It's well-known how important design is for any type of website. The internet offers thousands of possible options, so, how can you hire the web designer that's right for you?
Reasons to hire a web designer
Brings consistency and order
In any website, especially business ones, having a structured and simple layout is fundamental. Designers know how to organize your site so it's more appealing for any visitor. Many people think designers are all about color palettes and fonts but the biggest contribution they can make is consistency. This seriously improves the impression and the energy your site gives.
It's a timesaver
Nowadays we have different easy-to-use website design programs, but these are used by hundreds of other people with the same intention of creating a site. If you invest in a website designer, you will have original and unique assets for your own site, which can only be created by a professional. And wouldn't it be better to use the time and energy you would spend creating the website on your own, to work on the content that will be uploaded? You should not spend time outside your zone of genius.
First impressions are valuable
The first impression of your site must be simple and must catch anyone's eye. If the first impression is unattractive, unoriginal, and basic your site will suffer severe consequences. You will not only repel visitors but also give a negative image of the website. Something that's badly designed is something that hasn't been well worked on. A designer can make sure that the first impression of your site will draw anyone's attention.
Steps to hire a good web designer
If you want a high-quality website you will need a professional graphic designer. Nowadays, anyone can claim to be one but not all of them will deliver good results. With the following 4 steps, you'll not only know how to hire a web designer, but you'll also know how to find the right one for you.
1) Understand what type of design you are looking for
There are different types of designers. The classic graphic designer works on the layout of a website. On the other hand, the UX designers (UX stands for User Experience) are the ones in charge of the experience of the users and the UI designers are the ones that focus on how users interact with the technology of the site. So, when the time of hiring a designer comes, you should really consider this and it'll help you know who to hire.
You should also define the timeframe of the job you require. You might prefer a full-time designer who can not only create the site but also have an ongoing maintenance package, where he or she could keep an eye on it and constantly improve it.
Something else that you should give some thought to is the budget and the payment structure. First off, you need to understand that the pay frame between designers can be big, and if you take into consideration the different recommendations in this post, you can choose a really good one for not a lot of money. Regarding the payment, there are two main options: hourly rate pay, or pay per project. The second option is the most recommendable because it assures that you stay within your budget.
2) Search for a designer
This is when the seek-out starts. A useful tip to find a good designer is to look at the websites you already like. These usually list the designer's name down at the bottom of the site. Another recommendation is to search portfolios or websites of different professionals. A useful website to find these is DesignHill. You should also look into freelance marketplaces such as The Design Project where you can check out previous projects and purchase our services. Lastly, we suggest you reach out to colleagues that had their websites designed and ask for their own experience, make sure they give you detailed information so you can make a good decision.
Once you have done this research, you should make a list of the potential designers you might hire.
3) Talk to previous customers
Even though many people skip this part, we believe it's a key to the process of finding the right designer for you. Of course, you can read the reviews people have written, but reaching out to the previous customers will be much more positive, there are things people say in natural and private conversations that might not be said in a review. You can find these clients by going to the professional's portfolio and looking at the review´s authors.
4) Contact the designer(s)
The next step is to reach out to the professionals that made it through your selection process. If they sell their services through a site you could use this but it's always better to reach out personally, this lets you know the designer better before you hire them. You will also have the possibility of negotiating precisely for what you want.
The message you send to them should include the following information: what are you building a site for, the functionality you need, your budget, your timeline, and the number of pages you want to be designed.
The last part of the search would be negotiating a contract. The majority of freelance designers already have a contract they will present to you. You should thoroughly read it and even ask someone who might know better about this than you. In some cases, you might have to elaborate the contract yourself. If this is the case you should consider the following key things: the first issue you need to discuss is how the content will be reviewed and approved.
You should list the objectives the professional should achieve and talk about the scope of the project. Another important matter you must discuss is copyright. You have to decide who owns the rights to the content. Lastly, you should talk about payments and when and how any of both sides can terminate the contract.
Final Thoughts
You might want to design your own website or hire any random designer, but it's important if you choose the second option to make sure you are hiring the right person. After all, impressions and designs are very important, and if you want to attract users you need an attractive, functional, and easy-to-use layout.
