10 Questions to Ask Website Designer Before Hiring
Choosing the right website designer for you means finding someone who understands your needs and vision and can deliver on all the requirements and promises. Here’s a list of 10 questions to ask a web designer.
1. What do you know about the industry and business in question?
Ultimately, this isn’t deal-breaking critical, but familiarity with the industry and business makes a difference. The developer will intuitively know what areas to focus on and can provide sound counsel based on past experiences and first-hand knowledge. The developer will also have knowledge of your competition in the industry and what works for them.
2. How is the team structured?
A website design company will need to provide a variety of services in the development and maintenance of a website. It is best to choose a developer who meets your necessary criteria. Would you prefer a more experienced, traditional team with a star-studded list of clients and referrals, or a younger, more creative team with their finger on the pulse of current trends?
3. How long will the project take?
As a client, you need to be aware of the amount of time the project should take. Learn about the major project milestones, and when you should expect them to be completed. Find out about how your role as the client fits into the website’s development to ensure the process meets no hiccups.
4. What do I need to do as a client?
Your involvement in the project depends on you, before and after the website is complete. Most, if not all, the content for the website, i.e., logos, photos, videos, articles, descriptions, etc., must be developed and delivered to the website design company from the client.
It also matters in the development of the website. Major decisions can be made by the client unless he or she has left such matters in the hand of the developer.
Fully discuss the extent of your involvement with the project with the website design company. Being on the same page will bring you the desired results.
5. Will the website be mobile compatible or responsive?
Mobile access of the internet is larger than traditional web access; hence, making sure your website is accessible via mobile devices is crucial. The mobile website also has to be responsive to the differing sizes of the screens in use and provide the same features as the desktop version.
6. What other services do you offer?
Some website design companies offer other services like marketing, writing, editing, communications, PR, or graphic design that can come in handy. Having access to these services in-house is great for website design and other marketing efforts.
7. How much will the project cost, with ongoing and future costs?
The rate for a project will differ from developer to developer so, a well-planned budget to meet your specifications is key. Hiring the cheapest website design company could backfire since the price could also indicate quality. Meet with a few different developers and learn how each one works and how the money is spent.
8. What SEO options do you offer?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) determines how your website is ranked in search engines. A good SEO strategy will increase its visibility. A website design company must account for keyword research and other optimization strategies to boost your business’s visibility and engagement.
9. What happens after the completion of the website?
Keeping a website current and up to date is a very necessary factor in its success or failure. The content needs to be fresh, engaging, and frequently updated. Also, keeping up with your website aids in search engine optimization. Updating the structure of and the content on the website should be planned for.
10. How does the website design company handle site crashes and malicious activity?
In this age of privacy violation and data breaches online, your website’s security and stability are critical. The web developer needs to be upfront with how they handle any issues that might occur, either from machine errors or from malicious intent.
Conclusion
Keeping in mind what you’re looking for will help you find the right Orange County web design company for you. A good understanding of what you need will create a stable and successful partnership and a website design that satisfies your criteria.
LightHouse Graphics specializes in several areas of online presence, including website design, social media management, and content creation. If your business needs assistance in these areas, contact us. We’d love to work with you.
