Questions to Ask Your Web Designer

For the sake of this blog - I'll not only provide you questions that you should be asking web designers when looking for the right fit for YOUR business, but I'll also provide answers from THIS web designer!

Do you do any research on our business first?

I love getting to know my clients and their businesses! I love to hear what makes you passionate about what you do, your backstory and how you got it all started - or why you are starting a new business now. I will ask plenty of questions to help build out the informational aspects of the site to reflect your personal brand, mission statement and goals.

Will you review my existing website prior to building my new website?

Not only do I research your business thoroughly when preparing for a web design, but of course, any existing website or social media profiles you have.

Another thing I ask my clients, is for a list of their top 3 competitors and other websites they like the look/feel of. I want to make sure your site is as visually appealing, if not more magnificent than your competitors - so when visitors come to your site, that is NOT a reason those visitors don’t become customers!

What is your design process?

First, we’ll have a kick-off call. We can introduce ourselves and I can get an idea of what services you're interested in. Following that, a consultation – this is where we dive deeper so that I have all the information I need to provide you an estimate for your overall project. Once you’re onboard, I get to planning, designing and building! There’s a development and approval stage before moving on to training and launch.

See my full design process, HERE.

How many pages will my website have? (Average: homepage, about, services, blog, contact)

That is up to you! What I call a basic website, consists of 3-5 pages. You will always have a homepage. You should have an about, services and contact page as well. Examples for a 5th page would be things such as: a blog, “Meet the Team,” or a page dedicated to your products, YouTube Channel or resources. However, you are not limited to five pages, by any means.

How long it will take to complete my website design or development?

That really depends on each individual client’s needs. A basic 3–5-page, informative website that is has supplied content, can be done in 1-2 weeks. Depending on whether you need e-commerce or a built-in client management system, for example, those projects can take a little longer.

How many rounds of edits/revisions are included?

Typically, one round of edits/revisions are included. In my experience, my clients don’t need more than that because I am also transparent throughout the process. I love to send my clients periodic screenshots of pages to make sure I’m on the right track. Once the site has most of its “meat and potatoes,” I will give you a tour! We’ll discuss together any and all things you’d like revised, if any. Once those changes have been made, you’ll get a second tour for your final approval.

Are you web designs responsive?

Yes! You want your web design to be responsive on all three major devices, for sure! I will make sure while designing your website, that it provides a good user experience as well as remains visually appealing, on a desktop, tablet or mobile device.

Can you build an e-commerce site?

Yes, I do have experience in that area. I can even help make sure your POS or Merchant Provider is connected properly and train you in running your e-commerce site after it’s been designed and built! Prefer to have me upload all the products, descriptions and prices? Need help with product photography? I offer those additional services as well.

Do you need anything from me to start the project?

If your branding is already established, then I always request the files related to your logo(s), etc. If you have a specific tagline or catch phrase related to your business and other pre-written text you would like used for descriptions, services, products, etc – those would be provided by you as well. Photo content for your site can be provided, as long as you took the photos yourself or have a copyright release that goes along with them. If any content is needed for the site, I’d be happy to handle that for you as well!

What training/support do you offer when the site is launched?

Some clients are very hands on and want to learn how to make small updates to their sites, such as: a calendar, newsletter subscriptions, gallery images or team headshots. I include a certain number of training hours in your project estimate, based on the number of things each client will need to personally maintain each month.

I also have clients that are very hands off. They are busy, running their business and would rather have me take care of any updates, changes or maintenance on their websites. For this reason, I offer retainer services, so my clients have peace of mind, knowing I’m there when they need me.

Do you offer services other than web design?

Absolutely! Some businesses are just in the infancy state and would love a professional hand in brand development. They require logo design, business card design, maybe some advertising and marketing materials to start getting their name out there! I also offer to set up business Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as provide on-brand designed covers, banners and content. Other businesses may just need a logo “refreshed” or to want to do a social campaign – I can help with that too!

Check out all my services, HERE.

Jokes aside...I may or may not be the right fit for your business or your needs. So, regardless of whether I'm the designer you hire or not - I hope these questions help you feel more composed when interviewing potential hires. Your business is your baby! I want you, as well as your business, to be sure you're in good hands.