Design

Yes, your startup business needs a website, but the website your cousin’s friend slapped together for you in an hour is not going to cut it. So now you’re looking to hire a professional website designer.

You need a brand consistent website that really works AND looks beautiful too. After all, your website is fundamental to your business success.

Here are some quick questions to ask a website designer before hiring them to work on your site.

1. What websites have you worked on before?

There are a lot of people out there claiming expertise in website design. Get some proof by asking to receive a list of websites (with links) that they have worked on.

2.What design experience do you have?

Easily accessible design software has made it easy for everyone to design. But just because you can sing, it doesn’t mean you are a good singer. Look for someone who has diverse graphic design experience.

3.For how long have you been designing websites?

Ideally, you need someone who has been designing for a number of years – no one can be an overnight singing success. If they have just started designing then they probably won’t be aware of how website design trends have changed, and what the way forward is.

4.How much will the website design cost?

Designing a website never really has an end date because website design is always changing. Discuss the cost of the initial website design and then make sure you find out what the costs will be for any retainer design work done on the site in future. Maintenance is important. Whether you get quoted fixed fees or per hour, always get a clear understanding of the scope of design work included so that there are no surprises when you receive the invoice.

5.How many changes can I make?

Related to finding out the cost of the website design is ascertaining how many changes you can make before they start getting charged.

6.How long will the website design take?

You waited a year before your cousin’s friend finally got your website live, so you want to avoid waiting that long again. A good website designer will provide you with a clear project plan and deliver on time. If website design is their full-time job then there is no reason why they shouldn’t be on the ball.

7.How do you like to get briefed?

A website designer needs a brief. The more detail you can include in the website design brief, the better. Find out how he or she likes to get briefed and what information or documentation (such as CI files) is needed to get the project going in the right direction.

8.Do you use custom designs or templates?

A good website designer should be able to offer you custom designs or templates. There are a large number of great website design templates available, and this is the more cost-effective and quicker route. However, you may want something unique to differentiate yourself from competition, which is where custom design is advantageous.

9.What photography will you use?

Website design without powerful photographic images is useless. Discuss where the website designer is going to source images from – will you supply them or will you pay for ones to be downloaded. If you opt for paid-for images then you need to be discuss an approval process of the images to be used, so that you don’t end up getting charged unnecessarily.

10.How do you work with website developers?

This is key! Your website designer has to work well with the website developers on the project. It’s best if the website development and design company are the same, so that they can carry the project together. The necessary development and design tweaks should continuously and seamlessly occur. Beautiful design is no use if the website doesn’t work, and a fully-functional website is pointless if the design puts everyone off. Creating a phenomenal UX (user experience) needs to be a common goal.

11.Can you help me with other graphic design needs?

Your digital and physical stationery should match to maintain brand consistency, so finding a designer who can you with all of your design needs is first prize. It’s always challenging to keep a brand the same if there are too many designers working on it.