Those looking to start a website often ask themselves in the startup process : “Do I Need a Web Designer?” The short of it is : not always. Let’s explore why in this article.
What is a Web Designer?
A Web Designer’s job is to create user friendly, eye catching websites. They are experts of understanding design principles, such as typography, color theory, and layout hierarchy. They use tools such as Photoshop and Figma to craft various aspects of a website. Web Designers, generally speaking, only work on the visuals of the website. This includes choosing the fonts, the color theme, the components and the website layout. Some more experienced designers go one step further, implementing the designs themselves instead of relying on Web Developer.s (Web Design Web Development are two completely different careers!)
Why Hire a Web Designer?
A clear lack of thought put into your website’s content, appearance and structure is an indicator of unprofessionalism. A confusing navigation section, hard to find contact info, and even a mismatching color scheme could shy away potential prospects. Losing business from an advertisement is every business owner and entrepreneur’s nightmare scenario. (Yes, Websites are a form of advertising). Web Designers help mitigate this risk by ensuring that the best UI and design practices are implemented from square one. Every decision made in the web design process is curated towards improving the user experience and converting visitors to customers. Without a Web Designer on hand, you may end up with a website that looks like this! (see below).
Web Designers know that first impressions matter. And the reality is, if your website is missing vital information or looks like it was churned out in five minutes with some cheap website generator, it will push people away.
In my opinion, Web Designers are only necessary if you’re unable to build an engaging, easy to navigate website yourself. If you have trouble with this, then yes, its worth consulting with one.
I think I need a Web Designer
If you plan on taking things to the next level with your business, care about your online presence, and don’t have the spare time to learn web design or web development, you may want to consider speaking with either or. While you could create a website on your own, if you’re not knowledgeable on the subject matter, it is very time consuming. Working with a competent web designer or web developer will speed the process up tremendously. Their services vary in cost but generally speaking, their effort typically produces long lasting positive results.
If you’re interested, consider reaching out to me for your website needs. I am a full time web expert that has worked with individuals and small businesses. I can help get the ball rolling on your project, provide consultation services, create a brand new website from scratch or work on what you already have.