Nathan Yerian
You finally decided to pull the trigger and update your company's website. You go to Google and search for web designers near your location. Regardless of where you are in the world, the results are page after page of companies and individuals that can supposedly design your new website. How will you choose who to work with?
Like everything else, you will find varying degrees of experience, and quality with web designers, and web design agencies. Taking these factors into account while interviewing potential web designers will assist in your selection process.
Does this web designer have a solid understanding?
Just having a good looking website doesn't cut it anymore. A good looking site is nice, but today's websites need to deliver more than just good visuals. Your website should be a component of your overall marketing agenda, and every element of your web design needs to be a calculated marketing effort.
When you are out interviewing prospective web designers, pay special attention to the questions they are asking you. Are they asking you about how the website should look, how many pages it will be, what type of technologies you want to incorporate?
These may be valid questions, but make sure that they are asking about what really matters. Why are you designing the site in the first place? What are the main and secondary goals of designing the new site? How do you see the website achieving these goals? How does the new site tie into your other marketing/branding initiatives? What constitutes success on this project?
A web designer that understands your business and your goals will be far more likely to deliver a website that lives up to your expectations. Make sure that the designer you choose is interested in the overall effect of the site, not just getting one more nice design in their portfolio.
Does this web designer have a plan?
So you narrowed your potential web design partners to companies that will take the time to understand your goals. Now the question becomes can they deliver on those goals?
Ask your potential partner about their process. See how they manage projects. Do they go straight into designing, or do they take the time to construct a plan? Effectively planning a website is essential to its success.
Researching target keywords, and effectively integrating them into the site will amplify your ability to attract targeted groups to your website. Planning a website's structure based on user persona's, and workflow will maximize your visitor's experience on your site. Creating a plan for special offers and calls to action throughout the site will increase your ability to convert visitors into leads.
Successful website planning will give you piece of mind, knowing that the web design to come will deliver on your greater marketing agenda. Select a partner that includes planning in their design process.
Is this web designer delivering a lasting solution?
Your new website is an investment of time, money, and other resources. You need to be sure that the solution you select will last. Although no web design will last forever, certain criteria can be put in play that will keep your site fresh and relevant.
Ask your potential web designers if they plan to design your site within a CMS (Content Management System). Utilizing a CMS will give you the ability to add, or alter content on the site without relying on the designer. Additionally, it will give you the ability to create new pages. This will be useful as your comapny grows and you add new products/services to your offering.
Ask them which content management system they plan to use for your site and why. There are many good systems, but some work better for certain applications. Do a little homework on the suggested content management system.
Selecting a web designer that understands the value of a content management system, and when to apply which system will maximize the useful life of your web design and increase the value of your investment.
Embarking on a mission to design a website can be a rewarding experience. The better the web designer you work with, the better your experience will be. Take the time to really get to know the potential web designers and make sure that they have your best interest in mind before you select them for your project.
Do you need help navigating your options for your web design project?
