Starting your web design project: Preparation & Tips

How to Prepare for Your Web Design Project & 3 Tips for Working with your Web Designer

With a dozen blogs now, I’ve covered a lot! I’ve not only explained some of the differences between a Web Designer and a Web Developer, but also shared some pros and cons regarding Freelancers versus Web Agencies, in order to help you determine which might be most suitable for your web design project. I hope when you make your decision and begin reaching out to prospective hires, you find the questions to ask your web designer, I provided, helpful. Make sure you also check out their portfolios and know the qualities of good web design, so that can factor into your decision. Once you’ve obtained various quotes and decided which fit is best for your business needs, your web design project will begin!

Just like you are an expert in your field, your web designer is an expert in theirs – the same goes for the fact that while you aren’t knowledgeable on all the aspects of designing and building a website, they cannot possibly be knowledgeable in the industry of every client they take on. As a freelance web designer, I work with all types of small businesses in widely varying industries. Your collaboration plays a large role in the process.

In this blog, I will go over some of the things you may be asked to contribute as far as content and business information, that way you can be prepared to play your part.

How You Can Be Prepared

1. A very important thing to have established before launching a business website, is your brand development. If you have already done this, have any information and materials related to your branding ready for your web designer. If you were provided a Brand Board that has “your brand at a glance,” that’s a good start. You will want to relate your typography and color palette (including Hex or RGB codes) as well as all digital formats of your logos, brand marks/icons and patterns/textures (if you use those). If you haven’t established your branding at all or past obtaining a logo, I would HIGHLY recommend looking into hiring someone for this service as well. If you end up hiring a freelance web designer, they may also offer brand development as one of their services and it is well worth the investment! Your brand is so much more than a logo and your entire website will be designed to reflect it visually.
2. You know your business best. Be able to convey to your web designer as much as possible about your company. If you’ve been around for a while, perhaps you already have a mission statement, motto and tagline. If you’re just starting your business, these are great things to think about now and have constructed in time for your web design project. Established or brand new, no one can talk about your business like you can! Tell your web designer what type of people you are trying to attract (your target audience), who your competitors are and what your business goals are.
3. Content. This is a big one. Think about what you want your website to include…photos, service descriptions, your biography or business history, reviews from previous clients or customers, product imagery…all these things are content that you should be able to supply your web designer. I will often pull reviews from my client’s Facebook pages and Google business listings as well as photos from their social media accounts. If you don’t have many photos (or none at all), your web designer should have a plethora of stock photography available to them via multiple sources and can use those. You could also consider investing in a photographer to do a brand, product or content photoshoot. A great benefit of doing a photoshoot during your web design, is that you can request a shot list from your web designer so that they can coordinate with your photographer on what types of pictures are needed for the various pages, section and topics of your website. While I’m not a professional photographer, I offer photography services to my clients as some are just starting out or have smaller budgets.
4. Find inspiration! If you haven’t discovered Pinterest, go there now. (LOL) On Pinterest, you can create a “board,” much like a file or folder and “pin,” or save things that you love or that inspire you – whether it be colors or a style. Research other companies in your industry on the internet as well, starting with your competitors. Jot down a list of 3-5, their website addresses and what you like or dislike about their websites. All of this information will help guide your web designer down the right path to achieving a design that you love and reflects your brand’s identity!
5. Lastly, know your goals and what you want to achieve with your website. What do you want visitors to be able to do? A few examples would be signing up for a newsletter subscription, reading your blogs or contacting you for a consultation. Tell your web designer if you will you need e-commerce in order to sell a product or service and which products you want to feature or if there is a particular sale or promotion regularly. Your web designer will take all of these objectives into consideration and draw users to them through the flow and layout of your website as well as CTA’s (Call-to-Actions).

We’ve gone over 5 different ways you can be prepared for your web design project and if you start compiling these things and have them ready for your web designer, you will be an A+ client!

Now…want some extra credit?

3 Tips on Working with Your Web Designer

1. Be Responsive. You’ve made the excellent decision to make an important investment in your business and its future by hiring a web designer to create your website. With any project, there is an expected launch date. Typically, the one thing that can delay or postpone a website’s launch, is the responsiveness of the client. You will need to hand over content, approve design drafts and answer questions. When I work with a client, for the life of your project, your business becomes my business. Being a freelance web designer, my reputation and success depends on my client’s satisfaction, therefore I only take on so many clients at a given time so I’m able to devote the time and attention each one deserves. It is your job as a client, to return that respect and consideration. After all, this is your project and your investment, so make sure to also make it one of your priorities.
2. Give Constructive Feedback. Whether it be positive feedback or constructive criticism, they are both a valuable part of the process. Each time I receive feedback from a client, it helps me narrow down what they are looking for. Ask my previous or current clients how much I remind them to be open and honest with me when requesting feedback and they will tell you it is every, single time! The website is YOURS, not mine. At the end of the day, it should be your aim as well as your designers, for it to reflect the values, goals and brand identity of YOUR business.
3. Be Open to Recommendations. A good web designer isn’t just there to click away at the keyboard and mouse. Design takes a lot of experience and research. Your goals and input are vital, but a designer will be thinking of aspects that you may not be: user-experience, interaction, ease of navigation, SEO optimization, latest technology trends, and visual aesthetic. As I previously mentioned, for the length of your project, your business becomes my business – therefore, I only have its best interests at heart and as a freelancer who offers multiple services in addition to web design, I have made many recommendations to my clients that I feel would be beneficial to their branding, their content writing, their social media campaigns and their advertising & marketing designs. You don’t have to say yes to every recommendation either! Just have an open mind and remember, if you choose the right person for the job, they should want you to get the most bang for your buck and help you make your mark!

I hope the information in this blog helps you have the best and smoothest experience when the time comes for you to begin your web design project!