5 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Website Designer

So you’re ready to hire a web designer… YAY!

This is the next step in your business evolution. You must be so excited to get started!

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of website designers there are. With so many talented designers to choose from, how do you make the best choice for you?

First thing is to choose a website platform. I highly recommend Showit. It’s a drag and drop website hoster and builder with ah-mazing customizable design capabilities. Showit is especially popular among creatives. Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, and ProPhoto are some other popular choices.

Once you select a website platform, you’ve already eliminate website designers who don’t work with the platform you’ve chosen.

Before you invest your hard-earned money in a web designer, here are 5 key questions you should ask when consulting with possible designers.

HOW LONG WILL THE PROCESS TAKE?

Most designers turnaround time is 4+ weeks. If you’re on a deadline, knowing the design process timeline is important. Remember, the process timeline also depends on how prepared you are with content for your website. It’s a good idea to allow extra time for unexpected issues or changes.

WHO SUPPLIES THE IMAGES AND TEXT COPY FOR MY WEBSITE?

Oh the content. For a designer to design a website for you, they need something to actually put on the website. Those pretty pictures and enticing words you see on a website did not magically appear. Most designers require the client to provide images and copy for their website. If you are struggling with this, the designer should be able to provide you with recommendations to obtain these things. High-resolution imagery and enticing text copy can make or break your website. If you are taking the step to invest in a website, take the step to invest in content for your website.

WHO WILL MAINTAIN MY WEBSITE?

You’ve got this new shiny website that is filling your pockets with coins…YAY! It’s been a few month and you need update the images, change your pricing, and update other text on your website. Who does this for you? Can you do it yourself? ASK THIS QUESTION! Most designers offer a maintenance service. If you are not technologically savy, you will need to hire someone to update or change your website periodically. I recommend hiring the person who built your website.

WILL THERE BE DOWN TIME DURING THE TRANSITION FROM MY OLD SITE TO MY NEW SITE?

You don’t want a potential clients to reach your website and receive an error message. It’s not a good look and they will likely not return. I create a simple coming soon page for my clients. This displays during the transition time. The “Coming Soon” page can also be used to grow your email list! I’ve created a free COMING SOON page for Showit users.

DOWNLOAD FREE SHOWIT COMING SOON PAGE

WILL MY WEBSITE BE MOBILE FRIENDLY?

With over 60% of web surfing being done on mobile devices, having a mobile friendly website is non-negotiable. Most website builders don’t give you control over how your mobile site looks. Showit allows you to customize the mobile site to be unique from the desktop version.

So, where should you start?

I recommend narrowing it down to three website designers. Now reach out to them directly through their contact form and get more information on their services.

Did I make your top three list… YAY! I’m happy to answer any questions you have. Let’s schedule a time to chat!