What To Look For In A Web Designer

So you've made the decision to begin the process of having a website built? Before you jump in, take a while to sit down and take some notes about what you really need in a web designer.

Communication: There are a lot of aspects that need to be discussed before, during and after the site build! You need to discuss the feel of the site that you want, color scheme, font  selection, etc. You need to agree on how the designer will secure the images needed, will they be purchased, or will the client furnish images. There are many more things that have to be decided, so you need to have a designer that is a great communicator and is able to make themselves available when needed! If they won't return phone calls or it takes a week to answer an e-mail, you will get frustrated and more importantly, the project will not remain on schedule.

Functionality:  While every business wants a site that is beautiful and is an accurate representation of their business, the primary function of a website is to advertise your business and drive sales. Having a designer that knows SEO is a must. There is a lot of SEO that needs to be done during the build! Alt tags, Title tags, meta descriptions, keyword placement in the content, etc. If you hire a designer that has no clue about these things, you will have a site that will not be seen by your prospective customers,  or anyone else for that matter. You will then find yourself hiring an SEO person that will have to go in and fix all of that, costing you additional money and potential sales.

Knowledgeable: There are certain trends and requirements that should be know by the designer as well. For instance, they should know that ANY site built in today's market should be mobile friendly. 60% of all searches are done from a mobile device such as a tablet or mobile phone. Google has begun to give sites that are mobile friendly a higher rank in the results and this pushes non-compliant sites down in the ranks. If you designer does not know things like this, your site will be at a great disadvantage from the beginning and could cost you money to have it fixed or even require a rebuild.

Time Manager: Staying on schedule for a project is crucial because you're spending money on the site and the sooner you get it launched and begin ranking it, the sooner you can get a return on that money! If your builder has no sense of urgency about getting the site done correctly and staying on schedule, you're losing money! If, at the beginning of the process, you ask to see examples of work, or ask for some other deliverable to gauge speed of deliverance, and you don't get it by the agreed upon time, it's a good indication that they lack the time management skills to keep the project on schedule!
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There are many variables to take into consideration, and this is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should get your mind moving in the right direction.

If you have any questions about your upcoming design or SEO needs, please give Carpe DM a call, I'd be glad to help!
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