If you are preparing to have a custom site built then the web designer that you choose to work with on the project is critical to the success of the finished product. You literally have the choice of any web designer in the world, able to work with anyone you select through email, mobile calls and direct meetings. But, what should you consider before appointing a web designer?
Their own search engine rankings - If you want your finished website appearing on the search engine listings then a good indication of whether a web designer could do this is if they themselves appear on search engine listings. So try searching for local web designers and see who crops up.
Look at their site - Does it look professional? Is there a good portfolio? Does the portfolio link to sites (several hopefully with the designer’s name at the bottom) or is it merely a few screen prints of web-sites that may no longer exist? Does the website sell them to you? If not, it might mean that your website won’t sell to your customers.
Read testimonials - An established web designer will have heaps of satisfied customers and should have asked for several testimonials. Hopefully these are on display on the web site, linking to the sites that they relate to so that you can check they are genuine.
What is the size of your project? - For a small brochure site or an online shop, then a small company or freelance designer might possibly handle the project with stacks less overheads. For a very graphic orientated web site you may need to work with more of a graphic designer, or a web designer able to work with or as one. But if you want a highly complicated website with ample of complicated features then you may need instead to employ the services of a larger company with the resources to allocate you some designers.
Who hosts the web site? - Some designers build the site and then give you the code to host and maintain. Others refuse to let you see the code, maintaining the full copyright of the code forever. How involved do you want to be in the future with the site?
Do they warranty the work? - Whilst there are designers that offer to fix any errors that are discovered in the first three months, others, like myself, prefer to offer a lifetime cover offering to fix any problems that arise for as long as a customer remains a customer. For all but the simplest of web sites, errors might take months to come to the surface.
Does the web designer seem friendly and accommodating? - If you need changes do they seem the sort of person that will be helpful, or merely demand ample of extra money? Are they going to be there to support your site in the future?
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Written by Keith Lunt, who offers a Southport web designer service. For more useful tips about good web design call into the blog.
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