15 Key Points to check when choosing a Website Designer
Make sure your web designer can do all of these before hiring them!
We’ve always thought that a website is rather like an iceberg … what you can see looks awesome but there’s an awful lot going on below that you can’t see.
And that’s what website design is all about … making sure it’s maximised for SEO right from the start which gives it the very best chance of rating high on Google.
Here at One Click web design (https://www.one-click.co.uk/) we’ve built websites for firms across West Yorkshire – serving Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax.
So, before you appoint a professional web designer to build your new website, make sure they tick all these boxes.
- Look at other websites the web designer has built to see their design styles, testimonials and if they are fully optimised for browsing on mobile phones.
- The web designer needs to take a close look at your current website to be sure a new one is needed, and to explain the improvements that can be made with a new one and how they will benefit you and your business.
- Research is vital – so the web designer needs to fully understand your business and customer psyche, and what customers will want to achieve from visiting your website to ensure it meets their needs.
- Be sure the web designer has the full range of skills needed to make your website special – or can bring in specialists. These can range from SEO and content writing to designing logos, graphics and editing videos.
- Make sure you have a price before work starts – and that any extras such as web hosting and registering domain names are included. Make sure these are registered in your name.
- Communication is key, so make sure you have one person managing the project who is easy to contact and can oversee the website development every step of the way so revisions can be made quickly.
- The web designer will need to be clear on deadlines – so they should let you know early on the information, photos, logos and videos that you’ll need to provide for the project. It would be good to draw up a timeline checklist and tick them off as you go along.
- It’s crucial the content on your website is fully optimised for keywords and SEO – so we would suggest using an expert and can provide contacts for one. If the website’s not well-written, it’s highly unlikely to rank well on Google.
- Ideally all websites need a content management system so you can change words, images and videos instantly without the cost and time it takes to ask website designers to do that for you. Make sure you fully understand how it works, is easy to use and is future-proofed with room to expand by adding more pages. Confirm the web designer can train you how to do this or, if you want them to do the updates, agree an ongoing maintenance and support package.
- Find out from the web designer if your website is custom-coded or from an existing template, and that it’s responsive to the different devices that are used to browse the web (such as mobile phones, desktop computers, laptops or tablets). The website layout will need to automatically adjust depending on the device’s screen size.
- Ask your web designer to explain just how the new website will be fully geared up for search engine optimisation – from its framework, through to keyword research and tagging pictures to give it the very best chance to rank high on Google.
- Your website is your shop – so ask the web designer how it will convert website visitors into leads and generate more sales.
- Check with the web designer if terms and conditions, privacy policy, cookie policy and any other landing pages are included in your build, or will you be providing your own?
- If it’s possible to sell your products online then you absolutely must so make sure your web designer can build a fully functional e-commerce content management system website that can accept online payments. If you’re not quite ready, then make sure an e-commerce website can be incorporated into your website in the future without having to construct an entirely new one. You need a website that can grow with your business!
- Ensure the website is secure and protected against hackers and bugs with an SSL certificate – this ensures the website is fully authenticated and enabled for an encrypted connection.
To have a chat about setting up a new website, call One Click on 01422 646465, or email support@one-click.co.uk
Blog written by Andy Hirst from Huddersfield-based AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/)
