12 Questions to Ask While Searching For a Philadelphia Web Designer
When you are looking for “graphic and web designers near me,” you want only the best. Unfortunately, finding a reliable web designer can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. It’s time to cut through the jargon and the confusion so you sign on with the best web designer for your project. We have assembled a list of questions to ask while searching for a web designer that will give you the answers you need.
1. How Much Experience Do You Have?
Although it isn’t necessarily a disadvantage for website designers in Philadelphia to have only a few years of experience, someone (or a team) with more than five years of experience is far more valuable. Longer periods in business mean more success, more evidence, and more skill. For larger, more substantial projects, you want a web design firm that has at least 5 years of experience.
2. Will You Review or Do Research on My Website and Business Before Beginning?
In order to get decent branding, the design firm needs to understand who you are targeting, your brand mission, and your brand image. If you already have an existing site or a brand book or some kind of style guide for the designer, show it to them. Also, any designer who is genuinely interested in helping businesses do better is going to be honest about whether your current website simply needs to be revamped or if a full redesign is needed. They can also give you some feedback on what elements worked or didn’t, so you don’t run into the same pitfall in the future.
3. Can You Design a Website That Fits into my Budget?
It’s always smart to be clear about your budget from the beginning. Some web design companies have packages on their website that might meet your needs. Others will do custom quotes for a particular service. Ask website designers in Philadelphia about the options they offer. See which one includes essential services in the price rather than charging you additional fees for stock images, plugins, and whatnot.
The best web designer is going to be upfront about the costs included in the quote and will disclose any fees that could potentially be added on.
4. Can You Show Me Some Websites You Have Designed?
You want to know that the website designer is not only educated in their art but also skilled in a variety of designs. Look for someone who has experience working on a wide range of websites, from blogs to e-commerce and beyond. Or you can look for someone who specializes in the specific type of website you need. The best way to check if the web designer can handle your project is to look at previously completed projects.
5. Do You Work In-House or Outsource Your Projects?
Some graphic and web design agencies will outsource parts of a project. There are pros and cons to outsourcing. There could be delays, challenges, and hidden costs that make the process much more stressful.
If the design company receives support from freelancers, copywriters, or another firm, ask about it. Learn who they use and who you should be communicating with to eliminate issues before they begin.
6. How Will We Communicate During the Project?
Communication is an integral part of the process. Without communication, the results won’t be anywhere near as satisfying as they could be. So make sure you know how the designer is going to get in touch with you and how frequently. Some designers prefer periodic email updates about their progress while some firms use project management software to keep everyone informed.
7. Is SEO Integrated Into the Website Design?
Search engine optimization should be infused into a website design. Unless you already have a separate team dedicated solely to the SEO of your content and website, be sure to ask the website designer about it. They should have a response because SEO is essential. A firm worth your business will have a detailed plan of integrating SEO into the website design. If not, look for a website designer who either specializes in or has someone who will work on SEO. It will save you trouble down the road.
Remember, SEO is something that needs to be present from the beginning, not added later on. The quality of optimization will affect how your website ranks—and that will affect your success out of the gate.
8. What is Your Policy About Building Websites for My Competition?
You never want a conflict of interest. Though this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, it might be wise to rule out a company that has an ongoing relationship with another business you are in direct competition with.
9. What Happens if I Don’t Like the Initial Design?
Another way to ask this is “how many revisions are you willing to make?” A decent graphic or website designer in Philadelphia will never turn down a chance to revise their designs and make it perfect for their clients. There should never be a limit of revisions, and you shouldn’t be charged more for asking for revisions during the initial stages of the project. Customers should be pleased with the final project before it is launched.
10. What Kind of Results Did Past Clients See?
Design is not as important as other elements, such as content, in contributing to a website’s success. However, you should discuss results with the candidates for your project to see how well their designs assisted with the success of previous clients.
Similar to looking at their portfolio of past work, the designer should willingly share this information and have it prepared in an easy-to-read format. This may have been written up as a case study. However the information is presented, it should show that the website design led to a positive increase in sales, leads, or conversions for the client.
11. What Do You Need From Me Before We Begin?
Ask this before the project begins or when you want to learn more about the design process that the firm uses. Not only does this help you prepare, but it mitigates the need to scramble to get things done. Discuss this with the designer or have them send you a list of things they will need to get started. This might include a written copy of your website, images, account information, media, and so on.
12. Are Your Web Designs Responsive?
The answer to this question should always be yes. Google and other search engines want to display responsive, device-friendly websites. If the website design firm practices current SEO strategies, they should also know to create a responsive website. But it is best to double-check!
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now feel more prepared to ask questions to a website designer in Philadelphia. Understanding how to interview a web designer will help you choose the person or team best for your business.
