Knowing how to hire a web designer is
important because you don't want to end up with a bad one or a flake. That can
still happen of course but you can decrease your chances if you are
smart when hiring your web designer.
Do's and Don'ts for Hiring
a Web Designer
DO make sure that your hire an
established company not an individual web designer.
Web designers burn out often and some
are just plain flakes who are here today and off doing something else
tomorrow. If you go with an established company you have more of a
chance that if you need help after your website is built someone will be
there to help you.
DO make sure that YOU are clear
about what you want your website to look like.
Web designers aren't mind readers.
You need to be very clear about what you want your website to look like.
Most web designers will give you one or two free revisions but the
clearer you are about what you want it to look like going in, the easier
and cheaper the process will be for you.
DO keep control of your domain name
AT ALL TIMES.
Some web designers want you to transfer
your domain name to them, do NOT do this.
If you have control of your domain name
and you and your web designer have a dispute then you can move to
another web designer or web host. If your web designer controls
your domain name it can be a HUGE hassle to get him to give it back to
you (if it's still in your name) or impossible (if ownership has been
changed to your web designer's name.)
You do NOT need to give him (or her)
control of your domain. You can point your domain name to the
hosting account he wants you to use but NEVER EVER give someone else
access or control over your domain name.
DO make sure that your web designer
is able to understand what you want.
Your web designer should be able to
easily understand what you are saying and how you want your website to
look. Not only is it frustrating to not have someone understand
what you want it can add to the cost of your website. If they
think you want X and you really wanted Y then it will cost you money to
have them change it from X to Y.
DO be VERY clear about what you want
your website to do BEFORE your designer starts building your website.
It takes a lot of time to go back and
change programming on your website after it has already been built.
MAKE SURE that you tell your web designer everything you want on your
website BEFORE they start to program it.
For example, if you ask for a visitor
login and then decide later you want to be able to email your visitors
that requires major new programming to set up. It isn't an easy
fix.
Some things that may seem easy to you
to do may actually be quite complicated and time consuming.
If you know what you want your website
to do BEFORE your web designer starts building it will be cheaper for
you and easier for your web designer. All the little things that
you decide to add as you think about them cost your designer time and
you more money.
DO make sure that your web designer
builds your website in a standard programming language like php or
joomla.
This is so if your web designer flakes
out or you and he have a disagreement then you can get help from another
web designer if and when you need it. The more customized work a
web designer does the harder it is for someone who comes in later to
figure out how to fix it.
DON'T pay all the money upfront.
It's standard to pay 25% up front, 50%
at the halfway point and then 25% upon completion for fees over $500.
DO get a written estimate up front
for website updates.
You want to know going in how much it
will cost you if you need your web designer to make changes to your
website after your website is finished. This is usually an hourly
fee. Between $50 to $100/hour is considered normal.
If you want a professional website
that doesn't require any fancy programming (like building an ebay or
facebook clone), I
recommend the web designers at
Act Now Domains. For around $45/month they will build and
maintain your website for you.
Related Articles:
Why Flash Websites are Bad for You -
some web designers love flash websites. Don't be fooled into
getting one.
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with about 25% of the companies I recommend on this site. This means
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this website. My credibility is VERY important to me, therefore, I only
endorse products I have personally used and truly believe are good. If I
don't like them or don't think they are any good I refuse to recommend them.
I send my own family and friends to this site for help. Speaking of this
site, it is independently owned and the opinions expressed here are my own.
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