8 TIPS for hiring a website designer!
Now that we’ve covered WHY you need a website, the pro’s and con’s of squarespace and wordpress - here are some tips for hiring a website designer!
1. Decide what it is you want and need the designer to do (some ideas to get you thinking, below)
Do you need a blog?
Do you need an opt-in area?
Do you have a digital or physical product to sell?
Do you need to take payments?
Do you need to insert videos and images?
Do you need a scheduler?
Does your site need to be mobile friendly?
Do you need new graphics made or a new logo?
Do you have an old website that needs a facelift or a full makeover?
Do you need copy written?
Do you need a domain and business email set up?
Do you need a landing page / leadpage?
2. Determine your budget
Here's a great pricing breakdown
3. Research for designers you may potentially want to work with or have been referred to
4. Share your needs with this designer to make sure they are capable of completing all your tasks.
Sometimes a designer may not be able to complete them all but works closely with a few other partners that can help complete your project. For example, web designers do not write copy but may have a great copy resource you can work with!
5. Ask the right questions.
Will you help put together my design concept?
I have lots of photos, will you help choose and place the right images? (There are people who design and visually bring everything together beautifully and there are people who code and create websites - huge difference! I have personally worked with both and designed for others to be able to communicate with their web developer - so make sure you know who you’re working with!)
What is your availability like?
How do you best communicate with your clients? Phone, skype, email?
What hours/days do you work?
How many projects do you have going now?
What is your timeline for completing websites?
What do people most like about working with you?
What happens once the project is over? Can I still come to you for help? Do you maintain websites (this is if you are going with a wordpress site, remember the updates I mentioned)
What happens if you aren’t happy with the work they provided?
Are revisions included in the fee? How many?
What happens if one of you wants to cancel the project midway through?
What is your payment schedule?
Does the designer require a site credit?
Will you get copies of all the images/graphics created for you to re-use?
Do they build SEO friendly websites?
Can they implement SEO for you?
5. Get clear on what you want your website to look like, create a visual inspiration board. The more specific the better.
Look at other websites for inspiration. What do you like about them? do you like the design? The colors? How easy it is to navigate? The way images are displayed? The font they used? Functionality? The customized Pinterest button?
Designers create beautiful websites as a work of art, sometimes they inspire others and that is what they are meant to do. As much as you may love something, DON’T COPY, just be inspired to create something as good of your own.
6. Be firm and clear with what you want in order to achieve that look.
Please understand, some web designers are literal and will not understand “I kinda want this and something like that”.
7. Allow yourself time to test the website and additional plug-ins.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are websites.
8. Post launch questions:
Will you be trained on how to use the site?
Who will maintain and update the site?
Is your site backed up?
Who do you call if there’s an issue?
Hope these questions help you get on the right track to hiring your website designer and bringing your vision to life, digitally.
Last tip.. not for your website designer, just for your website in general :)
EXTRA Bonus Tip : Get your copy written.
What message do you want to share with your audience and how do you want to share it? This ties in with your branding and tone. If you find a hard time writing, reach out to the pros! Some people truly enjoy writing and are damn good at it! I love those people, they make the world a better place. Need a referral,
**This list was inspired by and there are a few excerpts from Marie Forleo’s B-School Website Guide**
