Hiring a professional web designer can be pretty overwhelming. It can be difficult to know how to approach a project to ensure it is successful. After all, you’re putting your trust into somebody to do a good job with your time, and your money.
So what do you need to have in place to help a website project run smoothly?
1. Know what you want.
When you first start working on your web design project, having a clear plan of action is vital. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
- How many pages do I want designed?
- What features do I need?
- Do I have specific brand imagery and colors that must be included in the design?
- Who is my target audience?
- What type of content will I feature?
- How often will I perform updates?
- What domain name will I use?
Having a clear brief lets you and the web designer stay on the right page throughout the project.
2. Find a designer you can trust.
There are a few key things to look for when trying to find a website designer you can trust. First, check to see if they have a good portfolio of previous work with positive reviews. Second, see if they are able to explain their design process to you in a way that makes sense. Last, make sure they are responsive to your questions and concerns. Be sure to meet with them by phone, video, or in-person so you can see if their personality is a good fit for you, too.
Avoid red flags like:
- Lack of professionalism
- Unclear communication
- Unresponsive to requests
- Unclear or unrealistic expectations
- Inconsistent pricing
On the topic of pricing, it’s common for startups to want to hire the cheapest web designer they can because of lack of funds. However, there are a few risks associated with going with a cheap website designer.
The first is that you may not get the quality of work that you expect or deserve. Cheap website designers may cut corners in order to save money, which can result in a subpar website. Additionally, cheap website designers may not have the same level of experience or expertise as more expensive designers, which could mean that they are less likely to be able to create a high-quality website. Finally, cheap website designers may not be able to provide the same level of customer service or support as more expensive designers.
If you find a designer that meets all of your criteria, you can be confident that you will be getting a high-quality website.
Don’t know where to begin your search for a professional web designer? Here are two great places to start!
3. Have an action plan.
A timeline gives both the client and the web designer a clear idea of when each phase of the project should be completed. This helps to keep the project on track and prevents one phase from dragging on for too long. By agreeing to specific milestones, the client and web designer can check in with each other and make sure that everyone is happy with the progress.
4. Have a clear budget.
Agree on a budget with your web designer before you start any work. If you expect any additional features or changes that might be outside the initial scope of work, make sure you have agreed with your web designer that these will be quoted for separately. Don’t be tempted to go for the cheapest option.
5. Be prepared to give feedback.
Feedback is the lifeblood of a good web design project. Try to ensure that you provide timely feedback on each step of the process. It helps you and your designer to stay on the right page.
When giving feedback to your website designer, remember to be: specific, actionable, and kind.
- Specific means that it is focused on a specific element of the website, such as the navigation, the layout, the color scheme, etc.
- Actionable means that it provides suggestions for how the website could be improved.
- Kind means that it is constructive and not overly critical.
Now that you know a little more about working with a professional web designer, it’s time to start thinking about your own project. If you need help getting started, be sure to check out our web design process here.
