Last updated: October 7, 2024
Updated: May 8, 2019
Originally published: January 3, 2008
Read time: 8 minutes, 39 seconds
There are a few different ways to create a website for your organization.
One option is to do it yourself. There are certainly a lot of DIY website solutions available. Technology has gotten to the point where a drag and drop interface is available on most content management systems including WordPress, Wix, Squarespace.
These platforms allow you to easily edit your website and keep your content up-to-date. The easier it is to edit content, the more likely it is to get done. And fresh content is good marketing and helps with search engine optimization.
The drawback of building your own website, however, is it leaves you open to creating a website based on what you can figure out and not based on your marketing goals. So while homemade is great for cookies, it’s not so great for website development.
Homemade Is Great For Cookies, But Not For Websites.
Benefits of working with a web design professional
A professional web developer provides expertise to avoid common missteps. Think of it as having a sherpa to guide you on your journey to a more impactful website for your organization.
If you are going to be redesigning your website and want to make the most of your investment of time and money, working with a professional will go a long way towards that end. Following these ten tips will help even more.
Ten Tips for working with a web designer
1. Find the Right Fit
There are many big – and expensive – design and marketing firms you could hire. There are also freelancers you could work with. And everything in between.
Look for a designer or agency that reflects the size of your business as a starting point. A small business working with a big firm could end up being a small, filler project. A smaller agency or team of designers might see the same project as a marquee client.
Consider looking for a partner that will be able to help you hone your marketing message as well as provide a polished website design.
Ultimately, what makes it a right fit is going to be a combination of style, experience, personality, and pricing.
2. Set your priorities
There is an old saying that essential goes “Fast, good or cheap. Pick two.”
Your project can be done inexpensively and well – but it won’t be done quickly.
Your project turnaround can be done quickly and inexpensively – but you may not get all the features you were hoping for.
Your project might include all the features you want and completed on a tight deadline – but it will not be cheap.
Understanding how these three elements intersect will help you establish priorities for your project.
An upcoming trade show, for example, might require the website to be up-to-date with your latest products or services. And having an online lead capture form allows your sales team to work more efficiently. The timeline then, dictated by the trade show, might push the timeline ahead of budget. In this case, you may ask to have the project fast-tracked.
Where you have a long list of features you’d like to include, no particular launch date in mind, but a very specific budget, how might you prioritize differently?
In this case you may opt to take a phased approach. Good and Cheap (relatively speaking) trump timeline. Each of the features will be included so you are getting the quality you need. The cost is kept down by focusing on specific features rather than all of them. As a result the timeline gets extended.
3. Be honest about your budget
When we ask prospective clients about their budget, the answer is almost always the same: “I don’t know.”
Prospects default to this answer for one of two reasons: 1) they don’t know how much it should cost or 2) they are afraid if they give a number that’s too high, that will become the budget.
Establishing a budget requires an honest and open conversation. Most firms will be able to work with you on pricing if you can be flexible with timing and or features. Sometimes that means moving some of the work to future phases, as in the example above. Other times, it means adding features in creative ways you might not have considered.
The cost of hosting and maintenance should be considered as well. Subscription-based options are a popular choice because it allows the web developer to focus on the technical aspects of the ongoing support while the client can focus on the customer-centric content.
4. Include visuals and copy in the budget
When planning your website, it’s crucial to allocate budget for high-quality visual and multimedia content. This includes elements such as photography, videography, illustrations, and graphic design.
The rise of video content
Video has become an essential component of modern websites. From hero background videos to product demonstrations and company culture snippets, video content can significantly enhance user engagement and convey information more effectively than text alone.
Short-form videos
With the rise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, short-form videos have gained immense popularity. Consider incorporating these bite-sized, engaging videos into your website to:
- Quickly showcase products or services
- Share customer testimonials
- Offer quick tips or how-tos
- Highlight company culture or behind-the-scenes glimpses
Remember that these videos should be optimized for web viewing, with appropriate file sizes and formats to ensure fast loading times.
