TIPS FOR WORKING WITH YOUR WEB DESIGNER

So, you’ve been seated on the same website since 2010, and you’ve finally decided that a few aesthetic changes here and there just won’t be enough to remain competitive in the marketplace.

Look at your options and decide to go with a professional web designer to create something that is modern and intuitive and looks amazing. You get some recommendation and do some research and find a company that seems to meet your needs and can work within your budget. But then, for some reason, it seems to take a lot longer than you were expecting, and nothing seems to be easy.

 Get your website completed and launched on time by following these simple tips.

Know Their Expertise

Creating a website is no small task. Although there are lots of templates out there, you’ve chosen to work with a professional designer based on their portfolio and expertise so let yourself be confident in their skill set. They have the knowledge of each essential step of the process to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. This means that when they make recommendations that don’t quite line up with what you first wanted, there’s probably a really good reason behind it.

Establish a trust with them as they gage the complexities and time frame. Remember, quality work takes time and the more you trust, the better the end result will be.

Get Prepared

Designers are problem solvers, not magicians. Their job is to come up with a design that looks great and provides long-term solutions for your business. Your job is to provide them with a detailed project scope so they can deliver the best solutions possible. Many design processes start with a questionnaire which helps the designer learn more about your business and understand more about your target audiences, competitors, site goals, etc. The more insight your designer has, the better design will meet your expectations.

Make sure you supply these items in a timely manner so as not to delay the project like other information that may be needed includes: brand assets, text content, photos, site credentials, plugin information, etc.

Collaborate & Communicate

When your designer provides the first draft, they are eager to hear what you think. Make sure you are carefully reviewing their work, giving helpful and timely and constructive feedback, and staying involved as the site progresses via, mockups, wireframes and build communicating on computer.jpg

Don’t go silent!

When you sign the contract for a new website, agree with yourself to give the project your full attention to the entire process, or else you’re just wasting time and money. If too much time goes by, the goals may change and the project gets blurred. A collaborative, full-focus approach ensures the best possible outcome.

Don’t Overthink It

Your designer wants you to be involved, but not so involved you start to take over their role and insist on micromanaging every tiny detail. It’s important to remember the trust factor at this point and remember that your designer is a problem-solver first. They always have a reason for choosing a certain font, color, image, or layout and have likely spent hours obsessing over those tiny details.

Avoid Too Much Stuffs

After seeing the designer’s mockups, you may be tempted to ask others like friends and family for their opinions. But you should feel confident about it until someone says: “I don’t like the colour” or “I don’t like the way this looks” which can fill your mind with doubt. This can put a strain on the client-designer relationship and will likely result in unproductive rounds of changes while discouraging your designer.

 You Have a Part to Play in This

Time is money, so make sure you plan ahead and think of the copy you need to collect throughout the process rather than rushing to write it all at once. If you are having a hard time with copy, ask your designer about copywriting services. Copywriters will take the burden of writing endless pages of content off your hands while including keywords for the search engines and phrases that encourage visitors to engage that will add even more value to your site.

In the end, it’s important to remember that we’re working toward the same goals. We want to get your site up and running as quickly as possible, but we cannot sacrifice quality and usability to change its appearance in a certain way.

Quality work will take some time, it’s true, but when you follow these tips you’ll be able to see some great results. A great website is the cornerstone of a strong online marketing campaign.