The number of online shoppers is rising in the United States, with over 230 million digital shoppers expected in 2021 alone. As a result, modern businesses cannot afford to ignore the importance of an online presence today.
And with an online presence, having a business website is undoubtedly the most significant investment. Yet only about 50 percent of all small businesses currently have a website. So if you’re among the businesses yet to create a company website, now’s the time to start thinking of hiring a web designer.
But with so many web design companies around the country, how can you tell which web designer service to hire? The secret is to interview several enterprises that offer these services to get a good idea of what to expect.
Here are eight web designer questions to ask during your interview.
1. Do You Have Experience With Websites in My Industry
When hiring employees, you usually hire candidates with prior industry experience. The same should apply to hiring a website design professional, primarily if you operate in a complex or unique sector.
Digital agencies with experience in your industry may be able to offer valuable recommendations related to exemplary website architecture, content, and user experience.
It also helps if the web designer has considerable experience in other industries. Such knowledge enables them to incorporate website design ideas and best practices they’ve gleaned from those industries into building a website that helps your overall digital marketing strategy.
2. Will You Outsource Some Aspects of the Project?
Most companies outsource certain services, and that may include your potential web design partner. However, from the outset, you need to know whether the agency offers website design as a core service and whether they are sufficiently staffed to do so effectively.
You don’t want to give your project to a company only to have the company leverage a third-party vendor for most of the entire project. That would only create more complexity and scheduling challenges. More than that, it might increase the project’s overall costs.
If your potential web designer plans to use third-party support, they must disclose who they’ll be working with. They should also let you know what aspects of the project they plan to outsource.
3. What’s Your Web Design and Web Development Process?
The web design and development process can vary from agency to agency. All top web design agencies have internal processes to guide them during projects. Some methods are generally better than others.
Seek to know from the outset what an agency’s process is and how they implement it. Who will participate in the project, and what will their specific role be? How will the process ultimately impact you?
4. Will the Website Be Fully Custom?
Lots of business websites today masquerade as custom while. But, in reality, they’re customized themes. Simply put, these websites feature pre-built themes that the web designer customized for a specific client.
You may settle for such a theme if you’re working on a budget. However, if you’re looking for a fully custom website, you need to know from the outset whether your potential web designer will get it done.
A custom business site means the web designer does everything, from the layout to the design pixel. It also means that a qualified web developer has coded the website itself.
5. Can You Guarantee a Consistent and Usable Experience Across All Devices?
Google recommends responsive web design. That means the website should be mobile-friendly and provide a superior user experience on other devices. Unfortunately, Eighty-eight percent of users never return to a website once they’ve had just one bad experience.
Take the time to understand how the agency approaches responsive design throughout the process.
6. How Long Will This Project Take?
The amount of time a project takes can vary significantly based on the project’s complexity, scope, and schedule. Another significant determinant of the length of your project is your web designer’s ability to meet deadlines.
Once you’ve explained your needs, they should be able to provide an estimate of how a project such as yours takes. They should give you a schedule for important project milestones. A top web designer will also know which factors might affect the program.
7. What Will You Require of Our Company During the Project?
No web designer can build a website for you independent of your contribution. Of course, you’re outsourcing your web design project to an outside party, but you’ll still need to make specific critical contributions to complete the work.
Your potential web design agency should let you know what they’ll need from you, including time and resources.
8. Can You Do the Project Within Our Budget?
Some clients hesitate to share their budget information with prospective web design partners. That is a wrong decision. Letting your web designer know your budget helps them understand what they can realistically include and what they can’t within your set parameters.
Hire the Right Web Designer for Your Project
Choosing the right web designer for your project can go a long way in ensuring that your vision is met. To do so, you need to interview potential design partners and gauge their suitability for the project. Be sure to ask the right questions to inform your final decision.
Are you interested in reliable web design services for your company? Please, contact us today and learn how we can help.