Embracing minimalist design and illustrations
Modern web design has been trending towards minimalism, focusing on clean layouts, ample white space, and purposeful use of color. This approach not only looks sleek but also improves user experience by reducing cognitive load.
Illustrations can be used to help break up text, explain complex concepts, and add a distinctive flair to your brand.
Balancing custom and stock content
While custom visuals are ideal, they can be costly. If your budget is limited, consider a mix of custom and high-quality stock content:
- Invest in custom photography for key areas like team photos and product images
- Use stock photos and videos for more generic scenes, ensuring they align with your brand aesthetic
- Work with a graphic designer to create custom illustrations or modify stock illustrations to fit your brand
The importance of visual consistency
Whether using custom or stock visuals, maintain consistency in style, color palette, and overall aesthetic. This cohesion reinforces your brand identity and creates a more polished, professional appearance.
By prioritizing high-quality visuals in your website budget, you’ll create a more engaging, memorable, and effective online presence for your organization.
5. Share your wish list and consider third-party integrations
When discussing your website project with a prospective designer, it’s crucial to put all your ideas on the table. This includes both your must-have features and those that might seem beyond your current budget or scope.
Beyond the basics
Start by outlining the non-negotiable features that your website absolutely must have. These could include:
- A responsive design that works well on all devices
- An easy-to-use content management system
- Basic SEO optimization
Integrating third-party services
In today’s interconnected digital landscape, integrating third-party services has become increasingly important. These integrations can significantly enhance your website’s functionality and user experience. Consider including the following in your wish list:
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems
- Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho
- Benefits: Better lead tracking and customer management
- Marketing automation tools
- Examples: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Marketo
- Benefits: Streamlined email marketing and campaign management
- Analytics platforms
- Examples: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Hotjar
- Benefits: In-depth user behavior analysis and performance tracking
- Social media integration
- Examples: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram APIs
- Benefits: Improved social sharing and content syndication
- Payment gateways
- Examples: PayPal, Stripe, Square
- Benefits: Secure and diverse payment options for e-commerce
- Booking or appointment systems
- Examples: Calendly, Acuity Scheduling
- Benefits: Streamlined scheduling for service-based businesses
- Customer support tools
- Examples: Zendesk, Intercom, Drift
- Benefits: Enhanced customer service capabilities
- Content delivery networks (CDNs)
- Examples: Cloudflare, Amazon CloudFront
- Benefits: Faster loading times and improved global accessibility
When discussing these integrations with your designer, consider:
- The initial setup costs and ongoing fees associated with each service
- How these integrations align with your business goals and processes
- The technical requirements and potential impact on site performance
- Data privacy and security implications, especially with regard to regulations like GDPR
By thoroughly discussing your wish list, including potential third-party integrations, you enable your designer to create a more comprehensive and forward-thinking website strategy. This approach can result in a more scalable, efficient, and powerful online presence for your organization.
6. Manage your expectations
Every designer is different and will have a process that is unique to the way they work. It’s important therefore to discuss what you can expect and when. Your contract should clearly spell out the work that will be completed and identify key milestones and dates.
Don’t expect that you will be able to hand off the project to the designer. A successful project will be a collaboration and will require your involvement throughout the process.
When you are provided initial concepts don’t expect a shiny finished product. It’s a process and you’ve only just started. Each milestone provides an opportunity for you and your designer to check in and make sure the project is moving in the right direction.
7. Avoid the perils of scope creep
Scope creep is the bane of many projects. Scope creep is when a project veers off course by adding features or doing work outside of the original parameters of the project. It can wreak havoc with your timeline and your budget.
There will be revisions along the way. That’s a given. Your agreement should specify how many rounds of edits are included in the project scope. It should also outline the process for submitting those changes.
Revisions beyond that number will be considered change orders and incur an additional expense. Change orders can quickly mire down progress and it’s reasonable to expect to pay for repeated “tweaks” to a project.
