How to Choose a Web Designer: 5 Questions To Ask in 2023
Finding the right web designer isn’t an easy task — with so many options out there, it can feel overwhelming. Asking the right questions upfront can help ensure you end up with a designer who understands your needs, works within your budget, and delivers a Squarespace website design you’ll be proud to share with the world. This guide covers how to choose a web designer, with a focus on questions to ask, cost, as well as skills and experience to look out for.
What Questions to Ask a Web Designer? (A 5-Question Checklist)
When hiring a web designer, you want to ensure they’re the right fit for your needs. As a business owner, you should ask potential candidates key questions to determine if they have the experience and skills to build an effective website.
Here are five key questions to ask your web designer:
What is your experience designing websites?
What is your design process?
Do you have expertise with content management systems (CMS)?
What technologies do you use?
How much do you charge, and what does that include?
Q1: What is your experience designing websites?
Look for a designer with a history of creating sites for businesses similar to yours. Ask for examples of their work to understand their style and quality. An experienced designer will be up-to-date with current web standards, design trends, and technologies.
Q2: What is your design process?
A good designer should have a straightforward process for working with you to understand your needs, propose solutions, and build the site. Ideally, a competent website designer (or agency) should collaborate with you to draft a website requirements document outlining, in detail, the exact website needs. They should research your industry and competitors, create wireframes and prototypes, provide opportunities for feedback, perform testing, and ensure you’re happy with the result.
Q3: Do you have expertise with content management systems (CMS)?
Ensuring the designer is experienced with CMS platforms like Squarespace is key to having a well-built and updated website. They should be able to build you a site on a CMS that looks professional and works with your business goals.
Q4: What technologies do you use?
You want a designer skilled in modern web languages like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. They should stay updated with tools and frameworks needed to build a fast, responsive, accessible site. Even when using a CMS, these skills are essential for advanced customization.
Q5: How much do you charge, and what does that include?
Get an estimate of costs for the initial build and any ongoing hosting, support, or updates fees. Understand what’s included for that price — things like a custom design, copywriting, images, integrations, etc. This ensures there are no surprise fees you’re unaware of.
How Much Do Web Designers Charge for a Website?
As a business owner, one of the first questions you must ask when hiring a web designer is, “How much do they charge?”
Web design pricing can vary greatly depending on the designer and the scope of your project.
Freelance web designers typically charge $30 to $75 per hour; the total cost will depend on how long it takes to complete your website. A basic 5- to 10-page site may cost $500 to $2,000; complex e-commerce sites with many products can cost $500 to $10,000 or higher.
Web design agencies and firms charge more, and will handle complex projects and may have additional resources to devote to your site. However, their overall costs will still vary significantly based on the specific features and functionality you need.
Some web designers charge flat project fees, especially for smaller sites. This can range from $500 to $5,000 for a typical business website. The advantage is you know the total cost upfront. However, the fee may not cover additional requests beyond the original scope.
Many web designers offer affordable website packages for small businesses to help them get started. Then, they can add additional pages or features as their budget allows. Some will even set up an instalment plan so the clients can pay for their site over 3 to 12 months.
The bottom line is you need to evaluate web designers based on your specific needs and budget. Get multiple estimates from different designers and compare their rates, services offered, experience, and examples of live websites they’ve created. Then you can choose the one that fits you best. And talking about examples, we encourage you to browse through our website design portfolio.
How to Choose the Best Web Design Company (A 3-Point Checklist)
You must evaluate adequately to choose the right website design company for your business.
Here are three key areas to look at when making your choice:
Portfolio
Relevant experience
Knowledge and skills
1. Portfolio
When evaluating potential web designers, look at their portfolios. A portfolio shows examples of their past work and websites they’ve designed.
You want to see various samples, especially in your industry or for similar organizations. If all the sites look identical, that’s a red flag. You should look for custom, original designs, not cookie-cutter templates.
2. Relevant Experience
You should work with a designer who has experience creating websites like the one you envision.
