.
Excellent Portfolio
Every web designer should have an impressive portfolio. Whether they’ve created websites for actual businesses or just for their portfolio, every professional web designer should have examples to show you. If they’re pitching only on word of mouth, that’s your first sign to turn away and keep searching. Examples will give you a good feel for how this web designer thinks creatively and what type of potential they have to operate with. This is your chance to be the judge, making your best gut call of whether or not these websites demonstrate a skill for creating and designing.
In addition, they should have examples of the videos, pictures, text that they’ve produced for websites (if they even have). This will provide even more for you to base your decision off of. Find someone who has created these and created them well. As stated in the first point, you need someone who can produce this type of content, otherwise you’re limiting your website’s ability and maximum potential.
Communication Compatibility
Talk with your potential web designers. And I don’t mean exchange e-mails because that never cuts to the chase or gets any real quality production accomplished. Call. You need a web designer that can communicate effectively with you and is willing to put time into talking with you on the phone, even if you get billed for it (recommend keeping it brief). This is where all of your preferences will be taken into account and your desires will get put into action. A web designer needs to take note of what you have to say because it’s your website, even if they’re creating it. It should come out exactly as you saw it in your head. By speaking on the phone and keeping constant contact with your web designer, you’ll assure that what you want gets done.
However, the first step is in your hands- you have to make the call. Whether or not they pick up is their prerogative and what determines if you give them your business. But communication is vital. In addition, as you continue with your project, this web designer should communicate with you every step of the way, showing you the stages your website is taking to be completed. This way, you can track progress and correct any wrongdoings that he and his team have done. So, when looking for your web designer, make calls and see how they communicate on the phone. Assure he isn’t just some geek that knows how to program, but a professional that knows how to create with your guidance.
