How to choose a website designer
8 questions to ask before hiring a website designer
In a world where anyone can call themselves a web designer or developer, the task of finding a professional who genuinely knows their stuff can feel like navigating a minefield.
With so many people claiming to be experts after watching a few online tutorials or slapping together pre-made themes or templates, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices.
Do you need an agency or freelancer? A web designer or web developer? Who is going to write your site? Source images? Some so-called developers can code but lack the aesthetic sense to create an attractive website. Others might understand the nuances of strategy and copywriting but struggle to make their designs visually appealing or technically sound.
If building a website is on your to-do list this year, it’s time to sift through the noise and find a web designer who’s the real deal— and fits your budget
In this post, I share what to look for in a web designer and the crucial questions you should ask before hiring one to ensure your website stands out for all the right reasons.
Dig a little deeper
Before we get started, there are some questions that are pretty common to ask that aren’t really that helpful.
>>> The most obvious questions to ask a potential web designer would be to see their portfolio/past sites. That’s not a bad place to start, but not always the most reliable— Once a site is finished, the client is free to do whatever they want to it. If it was built in Squarespace, it’s super easy to make those changes. Every now and then you get a client who likes to change things around and it may no longer reflect a web designers best work.
>>> I also see people ask about whether or not a web designer uses templates. Like it’s some sort of crutch that good designers won’t need and you’re being tested to find out how good you are. It could be that they don’t feel comfortable building from scratch, but what matters more is that they understand website strategy, SEO, your business and the functionality your site needs.
There’s WAY more you need to know about what to look for in a designer. Here are the questions they need to answer for you. Let’s get into it
What’s included in your web design package? What other skills do you have that could help with my website?
This is the FIRST question I would be asking. Even if you know nothing about anything, this will give you a jumping off point of what to expect and what it will cost. (This should be prominent on sales pages too)
Web design is sort of a catch-all term for people who make websites. Most only design sites. But there are many that can also help you with branding (which is crucial) and others that can write your pages for you (copywriting).
SITE COPY. It could come as a surprise that when you hire someone to design your site, they’ll probably expect you to write the site yourself, or hire someone else, OR they’ll contract this out to a friend they partner with. None of these are bad options, but they could impact who you choose to work with.
BRANDING. You may also be expected to have a branding sheet ready to go, but if you don’t have this professionaly done, most designers can probably help you with this or offer a full branding package for an extra charge.
IMAGES. Do you have professional images? If yes, you’re a web designers dream. If not, someone will need to find images for you. There are paid and free resources, so your cost may reflect that. Some web designers require you find them and have them ready as part of your homework. Some web designers love sourcing images and include that in their offerings.
A good web designer will have homework for you and will schedule a time (at least an hour) to go over your project in detail. They’ll ask you questions about your business, offers, ideal client, processes, etc to make sure they have a full understanding of the functionality you need and work out a strategy/plan for converting visitors to buyers.
**what about web developers?
Web developers and web designers are very different. You might find someone that does both (unicorn), but they have different skill sets.
>>> A developer uses code to build websites. This is usually done on Wordpress and would require hosting + ongoing maintenance to keep your site functioning. They should be very good at technical SEO as well. If you choose to go this route, make sure you find someone that is also good at website strategy and design. Fancy code doesn’t do much if the site isn’t laid out well or doesn’t make sense to your visitors.
>>> A designer usually sticks with a builder platform and only does design. This person should be an expert at strategy, have a complete & accurate understanding of your audience, help you know what integrations will work best for your business. Finding someone that understands copy and content would be a huge bonus. Website builders take most of the technical work out of our hands, so it’s much easier to update and maintain. Hiring someone for ongoing maintenance isn’t usually necessary unless you want someone to take the reigns when you want changes.
What platform do you prefer to design on?
Most web designers have a preference and only design/build in that. Many can work in multiple platforms. If it matters to you, or if you already have a website and don’t want to move it, then definitely look for someone that is an expert on the platform you need.
If you don’t have a preference, than a good web designer can help you make a decision based on your business needs and technical skill.
Tell me about the web design process.
Whoever you talk to/interview should have a clearly laid out process. There is information they will need to get from you in order to do their job. Most will use some sort of CRM like Dubsado for invoicing, scheduling and to streamline their client communications.
Expect to have homework and at least one meeting before the work begins. The designer should take their time to research your business and your clients in order to create a strategy and site plan before starting your project. In other words— your web designer should know the inner workings of your business and understand your clients needs way deeper than surface level. They’re invested.
If this person is fairly new and doesn’t have that worked out, that should be communicated and reflected in the cost. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a deal breaker, but you should get a very nice deal if you’re willing to help them work out their processes. Those first few clients are a HUGE learning curve for service based operations!
When is the earliest you can start?
Hiring a web designer is definitely something that you need to plan ahead for. Generally speaking, it’s not a bad thing if the designer can’t start right away. Usually that means that they have other clients and are in demand.
Some people might tell you to avoid people that can start immediately bc that indicates they are new or no one wants to hire them, but that isn’t really an automatic red flag. While you can expect a good designer to book 2-8+ weeks out, that time frame will ebb throughout the year. There are definitely slower times (November to December) and busier seasons (after the new year and into summer).
