Hire a Professional to Design Your Website
Hiring a professional website designer or website design agency to create a professional-looking website is a smart idea.
Developing a high-quality website requires knowledge in graphic design, web design software, programming and coding, and Internet marketing.
A professional website designer will also be familiar with the specifications of various browsers and computer platforms, as well as how search engines spider through websites. If you don’t make the appropriate design or programming decisions, your website will be ineffective.
Choosing a Web Design Company
What factors should you consider when hiring a web design agency or a web site designer? There are a lot!
Of course, there’s no rule that says you have to hire a web designer from your own city. Using tools like Skype and email, you can collaborate with someone in another city, state, or even nation. 
The following are the most important elements to consider when hiring someone to design your website:
Freelance Web Designer vs. Web Design Firm – Do you just need a website developed, or will you also require assistance with content copywriting, marketing, and website hosting?
A freelance web designer can meet the design aspect, but to meet all of the criteria, you may need a larger, more advanced web design agency.
Coding – Coding and developing websites are alternative terms for programming. Some web designers can code the websites they create, especially if they use a well-known platform like WordPress. Others, on the other hand, may hire a separate coder to carry out their plan.
Be sure to get clarity on your web designer’s capabilities and responsibilities. You want to know if you need to hire a third-party vendor, such as a programmer, and if so, how much it will cost.
Credentials – Does the web designer have professional qualifications in graphic design, web design, and the Internet?
Experience – Has the web design agency been building websites for a long time? Examine their own website and other websites they have designed. Do the text and colors appear to be in harmony? Are the hyperlinks functional? Is it easy to navigate the site? Is it simple to figure out where you want to go? Is the design and feel of all the pages consistent?
Style – Designers have their own sense of style. You’ll want to hire a designer with a style you enjoy considering art is in the eye of the beholder. Review their portfolio to see if the websites they’ve created for other businesses, including those that aren’t in your field, appeal to you.
Testimonials – Request client referrals from the web designer. Perhaps a list of these consumers’ testimonies is readily available. If not, request contact information and phone a few of the customers. They’ll tell you the truth about the website designer, whether it’s good or bad.
You can also look up the web designer’s name on Google to check if there are any online reviews.
Technology – You’ll want someone who knows how to use the web design platform and language you’ve chosen so that your site is as functional as it is appealing.
If you wish to employ advanced technologies like database integration or e-commerce on your site, verify that the designer is knowledgeable with them and has the necessary programming software.
SEO – Search engine optimization is a must if you want your website to show up on Google. To make your site search engine friendly, your web designer should be familiar with SEO best practices.
Mobile Friendly – Many individuals will likely view your website on their smartphone or tablet. You’ll want to work with a web designer that understands how to make your site responsive, which means it can be accessed on any device with any screen size.
Google may not rank your site as highly if it is not responsive, as mobile friendliness is one of the elements it evaluates when displaying search results.
Services – Confirm that the website design agency you choose provides all of the services you need. Among the questions you should ask is whether they can assist you in obtaining a domain name. Will they be in charge of hosting? Can they give a form reply page for your site’s users’ questions? Will you be able to maintain and add material to your website after it’s been designed yourself, or will you have to rely on them?
Copywriting – Web designers are not copywriters. They are artists. They hardly ever write the text for the websites they build. They may, however, be able to help by recommending a copywriter with whom they’ve previously worked.
Pricing – Obviously, the price will vary depending on what you desire. Every website is a one-of-a-kind creation. Before contacting web designers, try to create an outline on your own; otherwise, you’ll have trouble getting quotes that allow you to compare apples to apples.
Because hosting is normally a monthly expense, make sure you factor it into your overall budget. That is, you don’t want to save a little money on the design of your website only to end up paying considerably more in monthly hosting bills over time.
Payment Terms — Of course, every business and vendor is unique. However, in my experience, most site designers require at least a partial payment (typically 50% of the total) before beginning a project.
They will not charge you for the remainder until you are fully satisfied with the finished website design and it is online and running smoothly.
Ongoing Support — More than any other type of marketing medium, websites need to be updated on a regular basis to be effective. When it comes to fixing a technical issue or making modifications to your website, support means knowing you can contact your website developer and get timely help at a reasonable price.
Consider your website designer as a business partner. His or her efforts may have a significant impact on your ability to succeed. Do your homework and make informed decisions; you’ll be glad you did.
