What to Look for in a Web Designer

Whether you’re a blogger or a business owner, having a great website design that people love is likely to feature high on your priority list. Sometimes, you might feel that designing a website can’t actually be very difficult, and start trying to put something together yourself. However, most of the time we find that it is actually something that is best left to the professionals, and so we start to look for a web design expert.

Although many of us will know of or be friends with a web designer, others won’t be so lucky, and will need to find one in order to get their website looking how they wish. Ultimately, you’re probably not going to know what a web designer is about until you work with them. However, there are a number of things you can look for, and ask questions around, which will help you to find the best web designer for your site.

Are They a Listener?

There are two types of web designer. There is the designer who listens intently to your requirements than gives suggestions based on what you want, and there is the designer who doesn't listen and tells you what they can, and will, do.

Obviously, you want the designer who is going to do as you ask, rather than the one who will assume you want their own favorite design and please themselves.

What Matters to Them?

We can probably split this issue into two parts, too. Some web designers are all about the appearance of a website; a site that looks great overrules everything else in their eyes.

The better designers, while concerned with appearance (it does matter, after all!), place far more importance on how well your website performs, and the user experience it provides. If you want to find the answer to this question without asking a designer directly, just ask for some examples of websites they have recently worked on.

Are they a pleasure to browse and easy to navigate, or are they a nightmare of links and clunky design that leaves you reaching for the close button?

Do They Know Your Industry?

It is easy to take the approach that web design is web design, and that the industry is irrelevant. However, what works on an automotive site isn't going to work on an ecommerce site selling clothes, which similarly won’t be useful on a site discussing medical conditions.

Look for a designer with a track record in your industry, and you’ll find you achieve your objectives much quicker.

Have They Embraced Industry Trends?

The internet is filled with articles that talk about the latest design trends and developments, and you should make sure you're familiar with them. Obviously, you aren't going to ask the yes or no question, because they'll always answer in the affirmative. Instead, ask them about their favorite design features and initiatives that they're currently working with, and see how they stack up against what you've read.

Search for these traits whenever you’re looking for a web designer, and you’ll find that you get the website you want in no time at all. Failure to check will increase the likelihood of you having a bad design experience, and having to spend more money to put it right.