Choosing a Website Designer should be a decision taken with care. Here I have written some advice for people who are trying to choose a Website Designer for the first time. The ten tips below are not in any particular order.
1. Experience
You will need a website designer that is experienced and knowledgeable in the field of website design. For example, ask them if they can “hand-code” and ask them how many years experience they have. Having said this, however many years experience they have won’t count for much if they have been developing inadequate websites all that time or sticking to website techniques they feel safe in.
2. Web Standards
Web standards are important. Web standards refer to guidelines set out by the World Wide Web consortium (W3C). These standards ensure websites looks and feel consistent across a broad range of computers and Internet browser’s regardless of any possible user disability. Your website designer NEEDS to know about web standards. Ask them if they make websites that conform to W3C standards. Better yet, you can check yourself by going to http://validator.w3.org/ and checking a couple of websites from the website designers portfolio. A couple of errors shown by the validation is excusable but more than a handful is not.
3. You get what you pay for
Website design is no exception to the saying “you get what you pay for”. A good-looking website that has been hand-coded and built to the latest web-standards with usability in mind will reap dividends and could mean the different between success and failure for your online adventure.
4. Don’t expect to see a website designers costs on their website
When you find a website designers own website that you like, don’t expect to see details of their costs on their website. There is no hidden agenda in this it makes good business sense. The reason I personally don’t display my prices is simply because I don’t want my competitors knowing how much I charge and I don’t believe in a one-price fits all model. Each client is different with individual needs so we don’t set a rigid pricing structure. We judge each website proposal as an ‘individual’ and as such quote a ‘custom’ price. Anyway, website designers offer a free quote so it wil cost you nothing to find out their prices.
5. Don’t expect to see website designers on the high street
Website design is a profession that can be done almost anywhere. Unlike car mechanics for example, Website design doesn’t require big heavy machinery for example so therefore, website designers are not restricted as to locations where they can trade. from That is why many website designers work from home offices. The main advantage of choosing a website designer that works from home is that this often means that there prices are cheaper as they are not having to finance an office. Don’t be afraid to ask them if you can visit them at their home many website designers won’t mind they will likely be more friendly and approachable.
6. Choose a website designer that you like
When choosing a website designer, it is important to choose a website designer that you like. A website shouldn’t be considered “complete” once it has initially been built. For a website to be successful it will need to be updated and maintained on a regular basis with free content to keep visitors coming back to it. That is why you need to choose a website designer that you like as ideally you will be working together in a sense for a long time.
7. Look at a website designers portfolio
Take the time to look around a website designers portfolio of previous work. This is a good indication of the type of clients they have had and also the experience they have in websites. Also, make sure their websites do not look too similar to each other. If they do look similar then this is an indication that the website designer is using a website “template” system and you don’t want that. You want a unique design and development built just for you, started from scratch. Not somebody else’s website that has been re-jigged and had the colours altered to suit you.
8. Website designer creativity
You need to decide how much you want the website designer to be involved in the creative process of your website. You may think you know what the best way to handle your website is but a qualified and experienced website designer will always be able to give you insightful opinions on it. You want a website designer that has creative flair but they need to be able to bring your ideas for the website to fruition.
9. Free quote
Every website designer should provide you with a free quote when you provide them with a website proposal (detailed information of your requirements). Don’t be put-off if they don’t respond to you right away. They are probably crafting a proposal for you and paying attention to the costing they will charge. Anyway, you want a website designer that is busy don’t you? If a website designer is not busy then that should set alarm bells ringing. Also, only choose a website designer who quotes for the whole job rather than an hourly rate. A website designer should be happy to do this. From your perspective, this gives you piece of mind as you know when the job is completed the costs won’t have gone spiraling out of control.
10. Suggestions from the website designer
A good website designer will almost all of the time be more knowledgeable than you about the Internet and how websites work. Therefore, when you give a website proposal to a prospective website designer, a keen website designer who truly wants your custom will endeavor to get back to you with techniques or additions that can be made to your proposed website to improve it and they will explain the reasons why these additions/modifications will benefit your website.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Nick