How to Choose a Web Designer to Grow Your Online Presence
A well-designed website functions as more than a digital overview of your company, it embodies your brand and is one of the greatest investments you can make in your business. In a world of DIY websites, it can be difficult to find the right web designer to work with to help grow your company’s online presence. Use the list below to ensure that you partner with a web designer with the experience and expertise to build you a website that will help you grow your company.
• Analyze what the goals are your website are:
While we all know that having a website is extremely important in today’s digital world, you need to ensure that your website is serving a purpose rather than just checking a box to have one. When working with a web designer, it’s crucial to have the conversation about what your goals are for the site. Are you striving for lead generation, growing an active blog, or simply providing information about who you are and what you do? These ideas need to be at the forefront of your conversations with your web designer.
• Establish your budget for the project:
Understanding your budget is one of the first topics you need to establish when it comes to hiring a web designer. If you are looking to spend minimal money, then working with a professional web designer may not be the best option for you, but you also won’t receive a properly-built or functioning website with a budget designer or DIY website. Investing in a professional web designer is crucial for increasing your company’s online presence and fulfilling your goals for your website.
• View portfolios and testimonials:
When it comes to choosing your web designer, ensure that you take time to analyze their portfolio of work and read client testimonials. This is important because it allows you to see their style and websites in action in order to understand if they are going to be a good partner for you. Has the web designer built websites like what you are looking for? If so, what are the analytics and return on investments for the websites they’ve built?
• Request a consultation:
Once you have viewed a web designer’s portfolio, a personal meeting is important so you can discuss the goals, budget, vision and logistics that you would like to see in your website. This is also the time for the web designer to showcase their expertise and provide some ideas for the execution of your website. In this conversation, it’s important to ensure that you and the web designer are aligned in the ultimate goal for the website.
• Ask about Search Engine Optimization and digital marketing:
In the modern digital world that we live in, it is not enough to simply have a website live on the internet. It is important to work with a web designer that has a deep understanding of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in order to ensure that your website is performing as efficiently as it should and allows people to find your company. It is also important to have a conversation about different forms of digital marketing to see how it could benefit your business. Could your business grow significantly by running Google AdWords campaigns? How could social media marketing develop your online presence? If so, working with your web designer to establish different forms of digital marketing can also help you grow your business online.
• Discuss the long-term management of your website:
Static websites (websites that are not regularly updated) do not perform as well in search engines, so what will the long-term management of your website look like with your web designers? Will you be able to update basic content yourself, or will there be charges anytime you want something updated? This is an extremely important conversation to have because you will understand the long-term investment and ultimate responsibility for the management of your site.
• Determine if your web designer also has the resources to provide hosting, graphics, and copywriting:
Designing a website involves much more work than simply coding a website. It involves brand strategy, hosting and development, graphics, and copywriting. When discussing these with your web designer, ask if you are expected to provide graphics and copywriting. If you do not wish to provide these yourself, do they have resources that can assist in content development? Discussing these different aspects of the website helps to ensure that everyone has the same expectations, and provides an understanding of these aspects in relation to budget.
• Establish your timelines:
Website design is a process that takes time. When you are working with your web designer, ensure that you establish the timelines for collaborating, brainstorming, content production, and implementation of the website. This will allow everyone to understand the expectations for each of the parties involved in creating your website.
• Review and sign a contract:
Like most business partnerships, having a signed contract by the parties involved in creating your website is extremely important. Ensure that you not only sign a contract with your web designer, but also understand what is included and what is not in the contract. This will hold everyone accountable in your discussions and website implementation and ensure that the project functions according to schedule.
• Analyze your other marketing efforts:
Creating your website is an important opportunity to analyze your marketing efforts. Once you have your new website built by your web designer, what are some new ways to leverage the site and help grow your business? Your web designer can assist you in either implementing new strategies through the site or providing some recommendations for ideas and strategies to help grow your online presence.
Here at JDWD, we focus on your company’s goals and optimizing your website to fit your needs. With years of web design experience, we have the expertise to create a website for you that will help grow your brand, strengthen your online presence, and ultimately convert leads into business.
In need of a new website or interested in exploring your options? Contact us today to discuss your web needs!
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