Whether your company is in need of a brand new website or you already have one that could use a redesign, it can be an overwhelming task if you’ve never gone through the process before. Therefore, it is imperative to ask your prospective agencies the right questions during the selection process.
Questions to Ask Your Web Designer: A Comprehensive List
Previously, we highlighted The Top 5 Questions To Ask a Website Developer in the hopes that it would help anyone searching for a website designer properly screen each prospective agency to narrow down their list of choices. Of course, if you’re looking for a company to design or rebrand your website, we’d be honored if you scheduled a free consultation.No matter where your selection process leads you, consider this comprehensive list of the best questions to ask your web designer!
Which content management system (CMS) do you use? Will I be able to make updates on my own, and to what extent?
Otherwie knowns as a platform, A CMS allows you, the business owner, to manage your website’s content, allowing for you to make updates to the website yourself. It’s important to ask your website developer if they use an open source CMS (like WordPress or Squarespace) or if they use their own custom CMS. If they use a custom CMS, that may mean that you will be limited in updates to your site. Similarly, consider the following additional questions:
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- What kind of training or support will I need once my website is launched?
- Do you offer website management services?
- Will I own the site and the content once you’re finished with the development?
- Does their CMS have e-commerce capabilities and support growth?
What is your design process? Will I be able to see the progression of the development of the site?
Ask your web developer if they document their design process or use project management software so you can be informed of the progression of your site.
Do you have a portfolio of other projects for me to see?
Many web designers have portfolios on their website to showcase their work. Take a look at the work they’ve done to gain a feel for their design style and capabilities to see if they’re a good match for what you’re looking for.
Are your web designs responsive?
In this day and age, websites have to perform seamlessly on every device, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. Learn about responsive websites here.
Will my website be secure?
For your website to be secure, it will need to be kept free of hackers and bugs, have routine backups and updates to the site’s software and plugins. If your designer offers website management services, these security measures will be included.
Will my website be ADA compliant?
The Americans with Disabilities Act was established to provide equal opportunities for people with disabilities, and to make all public places more accessible, including websites. Even small businesses have to consider whether their website is accessible to everyone.
How much will my website cost; with what's included and what's not included?
Communicate your budget from the beginning. Ask your potential web designer what options they offer as part of their services. Do their prices include web hosting, domain registration, plugins, etc? How many pages will your website have, and what features does their pricing include? Ask your web designer if a custom 404 page, terms and conditions, privacy policy, cookie policy, and any other landing pages are included in your build.
How many rounds of edits are included?
When you interview and hire a designer, it’s important to agree upon checkpoints throughout the project so you can review and approve the work. Check out our earlier blog: How to Provide Feedback to Your Web Designer.
Who will be in contact with me? Will I have a project manager or one main contact?
Having a team work on your website can increase efficiency, but it’s important to know who will be your main contact point. Having one person keep you updated about each stage of the process is often ideal.
Do you build custom sites or use templates?
Is your new website going to be coded from scratch or built from a template? This can be a super important consideration to make depending on what functionalities you need your website to have for your business.
What SEO elements will you focus on?
It should be a non-negotiable that your web designer knows how to build a website with SEO qualities from the beginning. The framework of your website can determine whether your website is found on the search engines, and should include SEO elements like image optimization, alt tagging, mobile-responsiveness, and keyword research.
Will my existing site experience “down-time” while the redesigned site is built?
How will the development process impact your existing website? Transitioning smoothly from your existing site to your new website is essential to the experience of your customers.
If you’re looking to build a new website from scratch to represent your brand, or you’ve been thinking it’s time to redesign your website, we can help. We are located in the Phoenix area, but we’ve proudly worked with clients internationally to fulfill their digital marketing needs. We design custom sites for each of our clients, ensuring each site has its own unique design. We are proud of our expansive portfolio of websites from a wide range of industries we’ve designed and helped sparkle. Have a project idea? Click here to schedule a free 30 minute consultation.
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