Expert roundup: hiring a web designer

Getting a domain is a lot like buying an empty lot. You might have the property, but you’ll need to build a structure in which your business resides. That’s why you need a web designer. They act as the architect for your new venture.

For many people, hiring a web designer can be daunting. They don’t know what questions to ask, or what to do with the answers given to them. We’re happy to help! We reached out to people from design agencies and individual experts to make it easier for you to find the right person for the job. Use their insights to guide you.

What’s your #1 tip when hiring a designer?

Ask questions about why you’re doing your project and how you expect your organization to benefit from it (e.g. increased revenue, improved customer satisfaction, etc.). Once you’ve done this, you can more effectively evaluate the strengths of potential designers/vendors to see if they match the needs of your project in order to meet your goals. For example, if your primary driver is aesthetic improvement, don’t be afraid to be honest about that and weigh heavily the look of the portfolio of the designers/vendors you’re considering.

If your primary driver is more user/business focused, make sure to consider UX Designers and firms that may be less flashy brands, but show great results in their portfolio. Case studies are another way of effectively evaluating how designers/vendors think about their work and whether the solutions they employ are of an appropriate scale and reflect a penchant for strategy.

Hiring a web design company is like hiring a contractor to build a home. Have a detailed spec doc/blueprint ready for your website if you want an accurate quote. If you don't have a blueprint/spec doc ready, then pay an information architect to document one for you. Just like you wouldn't build a home without a blueprint, you shouldn't build a website without a spec doc.

Define your goals very specifically and stay focused on them. Ask yourself which of your preferences align with your project goals and which do not. Web design is more science than art. Beware of your own opinions. They will derail your website's success. Every decision you make is really just a hypothesis. Follow the data post-launch and be ready to adapt.

You need to check an agency's portfolio and look for depth and breadth of work. Look for a number of styles to see the range of designs and capabilities of their websites, but here's the most important point. Look at the agency's own website; I don't know how any agencies with poor websites get hired.

Try to research and then shortlist about 3-5 reputable agencies. Go online and read what their clients write about them across multiple channels and then review their online portfolios to make sure that their work is aligned with your design tastes.

Make sure the agency you hire has a good online reputation and can be found on search. Don’t just rely on references they provide you. Look at third party agency review sites like Clutch.com and just do a simple Google search. You are hiring an agency to help build your online brand and reputation - how can you trust that they can deliver that for you, when they can’t even do it for themselves?

Do some research. Look at a company's web design portfolio and get a general feel for their style and culture to determine if you'd be a good fit.

Don't waste your time on an RFP. Hire an agency based on qualifications and experience doing specifically what you need them to do. Plus, many of the best agencies don't answer RFPs.

Call clients listed on their site to get a true sense of how they are to work with.

Ask the designer/agency how they’d focus on your mission.

Take the time to define and understand the mindset of your target audience.