Hiring a website designer is a lot like getting into a romantic relationship. It’s easier to get into then it is to get out of. Because of this, you want to make sure you make the right choice before jumping into the arms of the first person you meet. To make things easy, we have put together a 7 point website designer checklist. Make sure your next website designer is legit.
#1 – Do You Like Their Website?
Any web design firm worth dealing with is going to have to have an amazing website. After all, that is what they do. Did it make a good first impression? How quickly does it load? Do you like the layout? The colors? Are there typos in the Main Heading of the Homepage?
Once you’ve gotten past your first impression, make sure you look at the details. A good website designer always keeps the user experience in mind. Is information easy to find? Do they clearly present what they offer and how to contact them?
If you don’t like the website of the web designer, then there is a good chance you won’t like what they design for you.
#2 – Do You Like Their Portfolio?
If you can’t answer this question because you can’t find a Portfolio, then keep looking for a website designer. You DO NOT want to be the guinea pig that launches a new career. Instead, look to see that your prospective web designer has a full portfolio and that you like what’s in it. If every website they build looks exactly alike, you have a problem. No matter how much you liked the designer’s website (we are assuming you made it past #1 of the Website Designer Checklist), it’s best if they can showcase variety. Not every business is the same. So why should their websites look alike?
Extra Tip: Want to know if they do a good job with mobile responsive design? Check out their portfolio sites on your phone. Their portfolio will really tell you the whole story.
#3 – Read Their Reviews
Don’t blindly assume that your prospective website designer’s five-star rating means he’s the best. Take time to actually read the reviews and follow-up on them. Do they look like they came from the designer’s friends or are they from legitimate businesses? You can find company reviews on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Be sure to check out all of them before you hire a web designer.
#4 – How Do They Rank on Google?
This is a big one. Google ranking is important and web design plays a big part in how well you rank. If your web designer’s site does not rank well for the obvious keywords (web design being one of them) then that is a HUGE red flag. You should also take a look at their client’s sites. How well do they rank?
Content plays a large part in SEO but coding can also affect Google rank. Sites that aren’t mobile-friendly or that take to long to load won’t rank well. It could be that one client in their portfolio not ranking could be written off as a content issue. But, if none of them rank well, then you should seriously think about ‘why not’?
#5 – Is Your ‘Custom Website’ Made Using a Website Template?
Website templates are not necessarily bad things, but if you are being sold a custom website, then you should be receiving one. A legitimate website designer won’t misrepresent their product. If you want to know for sure how to tell if your web designer is using a website template, then GO HERE.
#6 – How Well Do You Like Your Website Designer?
If you have made it #6 of the Website Designer Checklist, then you must like their work. However, as silly as it sounds, another question to answer is ‘do you like them’? The website design process can take up to two months or more. You are going to have to spend a lot of time interacting with one another in order to build the perfect website. But, it won’t end there. You will probably find yourself interacting with this person for years to come.
Can you see yourself in a long-term relationship with this web designer? If not, then you are better off waiting for ‘Mr. or Mrs. Right.’
#7 – Read the Fine Print
Be sure to read the fine print in your contract agreement. A lot of website designers give you an opening bid but that is not the price you end up paying when the project is complete. Make sure the terms of their agreement are clear and not full of vague loopholes that allow them to charge more money.
And that’s the end of your 7 Point Website Designer Checklist. If your prospective designer doesn’t measure up, then keep on reading.
Make Thomas Digital Your Next Website Designer
How do we measure up against the 7 point website designer checklist?
- Check out our website. We are very proud!
- We offer a full portfolio of not only our client’s designs but also the ones that were rejected. Why? Because we are proud of all our web designs. Occasionally, a design won’t work for one reason or another, but we still consider it worthy of showcasing. So take a look at our Portfolio and our Reject Gallery.
- Thomas Digital has over 50 5-star reviews on Yelp. You can read them for yourself RIGHT HERE.
- Our website ranks #1 for ‘web design San Francisco.’ We know what we are doing when it comes to local SEO.
- All our sites are custom made. We don’t ever use templates. Your new web design will be completely unique.
- I like to think I’m a pretty likable guy. One thing is for sure, my focus is on you the customer and getting you the best product possible.
- Fine Print? Sorry, you can’t read ours, because there isn’t any. We actually build a Free Mock-Up of your site before you ever sign a single thing. See exactly what you will get at no risk to you.
Contact us today for your Free Mock-Up and work with a totally legit web designer that delivers beautiful sites that perform.