Need to hire a web designer? Tips for choosing right one
Whether one is creating a blog or a ecommerce site, choosing a website designer that has the expertise and the appropriate skills for doing this job could become a difficult task if some points are not « checked ». There are lots of voices over the Internet that praise the web designers they worked with but even more the ones that blame their choice.
For being in the first category and choosing the right web designer available to do the work, here are some top notch tips anyone should take into consideration.
1. Not just one quote
Always ask for more quotes, best numbers would be around five quotes. This is not a fixed number though, there are lots of possibilities not a single quote to satisfy your needs, and by this I mean not agreeing with their rates or with the response promptitude. Choosing a web designer by comparing their quotes could be a great start into developing the website.
2. Is he good ?
Just searching on Google for « best website designer » and getting quotes from top 5 firms will definitely not get you in touch with the best ones available, and this is what are referrals for. Ask around, maybe there are friends or someone from your family that worked with a great web designer that would definitely be recommended. It then will be an easier task from choosing between the ones that were referred.
3. Search for online testimonials
When we are talking about testimonials we definitely do not mean testimonials on their website while they can be biased. There are hundreds of review sites where one could find important information about someone’s previous work. Moreover, asking the web designer to provide some contact of their previous customers for asking how they managed to do the work would be a great move. That’s how they will understand you mean serious business and you are not the person to play with.
4. Portfolio – a must !
Almost any web designer that sells his services on a personal website has a place for previous work, samples of websites he worked on or links to website they designed. If you cannot find this information on their website, always ask them to provide a portfolio, only after you see examples of their past work you can choose what suits your needs. No one wants a beginner to work on an ecommerce website for example unless it is part of the family/friends circle or sells his work as cheap as it gets.
5. Search for ongoing support
There are three types of web designers : the ones that do not provide any kind of support after website completion ; the ones that will happily provide support with no extra-charge and the ones that ask for a recurring fee, on a monthly paid basis. You definitely want to stick with the second category and it is a best move to talk about this issue before getting into business with the chosen web designer.
6. Can he satisfy your needs ?
Always look for a web designer with expertise in many fields, maybe one is looking for some features a certain web designer cannot provide, it is always best to know the answers before he starts the work. Sometimes his portfolio will answer all the questions…
7. Always sign papers !
There is no need for some fancy contracts but never assign a web designer to a work without signing a contract that clearly specify all the points you agreed upon. This is a win-win situation while disputes can occur when no one is expecting its, but having a signed agreement will definitely answer all the future answers. Have you come across a website designer that do not want to sign a contract ? Skip ! Search for another one that you share the same vision and ideas with.