What You Need To Know BEFORE You Hire A Web Designer
You may have started off your business by creating everything yourself. Everything from the logo to the website — the ultimate DIY! But there comes a time when you’ve got some experience under your belt, maybe a year (maybe more), and you realize it’s time to level up. Your business is making money, you’re in a comfortable position, and it’s time for the website to match the product or service you provide. Insert… web designer! You’re on the hunt for that perfect fit. And hey, maybe you’ve found them! Regardless of who you are working with, there are the 4 basics that every web designer will ask you for before you start: Copy, Photos, Brand Info, and Deadline.
Let’s dive a little deeper, shall we?
Here are the 4 basics you need to know before you hire a web designer:
Write your copy
Each page on your website needs written copy. Everything from the first introductory phrase that a site visitor sees to the little opt-in phrase above your newsletter subscription! If this is too overwhelming for you, reach out to your designer to see if they offer copywriting services, or if they have anyone to recommend. Keep in mind that copy is required for every single page on your site — that includes the home page, about page, services page, contact page, and even your product descriptions. If you are writing the copy yourself, keep in mind your brand’s tone of voice and make sure it’s consistent for all of the pages on your site.
Book a photoshoot
A website is only as good as the photos on it! If your photos are dull and low resolution, it’s not going to show-off your product or service very well. Stock photos are a cost-effective alternative, but only go so far and often end up making you look like everyone else. Do your research and book a skilled photographer! It’s an investment that’s worth it! Make sure the photographer you book aligns with your brand and produces photos that fit your brand aesthetic. Also, think about selecting a photographer you can continue a working relationship with. Your website will need updated photos eventually!
Do some research
Your designer will likely be asking you some questions about your field, your competitors, keywords people will be looking up to find you, websites you like and dislike, and your brand’s target audience. Make sure you have a good grasp on all of these things before you begin! Almost every web design project I have began has taken weeks to even start because clients are often overwhelmed by the questionnaire they need to fill out beforehand. If you do your research before you book, you’ll be able to get back to your designer with all of their questions answered so quickly — they’ll be very impressed! It makes their job so much easier.
Know your deadline
It’s possible your designer may need to know when your site needs to launch so that they can schedule it in with other projects. Make sure you let them know right away if you have a short window of time that you are working in so that they can see if it works with their current workload. If there’s a designer you really want to work with, you might need to be flexible. Sometimes designers book months in advance, and it’s possible that if you need a site right away, they might not be able to accommodate. So, either be flexible, or plan your site launch for months down the road. It’s a process!
Let us know if you found these tips helpful! And hey, we love taking on web design projects! If you think we’d be a good fit, reach out to us and let’s chat!
