5 Things to Look for in a Website Designer
As a small business owner, you know that you need a good website so that your business is optimally converting. If you don’t have a website or your website hasn’t been updated in years, you are likely finding yourself looking for a good website designer. What things should you be looking for in a good website designer so that the end product is not only a website that you like but is also on brand, easy to navigate and ultimately converts well for you. A good web designer will cover the following 5 areas when determining if they are the right fit for you.
They will explain why web design is so important
Your store may not be open 24 hours a day but you can offer a 24/7 operating storefront with good web design. A good website designer knows that your website is the online face of your business. Because of this, they will work hard to ensure that your user has a great user experience from a good site structure, to a fast loading site, to good mobile display, etc – they will cover those answers for you. In addition, they will ensure that the copy above the fold clearly states who you are, the problem you solve and how to get in contact with you.
They will explain the basic components of good web design
A website is built around multiple pages that work together and are interconnected in order to produce a high functioning, multi-faceted sight. Not everyone gets there overnight. What you really need are are the following 6 pages listed on the menu in the site architecture:
- Homepage (landing page)
- About Page (story and staff info)
- Product / Service Page (The stack info / package options)
- Our Work /Portfolio Pages
- FAQ Page
- Contact Page
In addition, they go over with you the proposed site structure for your site (think of it as an outline for an essay but instead of an essay, it’s for your website) so that you clearly understand where each new page will be added.
They will explain which website design software is best to use
Not all website design software is created equal. They will inventory you needs to best understand how you want your website to work for you. They will then go over hosting options, why it matters which company hosts your website (availability from the help desk, troubleshooting, etc. In addition, they will go over the website builder that will be used to create your site. They will explain why the website builder they use will be especially important depending on who is managing the website after they complete it and how easy the site is to navigate. Finally, they will explain any plugins they are adding to your site, why they are important (too many can weigh your site down) and what integrations are supported with your website that you may need in the future.
They will go over the website design cost for a basic website
When you get a proposal from your website designer, they should clearly indicate by item, what was the cost to build the site, the recurring cost for any plugins or integrations on your site as well as the cost to update your site / troubleshoot in the future. Ensure that your quote includes the minimum 6 pages listed above. Learn more about basic WordPress Websites.
They will make sure that their values align with your core values and mission
After you have gotten through the nitty gritty details of web design, you will want to make sure that your core values and mission align. This is especially helpful as you are vision casting for the future – not just your website but beyond. You want to make sure that your website will grow and evolve with you as company as you grow over time.
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