Here are 10 questions you should be asking before you hire a web designer to design your website…
You’ve thought about it and you’re ready to go. You’re ready to give your business an online presence.
You want your own website.
That’s great but unless you are doing it yourself, you would be shopping for a website designer.
Some people would design their own websites but most people prefer to save themselves the time and money and hand the job over to the professionals.
But how do you choose a great website designer from so many website designers in this world? How do you determine who is good and who is passable?
These 10 questions may help you decide.
Q1: Can I take a look at your website?Ask for the designer’s website to look over. Yes, one would expect a designer to first and foremost design a great website for himself but you would be surprised to know that some ‘web designers’ may not even have his/her own website! Once you get to their website, look at it critically. How do you like their website? Does the design tell you anything about the web designer? Their website should give you a good indication of what you are getting, in terms of design.
Q2: Can I see the work you’ve done before?
Get the website designer to show you his or her portfolio. Most designers will claim that they have designed plenty of websites but ask for the proof. Nothing beats judging the work yourself. Great designers do not only say they can do an excellent job, they will prove it with a good portfolio of work. (The portfolio of work is usually available online at the designer’s website). Make sure the websites are live and online. Also pay special attention to the tiny little words at the bottom of these websites which say “Website designed by (followed by the name of your website designer/his firm)”. This further proves that the designer did really design the website (and is proud to be associated with the design!).
Q3: How many years have you been doing this?
It is not a rude question. It is practical and makes sense: how many years have you been in business? If it is stated on their website, you can skip this question but experience does count. In the web design business (as with any technology-related business), things move really fast. What might be great today might be tomorrow’s old news. A great web designer should be able to show you that he has been around long enough to understand how the web works and how he or she should design for this medium.
Q4: Can you support my website as it grows?
One of the more important questions to ask. Is the designer capable of supporting you as your web needs grow? And in what ways? It is myth that once you get a website done, that is it. You leave it as it is. With web technology growing by leaps and bounds, getting a website for your business is just the first part of the story. You need to plan for future growth. When I say growth, it means you should be able to add extras if you need them. Does your designer support programming, e-commerce and other add-ons? Can he or she host your website for you? Ask these questions now because you do not want to be left stranded when you need help the most. Granted, not every designer can support programming but he or she should let you know that if you need it, they can get it done for you or else find someone who can do it for you.
Q5: Is the website designed for usability?
Is your designer only capable of designing a beautiful website without any idea of making it user-friendly? All the bells and whistles in the world would not help if your website remains non-usable. An effective designer would not only help you design a great website but also design it for web usability. Usability means focusing on users needs, making it easy for users to navigate around your website and achieve what they came to do. This also means that there should be a reason for every element that exists on your website. It’s not for aesthetic purposes that your company logo is on the top left hand corner. It is not for fun that you have a certain colour on your website. An effective designer would combine both aesthetic and functionality into one website that rates high on usability. After all, your purpose for having a website is to gain attention for your business, (eventually) sell your products and services and give your competitor a run for their money, right? A great website focuses on the web users’ needs, not the web designer’s ego.
Q6: How much does it cost?
Cost is key. In the planning stages, make sure you get a proper costing for the whole website. Check that there are no hidden costs or extras that you have to pay for. Get a proper quote from the designer and go over points which you are doubtful. It is best to get your doubts cleared before the website gets designed. To get a full website up and running, do not forget to include in your budget costs for domain name registration, web hosting and most times, maintenance fees. Domain name registration and web hosting are recurring annual fees as long as you have a website on the world wide web. This means you need to pay for these yearly. Do you need photography services for your products? Do you need to use stock photos? Do you need to use Flash in your website? These are the extras which would cost you more. If in doubt, tell your designer upfront what your budget is like. A genuine designer would be able to suggest ways to meet your budgetary needs.
Q7: Are you willing to listen to me?
A good question to ask yourself after you talk to your designer. Make sure your designer does not have an ego the size of a mountain. What you DO need is a designer who is able to let you know what you need and in return, value and appreciate feedback from you when both of you are in the planning and designing stages of the website. This means he or she listens to your ideas and needs before they implement them in the website. It’s all right if they think they’re the greatest creative people to walk the earth but when it comes to websites (especially yours), they must be willing to compromise, not throw a tantrum and disappear for weeks. If you are lucky enough, you will also get a designer who not only has creative direction but also down-to-earth business sense and know what works for a website and what doesn’t.
Q8: Can you advise me?
The knowledge factor. And more important than having knowledge is that, are they willing to share what they know with you? You may think that you would not need much but along the way, you would need a designer who is able to guide you and advise you on the necessary changes to your website. Above all, ensure you trust his or her advice and that he/she is easy to work with. Nothing can be as disastrous as distrust between client and designer. And nothing ruins a relationship as fast!
Q9: Do you provide extra services?
Ask your designer if she/he provides extra services which you may need such as copywriting. Remember that what is normally found in printed brochures and flyers may not be web-friendly on your website. Re-writes for your website are sometimes needed because on the web, users skim for information. They do not have time to read every single word. Plus making your text web-friendly means it is likelier to be found when a web user does a search on Google or Yahoo.
Q10: How fast can you get back to me?
How fast can you get an answer from him or her? How fast does he or she respond to your emails, calls and faxes? Overall, this is a tricky question to ask because no designer will admit they are tardy when they’re pitching for business. Speed is important when you are in need of help. For example, when you have a problem with your website, you don’t want to wait five days before your designer returns your call. You want an immediate response.
Copyright 2004. RedboxStudio.com
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About the author: With a degree in Art, and actively involved in graphics and web design since 1998, Nic Sim (the owner and founder of www.RedboxHosting.com) is committed to sharing with you ways you can build a successful business online. Try out this easy-to-use, no-fuss DIY Website at www.RedboxDIY.com
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