Kessler Associates blog: Choosing a web designer

When you choose a web designer, there are a large number of points which you need to bear in mind. These are all things which need to be taken into consideration before you reach a decision.

To some extent, the ability to work successfully with your web designer is sometimes as important as their actual skill in being able to deliver the project.

A web designer who is skilled in what they do but who is a pain to deal with can make the whole process frustrating and not worth the money you're spending, especially if you have an emotional attachment to the project (which you should have, seeing as you're the one supplying the money and motivation).

That relationship can be worth a large proportion of the contract.

What are the ongoing costs?
All websites have ongoing costs. Web hosting, domain names and updates are the main three. Make sure you know the total cost of your investment. Some companies offer lower up-front costs to lock you into higher ongoing costs which could end up emptying your pocket far faster than would otherwise be the case.

How easy is it to incorporate your branding?
Some template sites are hard to blend a logo or colours into, so be wary of template-driven website companies: some of the people behind these are skilled enough only to change the text on a template. However, a good designer will design and build your site from the ground up, incorporating all of your design elements into the final result. These companies offer the most flexibility.

What are the costs for making changes later on?
Updates and maintenance on your site is something which eventually will happen. Even if you don't change the content frequently, you will eventually change something, and so you need to know what it will cost to have that done for you over the course of a normal year.

Hidden costs
Make sure that common items (such as search engine submissions and monthly keyword ranking reports) are either not included or are an extra cost.

Some key items can be omitted to keep the price down. Make sure you don't get sold short.

An important point to work out is whether the web designer is part time or full time. Is this your web designer's only job? Some designers work elsewhere during the day and then handle their web design work at night. A lot of designers started out this way, but it can cause issues when you need something done and they aren't available to handle the work between normal office hours.

If all these points check out to your satisfaction then you have found someone to work with who can provide you with a service which will get you your desired result.

Kessler Associates always designs and constructs websites from the ground up, with both layout and colour scheme created specifically to suit your needs. We are here during normal office hours to create and upload your site, find web space for you, and maintain your site as often as you need. Service costs are at a flat hourly rate, so you won't need to pay out for annual maintenance contracts, and if you allow us to handle your entire website needs then you will be classed as a dedicated client and will be discounted twenty percent on all costs where applicable.

Remember, choose a designer with the right skills, but also one you believe you can work with on an ongoing basis. Build a working relationship which will benefit both of you, and your web project will benefit as well.

Whatever you need, we have the solution.

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