You now have a lot more choices if you are looking for a website designer – but instead of making your selection easier, it can make it even more difficult. The choice you make will depend on plenty of factors, but the secret to selecting a website designer is to understand precisely what you need instead of trying to filter whatever options are available. The best website designer should be able to meet your requirements rather than the other way around. The key is to ‘weed out’ those choices that may not be the right fit for your goals, so here are your top considerations for selecting the best website designer for your needs.
- Understand what you need in terms of technology
First of all, you have to understand what you need in terms of technology. Think about your website’s function. Will it simply be a ‘brochure’ website with your basic data and information and contact details? Or are you planning to build a website with more functionality? Deciding on this is crucial because it will dictate the kind of developer or designer you would eventually hire.
Some web designers will not be able to work with web languages such as PHP, JavaScript, and HTML/CSS, and will instead be more adept with branding, imagery, user experience, and colour palettes. Others are more adept at front-end development and back-end technology. If you want to maximise various skills, it’s best to go for a web design and development agency such as Expre that will be sure to have designers and developers adept in various technologies so your website can be more cohesive, functional, and appealing.
- Identify your design requirements
The next step is to identify your design requirements – in other words, determine how you want your site to look as well as feel. The key is to be specific, because your chosen designer isn’t a mind reader, after all. Draw on something that has inspired you or something you’ve seen with elements that you like. You can, for instance, collect various websites and note down what makes them attractive to you. Additionally, think about elements that you want to have them design for your website. A good website designer should be able to tell you how they can achieve specific features, or how difficult it would be to get a certain look or feel. You should also think about the entire process – would you want to be presented with choices for each stage or phase? Do you want feedback from your designer? If a budget issue comes up, what would you be willing to let go of, and what do you want to prioritise?
- Think about the needs of your business
Think also about the role of your site and how it will serve your business. Consider how you get customers and how you market your business. Would you want your site to boost leads or sales? Is your site more for referrals? Will you need your website to integrate your business processes like order-taking or bookkeeping? Is there any current software you would like to integrate with your site as well?
It’s important to think about your business’s current needs, but it’s wise to think about its future needs as well. It’s also best to avoid being too complex because versatility and integration will make your site more meaningful in the end.