A few years ago the web looked very different. There was little in the way of dynamic content, except a bit of Flash aniamtion, that most people steered clear of due to the drain on bandwidth. Back then, quality of design was a side issue.
The web has since changed very quickly - we are in the middle of Web 2.0, with Web 3.0 coming up rapidly. As web design was so profitable, designers popped up everywhere and you needed little in the way of skills, so long as you could configure a template. Quality was extremely varied.
You’re looking for a web designer because you want a professional look for your business to increase customers - therefore you need to avoid those designers who are still learnign their craft. You have to make sure your designer can deliver the key aspects that are essential - a useful, appealing website that loads quickly. Visitors are very fickly - if your website doesn’t tick all the right boxes, they’ll leave your site in a matter of nanoseconds and be off to one of your competitors.
Usability is also an important consideration - if a visitor finds it hard to find what they are looking for, they will become frustrated and leave. This means a professional, established web designer is vital. Cutting corners on cost here is going to be false economy - it is much more important to find a designer who understands what your business needs. Here is what you should consider when choosing a web designer for your business:
* Is your designer open minded? Your designer should listen to your opinions and requirements - after all you know your business better than anyone. He should be able to take what you know about your business and customers and fuse it with what he knows about web design. See if he listens and and asks the right questions, rather than trying to impose a solution on you. The desired result is a fusion of ideas to produce a remarkable website, rather than a “cookie cutter” solution.
* Good and quick - It doesn’t matter how long the deadline is, you always want to make sure progress is being made towards completion. Request he completes the work in stages (and details how long each stage will take). Review each stage as you go, to make sure he is completing everything as you want it.
* Is he focused on usability? As discussed earlier, you need a website for your business that your customers can use easily - rather than something that is glittery and flashy at the expense of usability. Ensure your designer understands this - if he insists on using too many “bells and whistles” then walk away.
Finding the perfect web designer is near impossible, however checking his past works before agreeing to the deal will tell you a lot about the way he works. Of course, you will find out more after you start working with him, however keep in mind if there is something that simply does not make him a good web designer for you, end the deal as soon as possible.
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