Do they have samples from other non-profits, startups, or companies?
Have they worked in your field before?
Relevant experience means they already understand your needs and goals. They can get started faster and need less hand-holding.
3. Knowledge and Skills
An excellent web designer stays up-to-date with the latest web design techniques, standards, and technologies. Responsive design, ADA compliance, SEO, and mobile-friendliness are must-haves.
Moreover, they should be fluent in CSS and web content management systems like Squarespace. You want to work with a designer who’s passionate about their craft, not someone who stopped learning years ago.
Evaluating portfolios, experience, and skills help you find a web designer to create an effective, great-looking website for your organization. While price is a factor, choosing the cheapest option often means sacrificing quality and expertise. You should be willing to pay for the best if you seek impressive results — contact us today to discuss your website design projects.
What Web Design Skills and Expertise Should You Look for?
Finding someone with specific skills and expertise is essential when hiring a web designer. As the client, you want a designer who can build a site that meets your needs and helps you achieve your goals.
When navigating how to choose a web designer, consider these three skills:
Technical skills
Design skills
Soft skills
1. Technical Skills
A proficient web designer should not only know how to tweak existing website templates but also how to use CSS to add additional custom designs to those templates. To build a modern, responsive site, they should be up-to-date with web standards and trends. They should also have experience with SEO-focused designs to help improve your site’s ranking in search results.
2. Design Skills
Web designers must have a good eye for design, layout, and user experience (UX). They should be able to take your brand and key messages and translate them into an attractive, easy-to-navigate site.
Strong visual design skills, knowledge of color theory, and experience creating professional graphics and images are essential. They should be able to optimize content for mobile devices and tablets in addition to desktops.
3. Soft Skills
In addition to technical and design skills, look for a web designer with excellent communication abilities. They should be able to understand your needs, ask relevant questions, and translate your vision into the site concept.
They need to be able to explain technical concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way. Strong project management skills are also essential to keep the development on schedule and budget.
With the right skills and expertise, a web designer can craft a website that helps you connect with your customers and grow your business. Be sure to ask potential candidates specific questions about their abilities and experience to find one that’s the perfect fit for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a web designer cost?
For a small business site with 5 key pages, you can expect to pay between $500 and $5,000. The cost will depend on your site’s complexity and the designer’s experience.
How do I choose a good website designer?
To choose a good website designer, you must ask the following questions:
Do you have experience designing sites in my industry? A good history in building sites in your niche means they know their stuff.
Can I see some of your past work and client testimonials? Review their portfolio and make sure you like their style.
What is your design process? Look for a structured approach with clear timelines, milestones, and opportunities for feedback.
How will you optimize my site for search engines? Strong SEO knowledge is essential for driving traffic to your new site.
Do you offer any ongoing support after the site launches? Choose a designer who’ll help ensure your site continues to meet your needs down the road.
How do I choose the right designer?
To choose the right designer for your project, look out for a professional with a mix of the following:
A portfolio featuring professional, customized designs (not just templates)
Solid communication skills and a collaborative approach
Knowledge of current web design standards and trends
Expertise in HTML, CSS, and CMS platforms
Good reviews and testimonials from past clients
Relevant certifications or degrees (optional but a good sign)
How long does it take to design a website?
The time required to design a website can vary significantly depending on its complexity, scope, and the team’s expertise. A simple website might take a few weeks, while more complex projects could take several months.
On average, a basic website design process could take around 4–8 weeks, including planning, development, testing, and launch. However, it’s essential to consider additional time for revisions, client feedback, and unforeseen challenges that may arise during the process.
Summary
In conclusion, knowing how to choose a web designer is critical to ensuring a successful website build and launch. This process involves asking the right questions and evaluating expertise, experience, portfolio, and cost.
If you’re ready to create an effective, visually appealing website, contact us today to discuss your web design project requirements. Let’s collaborate to bring your vision to life and establish your brand/business’ online presence.
