Looking for a Web Designer? 10 Things to Keep in Mind
In today's digital age, your website is often the first touchpoint potential customers have with your brand. A strong online presence is essential for businesses to thrive. Research shows:
- 81% of shoppers research online before making a purchase
- 60% begin their search using a search engine
- 61% read product reviews before buying
- On average, consumers visit 3 websites before purchasing
It's not just about finding the best price anymore. Shoppers crave a great user experience. If your website doesn't engage users or is difficult to navigate, they'll quickly look elsewhere. Poor website experiences directly impact customer engagement and sales.
So when it's time to build or redesign your company's website, choosing the right web designer is crucial. Here are 10 key things to look for:
- Reputation: Check reviews, references and portfolios to gauge a designer's reputation. Positive reviews from past clients speak volumes about their professionalism and quality of work.
- Respect Your Ideas: The designer should listen and value the insights you bring about your business. You know it best.
- Provide Design Guidance: While respecting your perspective, the designer should also provide their professional creative vision to improve your brand's online presence.
- SEO Knowledge: Having a website alone doesn't guarantee visibility. Look for designers with a solid understanding of SEO (search engine optimization) to structure your site for search ranking success.
- CMS Capabilities: A content management system (CMS) allows you to easily update your website. Ensure your designer has experience building websites on a CMS platform.
- Responsive Design: With over 50% of searches occurring on mobile, responsive design (providing an optimal experience across devices) is non-negotiable. Confirm your designer follows responsive best practices.
- Clear Processes: Clearly defined project timelines, processes and expectations are critical. If a designer can't provide these, expect difficulties and stress.
- Conversion Focused: An attractive design alone isn't enough. Your designer should optimize your website to drive conversions (purchases, form submissions, calls, etc.) and meet your business goals.
- Design Trends: While taste is subjective, an experienced designer stays up-to-date on modern design styles and UX trends to create a contemporary, user-friendly website.
- Reasonable Pricing: "You get what you pay for" holds true for web design. Extremely cheap options may sacrifice quality and long-term viability. Expect reasonable, competitive pricing aligned with the desired caliber of work.
Your website represents your digital storefront – make the investment to make an exceptional first impression through a strategic partnership with the right web design professional or agency.