Indecision is a major contributor to scope creep. Having your designer “try” different layouts, different photos, different copy all require time to execute. Focus on the big picture.
8. Understand the terms of payment
Fees and payment terms will vary. Expect to pay a deposit of some kind when you sign the contract. Payment installments coinciding with the completion of various phases of the project is standard. The specifics should be clearly explained prior to beginning the project. You should also be clear about what happens if a project is canceled.
9. Own your assets
There are assets for your website that you absolutely, positively must own.
- Your domain
- Your Google Analytics account.
Registering the domain yourself is the best way to ensure you own it. If the domain is registered in your designer’s name and the relationship goes sideways you will lose access to the domain. You will have no recourse to get it back. Any domain-based email, such as myname@mydomain.com, would also be lost.
Google Analytics should also be set up in the name of the business. User credentials can then be given to the developer. The risk when you are added to a developer account is the same as with your domain. If anything happens with the developer, you can lose years worth of data that is irretrievable.
10. Embracing modern web technologies and design principles
The web development landscape is constantly evolving, with new technologies and design principles emerging regularly. To create an effective and user-friendly website, it’s crucial to stay informed about these advancements and incorporate them into your project.
Current Technology Landscape
Content Management Systems (CMS)
Modern CMS platforms offer more flexibility and user-friendly interfaces than ever before. Popular options include:
- WordPress (with page builders like Elementor or Beaver Builder)
- Webflow
- Wix
- Shopify (for e-commerce)
These platforms often provide drag-and-drop interfaces, making it easier for non-technical users to update and maintain their websites.
The Critical Importance of UX and UI Design
User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design have become central to successful web development. They focus on creating websites that are not only visually appealing but also intuitive and enjoyable to use.
Key UX/UI Considerations:
- Intuitive Navigation: Ensure users can easily find what they’re looking for.
- Responsive Design: Your site should function seamlessly across all devices and screen sizes.
- Page Load Speed: Optimize images and code to ensure fast loading times.
- Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Guide users towards desired actions with well-designed buttons and links.
- Consistent Branding: Maintain visual consistency to reinforce your brand identity.
- Whitespace Usage: Use negative space effectively to create a clean, uncluttered design.
- Typography: Choose readable fonts and appropriate text sizes.
- Color Psychology: Use colors that evoke the right emotions and align with your brand.
Accessibility: Designing for All Users
Web accessibility ensures that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with websites. It’s not just a nice-to-have feature; in many regions, it’s becoming a legal requirement.
Key Accessibility Considerations:
- Semantic HTML: Use appropriate HTML elements to convey the structure and meaning of your content.
- Alternative Text: Provide descriptive alt text for images to assist users with visual impairments.
- Keyboard Navigation: Ensure all functionality is accessible via keyboard for users who can’t use a mouse.
- Color Contrast: Use sufficient color contrast to make text readable for users with visual impairments.
- Captions and Transcripts: Provide these for audio and video content to assist users with hearing impairments.
- Resizable Text: Ensure your design allows users to resize text without breaking the layout.
- ARIA Attributes: Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes when necessary to improve accessibility of dynamic content and complex UI components.
Testing Tools:
Utilize accessibility testing tools such as:
- WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)
- aXe
- Lighthouse (built into Chrome DevTools)
By focusing on these aspects of modern web development – leveraging current technologies, prioritizing UX/UI design, and ensuring accessibility – you can create a website that not only looks great but also provides an excellent experience for all users. Remember, an accessible website often results in a better experience for everyone, not just users with disabilities.
Want More Info?
Here are some great articles with more information about working with web designers and ensuring your project goes smoothly.
- Good/Cheap/Fast — pick two (and how NGOs can play the triangle like a pro), by John Dunford at The Developer Society via Medium
- Top five causes of scope creep … and what to do about them, by Richard Larson | Elizabeth Larson at Project Management Institute
- What Does My Web Hosting Company Do For My Business?, by Jann Mirchandani of Westchester Marketing Cafe
- Why is Fiverr Bad?, by Marina at This Design Girl