When it comes time to redesign your website or have a new website designed, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important decisions you will make is who to hire for the job. It’s important to take your time and do your research before making a decision. In this blog post, we will discuss what questions you should ask potential web designers and what to look for when hiring one.

Responsiveness and Availability

First, you want to make sure that the designer is responsive. They should reply to your emails or calls in a timely manner. You don’t want to hire someone who is difficult to get hold of or doesn’t respond when you have questions or requests. Rather, look for someone who will be available for you. Most reputable web designers list their business hours on their website and should generally get back to you within 24 hours if you email them or if they miss your call

Attentiveness

Second, you should look for a designer that asks appropriate questions to understand the project. One of the first questions we at Tilret Web Design ask is “Why do you want a website?” or “What are your goals for the Website?”.  The designer should be attentive to your needs and not solely their own. The focus should be on understanding your requests and requirements and how the designer can help. It should not be the designer just telling you or assuming they instantly know what you need. A good project should be a collaboration between you and the designer with the designer providing guidance rather than dictation.

Professionalism

Third, you want to make sure that the designer is organized and professional.  This includes having a website that is well-designed with an easy to use navigation and description of services and core technologies. The designer’s portfolio should be put together nicely and showcase their skills. Another positive is a designer who can provide you with a detailed outline of the different steps of the project and expected timelines for each step. A clear understanding of what you can expect and what a designer expects from you goes a long way towards promoting a smooth, hassle-free project. With regard to organization, the designer should demonstrate that they have standard operating procedures in place. Specific topics include how designs will be presented to you, how revision requests will be handled, how content will be collected, how payments will be managed, and how service and maintenance requests will be communicated.

Personal Service

A fourth important factor to consider when hiring a web designer is who you will be actually working with. If you’re dealing with a web design agency, make sure you are communicating with the person who will be doing the actual design and working with you throughout the project. Some agencies use sales teams to lure you in and, once you have signed on, pass your project along to a junior web designer who may not have that full understanding of your needs and goals.

Competency

Finally, if you anticipate that your website will be complicated and require complex functionality, make sure the designer has the ability to implement the necessary features. Try to get a sense of their level of experience and expertise. Designers often have a testimonial section on their websites or can provide you with a list of recent projects or references. You can also ask if they are familiar with the latest trends and technologies. A good designer should be able to clearly explain and use such technologies.

By taking the time to choose the right web designer from the start, you can avoid costly delays and frustrations down the road. With this knowledge of what to look for and a little bit of effort, you can find a designer that will bring your vision to life and create a website that you’ll be proud of.