If you need a quality website, you need a quality designer. Simple. Make the wrong decision when choosing your website designer and it can turn into an expensive and time-consuming repair job down the track. To help make the right choice, we’ve put together the following 6 Top Tips to consider when prospecting a professional for your online project.
1. Experience is Essential
Your digital reputation is on the line so it’s imperative that your web designer is experienced, established and has the tools to get the job done!
Consider how long they have been in business, how many staff are on the books and how many websites they have previously created.
2. Support = Success
If to save a little money, you are considering outsourcing your project to a freelancer or family friend, first consider if they have the ongoing support services you may require to maintain your website. Once your website is built, it is an ongoing project and you may need follow up support on anything from emails and domain name, to hosting and e-commerce set up. You may even need help using the content management system of your website.
Choosing an established designer who offers ongoing support is key to your success!
3. Ask for Examples
To gauge the craftmanship of your designer, it is important to request examples of their work. This gives you the opportunity to assess the quality of design and to fiddle with the functionality. A quality designer should have a healthy portfolio of websites to show you and testimonials to back-up their work.
Things to ask for:
- Examples of websites created
- Testimonials from clients
4. Understand That Websites Cost Money
Building a website from the ground up is no simple task. There’s your domain name to consider, hosting, security certificates etc. – and that’s before you’ve even discussed the build and design. You’re paying for the individual elements that bring your site to life and then the designers time to put all the pieces together.
No two websites are the same so it’s difficult for a website designer to provide a quote without having an in-depth chat about what you are hoping to achieve. A good designer will always provide a competitive quote that reflects the scale and design of your build.
5. Can You Control the Content?
It is best business practice to choose a website designer who builds your website on a content management system (CMS). With CMS access, you can login to your website 27/7 to make changes.
If the website is not built on a CMS, you’ll then be relying on your designer to make changes which is often a time consuming and expensive process.
Things to consider:
- Can I make changes once the website has been created?
- Is the CMS an industry standard platform?
- Is CMS training or support available?
6. Do they Listen?
The sign of a good website designer is a successful portfolio of websites show. However, the sign of a great designer is the ability to listen to the requirements of your website and also your expectations. If communication isn’t clear then you may find yourself paying for a website far from your original brief.
If you have an online project you need help with, speak to the Wirral Website Design experts at Jarilo Design.
Call: 0151 601 4695
Email: sales@jarilo.co.uk
Web: www.jarilo.co.uk
