3 Things to Look for in a Website Designer for Your Small Business
So you are ready to invest in hiring a website designer to build a custom website for your small business - but how do you find the best website designer in a sea of really great designers?
Making an investment in a web designer is a big deal - you can usually expect to spend around $2500-$5000 for a custom built site - so you want to make sure that you choose a designer that is worth the investment.
It can be easy to get lost on Pinterest and Instagram, spending hours looking at hundreds of designers and not knowing exactly how to choose.
That’s why I, a website designer, am going to give you 3 simple things to look for in a website designer for your small business - let’s get into it!
Look for Someone that Designs on Your Chosen Website Platform
This first tip is pretty simple, but it is SO IMPORTANT to find a web designer that is an expert on your chosen website platform.
Most website designers only specialize in 1-2 website design platforms to make sure they have an expert-level understanding of the platform and can literally build ANYTHING that you need for your website.
If you aren’t sure what website platform you should be using, check out my blog post How to Choose the Best Website Builder For Your Small Business for an overview on all the major website builders and which one would fit your needs best.
Look for Someone Who’s Portfolio Reflects the Design and Flow You Like
Next, you’ll want to look further into your website designer choices and into their actual portfolio/examples of their work.
This next step is probably the one that will take you the most time - but TAKE YOUR TIME WITH IT!
Although web designers work with a large variety of totally different clients, each designer has a general “look” and “flow” to the websites that they design - even if it’s hard to tell at first glance.
For example, I like to design a longer homepage for each of my clients that paints a journey for the customer to take on the page - from addressing the clients problem, to providing a solution for the problem (products/services), and finishing with examples/proof of the solution (images and testimonials).
There are lots of other things to look for as well - from a designer being more bright and vibrant vs minimal and classic, to who specifically the designer actually builds sites for (does their niche reflect you and your business?)
One thing to remember in this step: not all website designers get to choose the branding for the websites they build.
A lot of times, a web designer might just be incorporating an already existing brand - so don’t focus too much on things like fonts, colors, and logos - unless you are planning on having that website designer build your brand for you as well!
Look for Someone Whose Organization and Timeline Fits Your Needs
Lastly, and likely most importantly, you’ll want to choose a web designer who actually has time to get your project completed AND fits your needs in terms of communication and organization.
At this point, you will probably want to schedule some free consultation calls with prospective designers to get a closer look at the experience that they provide in their website design process.
Some questions that you will definitely want to ask during this call include:
When would we be able to start on my website? (You want to make sure that they can get your website done when you need it completed!)
How long will it take to complete the site? Generally, it takes around 2-4 weeks for a standard small business site to get built, but it can go anywhere up to a few months, depending on how custom you need your site to be.
What does the revision process look like? Most designers have a limit on the number of revisions they allow when building the website, so make sure you are comfortable with that number.
What does our communication process look like? Some designers like sticking strictly to email for communication, while others mix in calls or rely heavily on calls throughout the entire time working together. Make sure you are comfortable with whatever they provide.
Once you get these questions answered, you’ll have probably built a connection (or two) with another designer and vibed with them, which should give you a pretty clear picture of you will work with the best!
Picking a website designer is a huge investment for your small business, so you definitely should not take it lightly.
Take your time, follow these tips, and make sure that you don’t jump into a project without making sure you and the designer fit well together.
Speaking of website design - if you are looking for a website designer, I would LOVE to work with you! I design primarily on Squarespace and Showit, and have a HUGE passion for getting small businesses owners started with success online :)
You can check out my services page for more information and to schedule a free consultation call with me!
