So you have decided to make your first tentative steps onto the World Wide Web by having your own web site. The first thing you need to think about is engaging the services of a Web Designer, but how do you choose which is the best one?
Here are some tips to help you decide.
Look for a designer who asks the right questions
A good designer will ask you specific questions such as
What is the primary goal of your web site?
Who is your web site trying to target?
By what criteria are you going to measure the success of your site?
Don't necessarily go with the lowest quote
Like everything in life, you get what you pay for. It's not just about getting a web site; it's about getting a web site that will perform. There is generally a direct correlation between price and quality.
Do some research
In order to make an informed decision it often helps to do a little research of your own. Read up on the internet or in your local library about good web design techniques, about usability and accessibility and the basics of online marketing. It's best to glean information from a variety of sources as many experts have differing opinions.
Armed with this basic knowledge you should be able to judge the good from the not-so-good.
Don't judge a book by it's cover
Don't judge a designer on their graphical design skills alone. Although graphic design is important, they are not the most significant determinant of what makes a good web site.
As with most things, personal taste dictates the look and feel of a client's web site and after all, the customer is always right.
Make sure you check out the designer's portfolio and ask yourself these questions.
Does the designer have good organisational abilities in the way they organise the web site as a whole and the way they organise the layout of individual pages?
Do they design with usability in mind; are their web sites designed for form or for function?
How easy are the sites to navigate? How easy is it to find specific information?
Each site should motivate a visitor to do something, whether it be purchase a product or service, filling in a quotation request from, signing up for a newsletter etc Does the designer do a good job of showing visitors how to perform these actions?
Don't ask yourself "Does this site look good?", ask yourself "Would this site make me want to buy from this company?".
Talk with previous clients
A good designer would be happy for you to take references or testimonials from previous clients. Check out their portfolio and contact some of their clients about their experience of dealing with this particular designer.
Ask them how easy it was to work with the designer, how long it took to complete the project, how happy they were with the completed web site, whether they felt it was value for money, how effective the web site has been, how many visitors they have had, whether their sales have increased and whether the web site has accomplished their specific goals.
Ultimately it is up to you. Only you can judge by your own personal tastes what you feel is a good web design or not. Hopefully this article has given you a few hints and suggestions to help you make an informed decision.
Rob is a freelance web designer and owner of Apollo Web Design, a UK based web design company.
No comments:
Post a Comment