How to Choose a Web Designer for Your Startup Business

A website is imperative for any business, particularly one which is just starting up. It is the central point of your online operations. It’s where you sell your products and services. It’s what you use to direct social media users to find out more about your business. It’s the foundation for all of your digital marketing efforts. 

As a result, your website needs to be at its best. 

Yes, you can build it from scratch. There are various platforms that make it easy to craft your own professional site. Yet, there are limitations when opting to take this path. Many will struggle to produce their ideal vision, for instance, while trying to incorporate SEO elements is another challenge. 

This is why it makes sense to go with a web designer. They have the expert skills to build your site to exact specifications. They also know how to ensure it’s responsive, easy to navigate for users, and includes everything needed under the hood. At least, that’s if you pick the right web designer. Here’s how to do so. 

Their own website looks the part

First of all, you should take a close look at the functionality and appearance of a prospective web designer’s site. Does it look the part? Is it easy to navigate to find the information you seek? Is it quick to load? 

Take Oxygen Graphics as an example. Their site is modern, eye-catching, and easy to use, and they could produce exactly this for you, too, as these are the types of attributes you want to see. A web designer’s own site is effectively a showcase of their ability. If it appears tired or ordinary, the signs are to look elsewhere. However, if you can see how great their own website is, it gives you confidence that they will be able to provide you with the same. 

Proven track record 

Of course, their site is only the start. They might put all of their efforts into their own slice of the internet, but that doesn’t mean it translates to the work they do for their clients. You need to see evidence of their efforts for others.

This begins by viewing their portfolio. An established web designer should boast a portfolio with an ample selection of past work examples. These examples should also be varied and display their full repertoire of skills. 

Another aspect to check is customer reviews. Aside from the site itself, see what type of experience they had with the web design agency. Did they complete the work on time? Did they have any issues with implementing certain requests? If these reviews spotlight the fast, flexible nature of the web designer, these are all indicators you’re on the right track. 

Consider your budget

Sadly, your budget has the potential to put a number of established web designers out of reach. This is the case if your budget is a restricted one, which is a real possibility if you’re a startup with many other expenses to consider. 

Before you go with a cheaper option, however, just remember the saying, ‘You get what you pay for’. While a budget-friendly designer doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll receive a substandard product, ensure you do thorough research before deciding on one.