Tips on hiring a web designer

The internet is an integral part of any business and a good website is essential in order to mirror the companies "bricks and mortar" image. Here are some tips for hiring a web designer:

Shop around: Look around for website designers just like you would for any other service oriented contractor,business, or product.

Referrals: Ask family, friends, co-workers and business associates for web designers they may have used in the past. be sure and ask questions like, "Were you happy with the services you received and would you hire them again."

Client sites: Look at some of their clients websites and the company portfolio. A good web designer will be happy to show off his or her portfolio. Look and see if any of the sites are inline with what your needs are.

Contact: Call some of the clients and ask if the work performed was satisfactory, if they would hire them again, and if they were satisfied with what was charged.

Technique: Does the designer use cookie cutter templates, or do they use custom templates?  There are a million website templates out there, but do you want a web designer who simply downloads a template or one who will create a custom template that's tailored for your business?

Support: Does the web designer offer any kind of support? Make sure the designer has a support system in place or at least offers some sort of free support in the beginning or else you may find yourself paying more to have support related issues resolved.  A good web designer will offer at least 6 months of support and an even better designer will offer at least 1 hour of support per month to incorporate any changes or updates that need to be made.

Time: How long has the web designer been around? What amount of experience do they have? Do a  google search and see what you can find.

Online: Will the designer actually put your website online? While this may seem like a silly question, design of the website is but one part of the process.  Be sure and ask if this important step is part of the scope of the project or else you may find yourself paying extra. These three hings are imperative in getting your website online:

    * A registered domain name for your website
    * Purchase and configure website hosting
    * Upload files and databases


Agreement: Get a formal agreement in writing whether its by written contract or by email. This protects you even further if problems arise. A verbal agreement over the phone may not give you any "legal legs" to stand on if you happen to have to take the company or individual to court.