website-designerIf you are planning to launch a new website or to give your current site a makeover, you will probably want to hire a web designer to help you.

A good web designer can take your vision and turn it into reality, and they can have a significant impact on the user experience and increase engagement.

But what questions should you be asking? Here are five to get you started.

Will it be optimised for organic search?

SEO is something that is often only considered after the design is complete. After all, a lot of it involves creating and sharing content. But actually it starts before the site has even been designed.

Reputable and experienced website designers will know all about SEO. They will ensure the design and coding is SEO friendly, and that all the elements are there to give you a head start. They will do everything they need to, so that when you start optimising your site, you will not be held back by the design.

Will it be mobile friendly?

Gone are the days when you only needed one version of your website. Now you need a desktop version and a mobile version. If your site is not optimised, the user experience will be affected, the text will be too small to read, the navigation will be impossible, and this will affect your brand image.

There are no excuses now because a mobile site is easy to create. Ensure you find a designer who can either create a mobile version of your site or who knows all about responsive design.

This is where only one website is created, and it adapts to different screen sizes. It is often the best solution as you only need to keep one website up to date rather than several versions, so talk to your designer to see what they recommend.

Have you designed sites in my niche?

This is a good question to ask because some designers will tend to specialise in certain types of sites. Try to find one that specialises, especially if you are in something like the travel industry or you run a school.

They will know what the common problems are, as well as the solutions, and there’s a better chance that they will create the site you are looking for.

How much control will I have?

This is a question that matters after the design is complete. Will you be able to make changes yourself? If the site is built on a CMS like Umbraco, you will have complete control because no design skills are required to upload content and install plugins.

Find a designer who is there when you need them, but who will set up your site in a way that you have complete control over the day-to-day running of it.

What will make it unique?

Lastly, what is it that a designer will bring that will make your site different? You want your site to stand out from your competition rather than looking like all the others.

Look at websites they have designed in the past to see if the designer brings something unique to each one. Make sure you hire a web designer who is creative and has proven experience so that they can create something that stands out.

Find the right designer for the job

These are just five of the questions that you should be asking when you hire a web designer for your new site. Always ask as many questions as possible because the designer’s answers will help you to decide whether they are the most suitable choice for your project.

By Techwacky

Editor-in-Chef of TechWacky.com