Don’t judge the book by its cover, but when it comes to websites, your customers are going to judge your business based on your company’s website design. Websites serve as the digital face of your business and it needs a facelift for creating a great impression on its visitors. It takes on an average of 3 seconds to impress your audience before they form an opinion about your website design. Hence, businesses have been investing a great deal of amount and time in getting the right designers on board.
A seasoned WordPress web designer will elevate your brand reputation in the market. The right website design agency or designer works with a toolbox of plugins and themes that are proven and also updated on a regular basis. They would also be able to customize things for you and not settle with whatever built-in options are available for you. They help you in handling common problems like theme & plugin conflicts, security vulnerabilities, hosting resource issues, browser compatibility issues, and many more.
If you are thinking about redesigning your WordPress website but unsure of further steps. This article is for you. Herein, we avoid all the complex technical jargon and terminology that is intimidating and simplify everything for you in the best possible way.
Ways to Hire a WordPress Website Designer
If you are just starting up, you may have many questions in your mind. Should you work with an agency or go for a freelancer? Should you hire a designer or settle with an in-house employee? What makes a great design? Can I afford the WordPress designer? And many more such questions. You need to consider multiple factors while hiring the right WordPress designers.
Before you narrow down your hunt for the perfect WordPress web designer, you need to decide the type of WordPress web designer you want to work with. Do you want to work with an agency, hire an employee, or hire a freelancer? Each has its pros and cons, which we break down here.
1. WordPress Website Design Agency
An experienced and professional agency (like Skynet Technologies) can spare you the headache of many issues involved in the design. If you have much on your plate and are strapped for time, a website design agency is the best way that can expedite the process. A web design agency has a pool of creative talent to draw from. It is a surefire way to get things done within the stipulated time. Also, you can expect consistent design quality at an affordable price.
2. In-house WordPress Web Designer
This is by far the costliest option. It is not easy to have a kickass WordPress designer who would get the job done within your budget. If you need long term design support for your WordPress website, then you may go for having someone on your team. If you have enough work and have the resources to afford it, then this can be a convenient way to get your website designed. However, if this is a one-time deal, then having an in-house designer won’t be worth it.
3. Freelance WordPress Web Designer
A freelance web designer is a great bargain option for your WordPress website. However, there is some amount of risk involved when you go the freelance route. You may have to cater some time when the freelancer runs into obstacles or push back your established deadlines. There are also many unfortunate cases wherein the freelancer went rogue leaving the clients high and dry without a functional website. There are some companies that did have a great experience with freelancers. Just remember that when you work with a freelancer, you may be rolling the dice.
What to look while you hire a WordPress web designer?
Here are some things to remember as you begin your hunt of finding the perfect web designer for your WordPress site.
1. WordPress Developer Vs WordPress Designer
A layperson considers web developers and web designers as one and the same. However, both are actually different. A WordPress web designer is the one who creates the visual design of your website. He has got to do with page layouts, branding, graphics, and more presentational aspects of the websites. A web developer, on the other hand, is the one who brings these visuals to life by coding the websites.
2. WordPress Web Designer Experience
WordPress is one of the most popular frameworks owing to its simple to use facilities. Many can be tempted to tinker around and take a DIY approach to design the website. However, here’s the real deal. WordPress is deceptively complex and you need to have someone who has adequate experience with the platform. The turnaround time will be quite high with a non-experienced designer as he may commit some mistakes or run into conflicts with certain plugins that are needed to run your business. He may also be a novice when it comes to choosing the right theme that is compatible with certain browsers or mobile. So, before you for someone, ask their portfolio before you make the final call.
3. Look out for references
“Measure once, cuss twice!” goes the adage. While choosing a WordPress designer, you need someone who can get things right in the first go. So, you can go for someone with references as there would be people to vouch for the quality of his or her previous work. This is more applicable if you are taking the freelancing route.
4. Time and Money
You can ask the prospective designers about the time they usually spend on a project. This can help you narrow down to the ones who fit your timelines. Once you have some onboard, you can get a contract that enforces the deadlines. Next comes, the budget to build a professional, functional, and Search-friendly website. Go for a few bids and choose the best one. You can also leave adequate reserves for your marketing needs.
5. Contract Details
Drafting a contract is essential especially if you are going with a freelancer to avoid becoming the victim of a website hostage situation or wind up without a functional website. Contracts have to be super specific with all the nitty-gritty of the commitments so that the project doesn’t beyond the scope. Also, have your own hosting and be wary of anyone who acts as a gatekeeper forcing you to go for their own hosting.
6. Communication
Communication is the key while working with external help. During the hiring process itself, pay keen attention as to how clear are they in having communication with you. They need to be swift in their reply to your queries. If in the future, it shouldn’t come off as a rude shock to you if the designer isn’t available while there is a site breakdown. An untimely communication is a major red flag and you will be in big trouble if you don’t pay heed to it. The web designers should also communicate the progress of the work to you and should also help you in getting familiarized with the web design lingo.
WordPress can help to grow your business. Choose the right WordPress web designer and ensure the best practices for your WordPress website. Skynet Technologies is a pioneer WordPress web design company in the USA offering the best WordPress Development & WordPress designing Services starting from WordPress CMS development, Blog Development, Plugin Development, Theme Development, Customization, WooCommerce Integration, and More. Let’s connect to build compelling UI/UX Designs with WordPress Web Design Services!
Do you still have questions about hiring the right WordPress web designer? Are you’re looking to hire a WordPress designer for your next website design, you’re at right place? Contact us for further information.