The start date can also be tied to the designers processes. If they want you to have the copy and branding done first, then that can add on several weeks at the beginning. If the designer offers a 2 or 3 week website design process, than they should be able to narrow down an exact start date.
It’s generally good to give at least 2 week leeway, so you have time to prepare with homework and strategy calls.
How many website clients do you work with at a time?
This is good information to have because it helps you be prepared for how long your site will take, and how quickly you can expect a response if you have any questions.
If you hire an agency, they are likely working with multiple clients at a time, even if they assign you to one person. If you hire a freelancer, they could be working with one client at a time- unless their process aren’t very streamlined or they don’t have due dates in place for homework or payments.
Many small town web designers (like myself) will only work with one client at a time. Doing this allows designers give their full attention to each unique project, ensures effective communication, and streamlines the entire process from start to finish— so you can start sharing your beautiful site much faster.
Is basic SEO or keyword research included?
No matter how much you know about what SEO is or what exactly it entails, your web designer better have a good understanding of what it is and how to optimize your site for search engines. It’s too important and simple to not do this. In fact, every part of the design should be centered around this.
‘Basic SEO’ is a phrase that generally means the bare minimum, but here the bare minimum is still very comprehensive and should be a given for every site. This includes things like, researching the right keyword phrases for your business and using them in headings, minimizing and renaming image files, and creating a well-thought out site plan with a linking strategy.
If you are using Wordpress and looking for a developer, there is coding involved. If you’re using a website builder, there won’t be as much (if any) coding because the site builders handle it. No matter, there are other aspects to SEO that are a MUST and I wouldn’t hire anyone who doesn’t include this.
Do you outsource any of the pieces?
Like mentioned above, some web designers can write copy and offer branding packages. Some only do web design. Some can include coding build from the ground up.
It should be noted that branding and copy are both crucial elements and can make or break a website. Website designers that have been around for a while often make friends with people who do similar jobs and may serve the same audience. In this case, they can either suggest a person for you to go to first and then come back, OR they would be your main contact (and invoice) and allow someone else to handle parts of the project. They would take care of paying the other person so it should be extremely streamlined.
If your budget only allows outsourcing some pieces, make sure to communicate that as well. Most designers should be able to accommodate you and offer resources to help with each bit.
What happens after the site is complete?
You don’t want to hire someone without knowing that you’ll receive included revisions and a tutorial walk through. Every single person I have a consultation with is a bit nervous about both of these things. They’re afraid they may not like it or have the opportunity to speak up, and that they won’t know what to do about updating it later on down the road.
REVISIONS
Edits should always be included, and expected, and that should be communicated up front so the client doesn’t feel weird or bad about asking. There may be some web designers that can toot their horn that they are so good and their process locked so tight that these aren’t necessary… and great if it works out that way, but you should know that the option is there and feedback would be welcomed.
TUTORIAL/HELP GUIDES
A tutorial or video walk through should also be expected.
MAINTENANCE PLANS
Since I mostly build in Squarespace, maintenance plans have a different meaning than if I were a developer and working in Wordpress. My client’s dont need to worry about hosting or need someone on standby to keep the site functioning. (Squarespace does that), so there’s no ongoing required costs. I teach them what they need to know so that they are confident taking the reins at project completion.
But sometimes, they don’t want to ever touch it again. I’ve been asked to write blog posts, create newsletters, update offers/pricing, etc. Depending on your technical skills, you might like to keep someone on standby, or know that they would be available for a VIP Day, where they can knock out your to-do list.
ANALYTICS
I’m just gonna say it— Google Analytics is super confusing and overwhelming. But it’s also generally accepted as the best place to pool the data. Which is why it’s incredibly helpful to find a web designer who will set this up for you and show you what to look for. I include a data tracker so my clients can keep track of their numbers and make data driven decisions moving forward.
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS/GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE
These also need to be set up at the end and it’s great if someone would do it for you. Google search console is where you tell Google ‘hey I have a new site and I’d like you to know it’s here so that you can recommend me in searches’. It’s also where you can find out how you’re ranking.
Choosing the right web designer can make all the difference between a website that just takes up space online and one that truly propels your business forward. By asking the right questions and knowing what to look for, you can cut through the clutter of self-proclaimed experts and find a designer who can bring your vision to life with both aesthetic appeal and functional prowess.
Taking the DIY route? This free website content & SEO checklist will make sure you know what to put on it!
The thing is, you don’t know what you don’t know.
You might find someone that’s cheap, or someone that promises fancy features YOUR BUSINESS may not need.
It’s important to know what your business needs and what options are available to you.
Need more help?
>>> Ready to DIY your website? Here’s a FREE content workbook so you know what to put on it. cost: $0.00.
>>> Already working on your website and need a checklist to make sure you have everything covered? Grab this website self audit/SEO chekclist I made just for you. It’s free.
>>> Or is this overwhelming and you’d like someone else to audit your site? I can do that too— sign up for a website audit right here. I’ll report back with findings and suggested changes. Best part? We don’t even have to talk to each other— introverts unite! I sometimes run specials for free audits, so it’s worth checking out!
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