Web design is the planning and implementing of a client's company vision for their web page. Web designers create the layout of a website based on their expertise and knowledge to make their client's ideas come to life. The goal is to capture and display the brand's identity to enhance the user's experience. The web designer uses design practices such as symmetry, proportions, color schemes, fonts, layout, and other elements to engage visitors. It is important to understand who you are hiring, what they have to offer, and how your vision for your company website will come to life.
Some things to expect from your web designer are:
Strong communication skills
Lots of questions - they need to see your vision
A deposit of 25-50% of the overall total cost up-front
Booking could be anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months out, depending on the designer's workload. It's unrealistic to think your site will be up and running in a few days, especially if you have an in-demand designer. It's better to wait and get what you want than rush and get something you're not completely happy with.
Most designers have rigorous no-refund policies, so ensure you are confident in your choice.
Project length depends on the size of what you are wanting to be done. However, most average-sized projects (5-10 pages) take 4-8 weeks. It also depends on how quickly you respond to the designer's questions and the information the designer needs. The faster you get your content and edits back to the designer, the quicker the entire project goes.
Your designer should offer the opportunity for revisions, generally 2-3 rounds. If you want additional tweaks after that, you will have to pay for them.
You can talk to your designer about a monthly maintenance plan, which can be well worth the investment.
Some designers offer an educational component to your website so you have a basic understanding and how it works. Some designers will send a pre-recorded video, and others will do a live screen shared lesson where you can navigate your site while they walk you through it.
There are many options when hiring a web designer. You can go with a service that generates dozens of websites a week, which will be considerably cheaper; however, if you want a custom design and someone who isn't just auto-generating sites, look for someone who can work with you one-on-one. My experience has been that people are much happier investing quality and time into their websites because they get a more personalized visual for their audience.
Comments