Don’t make this mistake when hiring a web designer

So you have made the exciting decision to hire a web designer or developer to build you a new website or refresh your existing website! Yay you!! Don’t make this mistake when choosing the person or web design agency to go with… Your website is your digital storefront for the amazing business that you have worked so hard to build! You only have about 3-4 seconds to capture your users attention when they land on your site, before they may click away and your opportunity for them to buy from you is lost! 

When hiring a web design agency or contractor to build your site, always remember these important steps and questions to ask so you don’t lose any money, time or have to have things re-done by another professional. 

WEB DESIGNER OR DEVELOPER OR BOTH?

• Ask the very important question if they are a web designer, web developer, or both? Do they only design the front end and then use another web developer to build out the site for them? A lot of web designers won’t have the technical programming background that a developer will have, so they may not be able to complete custom or more detailed functionality for your website. And some developers may not have the design background of some web designers, the end result may not be the beautiful site you were hoping for. Ideally, work with someone who does both – is creative and has the technical background (like us!).

DO THEY DO SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)?

• THIS IS VITAL!! This is the very first question you should ask them! If they don’t do any SEO or very basic SEO, (Search Engine Optimisation) then run for the hills & don’t work with them! You will be wasting your money as no one will be able to find your site on search engines. Its also much harder to complete SEO on your site after its built. It’s best to complete it at the same time as building your site if possible. SEO is the process of completing keyword research, content creation & optimisation, and link building. The way you name your images, add keywords to your website pages, titles, descriptions and a whole stack more on the backend ensures your website is found in search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. So when someone searches for what you offer eg local electrician, your website will come up on the first page of Google. 

DO YOU LIKE THE DESIGNS OF OTHER WEBSITES THEY HAVE BUILT?

• Make sure to check out their portfolio of work and the websites and designs they have created for other clients. Do you like their work? Is it in the style you would like for your website? If their design style is totally different to what you have in mind for your site, then you’re not going to be aligned and you may end up disappointed or need to complete many revisions which will cost you time and money #nothanks. 

ARE THEIR CLIENTS SIMILAR TO YOUR NICHE?

• Do they work with other businesses in your niche or industry? This will show they have experience in your market, know which types of keywords and audiences to target etc. 

DO THEY HAVE GOOD REVIEWS?

• Make sure to do your due diligence and read their reviews online. Do they have great Google reviews? This is a good way to see if other clients are happy with their work and are honest. Do they also have great testimonials on their website? 

OK, so there are a few simple things you can do when choosing to work with a freelancer or agency to update or create a fresh new website for your business. Remember if you’re hiring someone on Fiver or Upwork that seems super cheap, you usually always get you pay for. There are also language barriers to keep in mind that can sometimes cause alot of headaches and revisions that you don’t want & can drag out your project forever.

You want your website and brand to represent you and the amazing company you have created. If you follow these steps, the process can be a fun, creative and quick one! Reach out today to work with Sea Salt Web and we can create a gorgeous website you love, are proud of that ranks high on Google!

#webdevelopment #webdesign #webagency #whatisSEO #seo

Ok so now it’s time to get to it. Start today! Get started on that project or task you’ve been putting off. Got any questions? Want to share any ideas? Let’s chat!