Picking The Right Web Designer

A web designer can create a site for you or your business that really shines when you choose the right person. Web designers today are incredibly varied and have no one set of skills. You have to be careful. Here are some things to consider when attempting to pick the right web designer.


Experience with What You Need 

It is important to understand that the term web designer has many different meanings today. It can mean someone who does just the layout and art for a site or someone who does complex server-side programming. The first thing you need to find when picking a web designer is someone experienced in what you need. If you are expecting animations, interactive apps or e-commerce components, then you need to hire a web designer who has experience creating those types of sites and features.


Compatible Style or Sensibilities 

You need a web designer with a style or sensibility compatible with your own. Stay away from any web designers who have a style that does not match what you want to see in your site since it can lead to frustration, lost time and a poorly done site. Choose a web designer who creates artwork, layouts or other elements of a site that you truly enjoy.


A Portfolio of Successfully Published Sites 

It is key to find a web designer with a portfolio of successfully published sites. Going from design to publication can be complex and requires real-world experience. If the designer cannot provide any websites that are active or that were published, then move on to another person. Additionally, the portfolio should contain more than just one or two websites.


Professional References 

You want a web designer who can give you professional references to contact from previous projects. Contact everyone and ask about professionalism, service and working with the individual or firm. You want to hear realistic and positive things from these people. Never make the mistake of hiring a web designer without a few good professional references.


Good Communication Skills 

You and the web designer will have to communicate about intricate issues on a regular basis. You want a designer with good communication skills. Be certain the person speaks normally and explain things plainly. Stay away from web designers who use only technical jargon or who seem unable to grasp the things that you want in a site.


Extra Services 

Ask about extra services that might help if you are not technically inclined. Some web designers will actually publish a site for you, maintain it for a fee every month and make updates as requested. Extra services could also include making the site mobile friendly or registering domain names. See if any extra services are available that interest you.


Contracts and Billing 

Pay close attention to contracts and billing since these are not really standardized in web design. Check how you pay, what the timeline is for delivery and how long the designer will change and work on the site before final delivery. Be sure that the contract states you will get updates or proofs during the process. This will make waiting for the final site much less stressful.


Ownership of the Website 

A last issue to look at is ownership of the final website. Some web designers attempt to retain the rights to all or part of a site. If this is a problem, then pick a web designer who grants you full ownership rights to the site, artwork and code when the project is completed. Always ask about this issue when interviewing a web designer for a project.

If you’re interested in SEO copywriting, try out some professionals at 360 Online Marketing. They are an internet marketing firm in Boulder, CO specializing in PPC advertising, SEO and web design.