Questions to Ask When Hiring a Web Designer

So you're ready to have a website designed (or redesigned), but you're not sold on which designer to hire just yet. Many people and businesses struggle with what questions to ask their prospective designer in order to ensure they're the right fit for the project. In this post, we'll dive into the specific categories of questions you should ask when selecting a web designer.

Specialization

Every web designer has a specialty. From the hosting platforms they are most proficient in to the types of businesses they work with, every designer/agency out there has its own unique "flare" when it comes to web (and/or graphic) design. The dilemma can be knowing which one to select for your project.

A great way to gauge the style of a specific web designer is to peruse their most recent work. Stalk them on social media, and visit their own website/portfolio to discover their design style. If you're looking for a bright and modern website, you most likely won't want to hire the designer whose website looks like an early 2000's computer program. (Trust us - they're still out there!)

Aside from style, many designers also work with specific types of brands and businesses. For example, if you are in need of a real estate website, you'll probably want to select a designer who either specializes or has experience in developing real estate sites (as they often require additional knowledge and applications). The same goes for eCommerce websites; you absolutely want to work with a designer who has experience developing online shops!

Customization

Skilled web designers will be able to highly customize your website to fit your brand's needs. Having a list of line items that you absolutely need on your website will determine whether or not a web designer will be able to fulfill those design and functionality needs. Questions like, "Are you proficient in CSS and HTML?" usually determine a designer's capability of highly customizing a website.

Another aspect of customization in web design pertains to functionality. Obviously, the design (the aesthetic) of your website is crucial to your brand, and your website should flow well through strategic design. Still, the functionality of your website plays a massive role in the site speed, bounce rate, and even ties in with your SEO. Faster, better-performing sites fare better on search engines and increase the discoverability of your site. Be sure to ask your prospective designer questions like, "How will you ensure my website speed is optimal?" in order to determine whether or not your website will be functioning properly upon launch.

Content Creation

Content creation is a massive part of the design process. Your website needs copy (text) and photos to bring your website to life. It is important to discover whether or not your designer is proficient in copywriting (meaning they can take bullet points or blurbs you give them and render intelligible paragraphs) and whether or not your designer will be able to access stock/filler images for you (and whether these will be free or come at a price).

Hiring a designer who specializes in copywriting can save you a lot of headache, time, and money. Just be sure to browse their recent websites they've designed/written for to determine whether or not they possess grammatical and stylistic skills you need! Also, if the prospective designer has a blog on their own website, you will be able to very clearly view their writing style!

Want to view our entire Full-Proof Checklist for Hiring the Right Web Designer? Click here to read more and download! Happy hiring!