Your customers will be able to tell if you build your own website.
Though it might not look terrible, it will lack the professionalism, SEO, and overall experience that comes with a web designer. You don’t know what you’re doing, so you shouldn’t try to do it by yourself.
That said, here are five tips that will help you hire the best website designer for your business.
1. Decide What You Want to Have Done
You won’t really know who to hire or how big your budget should be if you don’t know exactly what you need to have done.
Do you need to create an entirely new website? If so, what size will the website be? Small businesses may only need about six pages, but a larger business could have a much bigger website than that.
Do you already have a website you’re looking to update? If you don’t have a mobile-friendly website, this could be a worthwhile update to make. If you’re looking for more content, starting a blog is a good choice.
Do you already have a website that you just want to give a new look? Maybe add a few new products?
Think about what you want to accomplish. Ask your employees or other relevant peers what they think should be added or changed. You can even ask some of your customers what they’d like to see.
When you know what you want, write it down. This will make it easier to remember and show to your website designer later.
2. Set a Budget
It can be hard to set a budget because the cost of hiring a web designer can significantly vary. Depending on who you hire, you’re looking to spend anywhere from $15 to $100 an hour, maybe even more.
If you want to create a new but small website, you may have to pay roughly $800 for the entire job. But again, that could be more or less.
When you’re creating your budget, just remember you’ll get what you paid for. If you don’t have a large budget, you can find a web designer to create your website for a few hundred dollars. But it may not be the best website you’ve ever seen.
3. Find a Website Designer
There are two different ways to hire a web designer.
- You can look around, find one, and reach out to them yourself.
- You can create a job post and let them contact you.
If you want to find one yourself, you should start by talking to other business groups, peers, of relevant sources you are connected to. They will usually have a few suggestions.
When you have a list of choices, reach out to these designers. Ask them about their rates (to make sure they fit your budget) and for references so you can see their past work.
If you find a good fit, go ahead and make the hire.
4. Write a Job Post
The most important thing to remember when you’re creating a job post is clarity. Take the time to fully explain the job, what you want to be done, when you want it finished, what experience level you’re looking for, and your budget.
5. Questions for the Interview
When you find some designers you think could be a good fit, it’s time to set up an interview.
Here’s a quick list of important questions you should ask:
- Can you describe my brand?
- How will you make updates on the website?
- What does an effective website design look like to you?
This last question will give you a chance to see how well their views fit with your own. You’ll also want to know how the designer plans to work on your website, and if they can’t tell you about your brand, you’ve got a problem.
How to Hire a Website Designer
Finding a website designer that fits your budget and is a good fit for your brand may take some time, but you’ll get better results if you take your time to find a good fit.
Need some help with your website? Take a look at some of our services.
