Top Tips on Hiring Website Designers

Top Tips on Hiring Website Designers

Most business owners claim that designing a website is an easy task. Some go as far as claiming that even a non-technical person is able to design and create an attractive website. Well, we have news for those with such obtuse views; it’s not that easy. In fact, finding highly skilled and knowledgeable web designers, able to deliver both aesthetics and functionality, can be a time-consuming and challenging process.

Truth be told, if you don’t want your platform to look just like the next one, a little research will go a long way.

But how do you find a good web designer? The designer who can understand your idea, your business goals, and has enough experience to finish the project in a timely fashion? While there is no recipe for success, the pieces of advice, tips, and tricks below will offer you a little guidance.

Web Design Company vs. Freelance Web Designers

Business owners will be tempted to collaborate with freelance web designers because of their extremely low fees and rates. But is it worth it? According to many e-Commerce platform owners and business managers, this only looks good in theory.

In reality, you will have a difficult time searching for freelance web designers on platforms such as Freelancer and Up Work. They exist, but you have no guarantee of the quality of their work, you have no contract to protect your business, and you have little to no guarantee they will finish the project as agreed.

From this perspective, finding a web design company that can offer you a detailed contract and follow the instructions to the letter is the wisest decision. Look at these web designers and their pieces of advice on how to identify a reliable web design agency, from a professional’s perspective!

Inform Your Web Design Team of Your Objective Goals

Specialists recommend making a list of goals before getting in touch with a web design agency. Even a list of websites and platforms you admire works. Try to incorporate several reasons why you love those websites. This will help your agency make a clearer idea of your goals.

Separate your list into several categories: some that you like for their aesthetics, others for their workflow and others for functionality.

While you may not be able to explain your goals accurately since you don’t have enough knowledge in the field, a similar list will offer the team a clearer idea.

Think of other aspects as well. For instance, assess if you aim for a modern look or if you still want a more traditional website. Think if you expect to make constant edits and modifications to the website content as well. This will offer the agency a clear idea of your long-term goals.

Check the Portfolio of Several Web Designers Before Deciding

Before settling for a web design agency, research multiple agencies and review their portfolios. Research current web design projects the company has. This will help you determine if they suit your goals and tastes. But the way their portfolio looks shouldn’t be the only criteria you choose your team. Judging the technical and soft skills of the team members should also help choose easier.

  • Technical skills to search for. The basic technical skills of your web design team are quite straightforward. For graphic designers, look for competencies in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. See if your website designers have the following skills: PHP (if you are using WordPress), jQuery, CSS / CSS3, HTML / HTML5, Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.
  • Soft Skills. It’s always more difficult to judge a prospect collaborator’s soft skills. This is why you have to pay attention to some details when you interact with them. See how fast they respond. See how many clarifications are necessary for them to fully understand the requirements of your project. They should be willing to offer suggestions and point out which ideas work and which not. They should also be more than willing to offer a company portfolio to analyse when asked for one. Ask what their favourite past project was to see if they are a good fit for your project.

Never Hire Website Designers Without References

If you lack the time to surf the web in search of the best web design agency, ask business partners for references. Especially if you admire their business websites, this is the surest way to find a good fit for your project. Ask for recommendations from people you know that had collaborations with such firms in the past. Have a look over their website, and ask if you are impressed with the aesthetics and functionality. Also, ask if they would recommend the team to someone they know or whether they would work or not with the team again.

This step will help you narrow down your list and take a decision faster. Plus, it will offer you the certainty you steer away from agencies that sell well, but perform poorly.

Not All Expensive Web Design Teams are a Good Fit

If your budget is not that generous as you would like, at least try to set a realistic one. Skilled teams are not necessarily expensive to work with, but you want to set realistic expectations. Depending on the type of website you need, you have to realise that the bottom budget might also vary a lot. For instance, depending on how intricate an e-Commerce platform you want to be, you could end up spending somewhere between 4,500 and 20,000 pounds.

In web design, affordability is also set by the complexity of your platform. Also, bear in mind that a higher price will not guarantee you a good project and collaboration. Many firms set their prices based on the money they invest in publicity and advertising, so they just sell well. Smaller firms and web design agencies might lack the resources for complex marketing campaigns but still, handle projects skilfully and professionally.

These guidelines will help you decide easier which web design agency is a good fit for your company and current projects. While the pieces of advice specialists could offer are more than the ones presented above, these are a good starting point.