Do you notice that users have stopped engaging with your website? If the content of your site is not up to the mark and the layout is not user friendly, you lose 38 percent of visitors. Yes. And that is why you need to have a quality website. If you want the prospective customers to contact you and become your customers, there’s a need for a website designer.
Why hire a website designer?
1. When you are busy in your business and do not have anyone in your team who possess the technical knowledge of website design
2. When you do not know how to have to build a website, which gets you results. e.g.
- SEO friendly website
- Good UX and engaging content (Videos on site)
- Call to action buttons (CTA)
3. You want to brand recognition as your competitors.
Please find details about “when there’s need to hire a web designer” more in this blog https://www.fiviza.com/blog/12-reasons-why-you-should-hire-a-professional-web-designer/
You want to have more leads on the website; you have decided to hire a web designer. Where to start from, but? This is the step by step guide to hiring a Web Designer.
1. List out the Requirements.
Assess your website first! Then identify the problems. Find out their solutions. You will understand the scope and size of the project. You can chalk out the following options for web design development
a. Build an entirely new website
b. You have a web design team and want to add a few members who possess desired technology knowledge
2. Deciding the Budget
It would be best if you decide on the upper limit of investment you can make. The size of the web design project determines the cost. Also, if you think the budget will be higher, you can set up a priority of works to do first. Later once you have some spare budget, you can make the changes as required. You have to choose between hourly pay or fix payment depending upon the size and duration of the project.
3. Choose the Technical and other requirements
There are a bunch of people who design and develop a website.
Graphic Designers: They create visual communications with users
Front end developer is responsible for the website that visitors see. They need to know languages such as Javascript, HTML, PHP, CSS, Node.JS, ASP.NET, AngularJS
Back end Developer would deal with server and database. They must have the technical knowhow of Java, PHP, Python, Ruby languages for web development and hands-on experience on databases such as SQL, MongoDB, others.
Full-stack developers know both. They can work on the frontend and backend as well.
You can check whether it is feasible for you to hire both front end and back end developer or one full stack developer. Full-stack developers are a little costly but need lesser management from your side.
4. Select the type of Web Designer you want to hire
Freelance Designer: They will design and develop a website and then hand it over to you. In case of future changes, you can contact them. If you have a single service or product ownership, this is quite affordable.
Web development team: When you cater a long list of services or products you need to have different pages, and someone to take care of website continuously, e.g. the frontend and backend monitoring, fixing errors, live chat solutions on website etc
Web Design and Digital Marketing Company: They design and develop the website for you. Also, they will take care of your entire site. Plus, they will look after your website’s content, SEO, Social Media, Paid advertisements. They are expensive sometimes.
We at Fiviza, offer these solutions at an affordable price with the best tech-savvy team.
5. Experience
Depending on the complexity of the project and size of the business and a budget, you can determine whether you want a complete fresher or experienced candidate. If you are a start-up, e.g. a home chef or a home baker, you can hire a fresher. They can do the job at a very less price. If you are a middle-size business owner of home decor, you need to have experienced team
6. Check the team’s competency
Once you fix the above factors, you can research on various web design vendors. List out a few options and start evaluating those. Communicate with each one of them. Let them know about your company. Inform regarding the project, budget, milestones, and time. You can follow the below checklist to find the best match
I. Website Itself: By looking at the company website itself, you will able to judge. If you feel the company can provide the website which you desire, you can think of hiring them.
II. Portfolio: You can take a look at their portfolio. See the variety of projects the company has done; check if they have done anything related to your industry.
III. Reviews and Feedbacks: Generally, clients do give feedback on the work. People can always talk about appreciating things about their business. When clients are sharing a positive experience, it is a hint that the company is good at what they offer. You can always ask a reference of clients they served. Directly contact them and get your doubts clear.
IV. Communications Skills: Effective communications of a team play an essential role in being able to stay on the same page. Check whether the development team can communicate on time. Know how they handle the miscommunications, and make project requirements clear. The team must be accessible when you need them for urgent requirements.
V. Productivity and Ownership: Feedbacks, new suggestions, innovative approaches to solving issues throughout the web development are necessary to improve. The speed at which the group of developers works matters.
You can evaluate a candidate with the help of a paid test. Please give them a small task to finish and check the delivery time and the way of work and final result.
Do not make haste in finalizing the contract with a freelancer or a web development company. Look around for as many options. Many give free consultation or a free quote. Scrutinize all options carefully and then decide to hire.
7. Final Call
Once you have selected a candidate, talk to the team. Preferably speak to each member to understand each one’s competency. Let them know the project thoroughly. Ask questions, and answer their queries. Also, know their suggestions.
8. Set up the milestone and payment
10. Review at each milestone
11. Delivery of Project
Yes, this is a rigorous process. This is a guide to select the best candidate for your web design project. We at Fiviza, are a team of potential web designers. If you want your website done, please connect to us.