As an entrepreneur starting a new venture, there’s a multitude of aspects you need to pay attention to — and that’s in addition to actually working on your new business! Regardless of whether you’re starting a new arts, garden, or pet shop or offering a service, like hairdressing, plumbing, or accounting, you’re likely thinking first and foremost of the elements crucial to your operations — stock, logistics, regulatory requirements, finances, and more.
But as you’re etching closer to your proposed launch date, you may increasingly be wondering how to find the right website designer near you to help you actually catapult your business into its online presence. Or, possibly, your business is already set up and running, but you have this nagging feeling that creating a website could help you drive further success, especially in today’s online world.
So if your thoughts revolve around “how do I find a website designer near me — and the right one at that”, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll take you through some key considerations to help you choose the right website designer to transform your business’s digital presence.
Why Hiring A Local Website Designer Matters
First, why should you even hire a website designer based locally? You may be sifting through a couple of options already, some of which may be near to you or your business, while others may be further out, or even in a different city or country entirely. The online world we live in certainly opens up the doors to hiring internationally, and there are many benefits that come with that.
But if you’re looking to find a website designer to help you with your small business in a regional community, focusing on local website design services may be your best bet.
When you do an initial Google search for “website designer near me”, the algorithm will do its best to present website design services based in your immediate vicinity (depending on where you’re doing the search from, of course), largely through its Local Pack and Maps offerings.
This means that the first results Google will show you are actual designers based in your area — designers who understand your local market, your competition, and any other regionalisations that may be important to your business. This is paramount when looking to hire website designer services. Of course, you do need your designer to understand all the website basics and present a strong portfolio, but having that connection to your area can give you a leg up.
If you’ve ever designed a website before, you’ll also know just how much clear communication matters, and how difficult and time-consuming it is to provide that guidance from afar. Hopping on a quick call or, even better, actually sitting with your designer in person to discuss a few basics can go a long way in aiding clearer communication and ensuring you get the website you want and need.
Finally, when hiring locally, you’re also establishing a local-supports-local connection and expanding your network in your immediate area. This alone can do wonders in giving your new start-up the push it needs to succeed.
Key Qualities To Look For In A Website Designer
Of course, just because Tim, Sam, and Stacy are website designers who work on the same block, it doesn’t automatically mean they’re the right choice for you and your business. Perhaps Jonathan, based in one area over, is a better fit. But how would you know?
While proximity matters, the definition of hiring locally can be expanded to a slightly wider context if it means getting the right website designer to help your business soar. The perfect website should not only represent your brand, but it also needs to align with your business goals and serve you the way you need your website to serve you. Focusing on a few key questions is the key here:
- Does the designer you’re considering have relevant industry experience? If you’re starting a coffee shop, for example, it may be helpful to consider a designer who already has experience working on cafe or restaurant websites. But even if the exact industry doesn’t match, you can still look for a designer who has experience designing small business websites, as many of the skills and focuses are transferable.
- Does the website designer have a strong portfolio? While going for a designer who’s created dozens of websites before is a plus, going for someone newer in the field isn’t a bad thing, as long as they have a strong portfolio to showcase their skills. You’ll need to consider how the websites in the portfolio look, how well they function, and how they serve business goals.
- Does the designer focus on the details? Attention to detail may seem like a trivial thing, but it really does matter, especially in UX design and website functionality. Take a look at how the website designers near you present themselves, and really take time to focus on the small things, like spacing and padding, typography, working links, and even mobile responsiveness.
If all of these are strong, you may also want to look at online reviews. Not all website designers will be set up for this, but it’s a good idea to ask for case studies or references, chat with previous clients, and browse through review-focused pages like Google Reviews, Facebook, or other third-party review sites like Trustpilot or ProductReview.
Evaluating Local Website Design Services
If your “website designers near me” search has been successful, you’ve looked for local designers that match the key qualities we’ve considered, and you’ve also had the chance to read some reviews or speak with references, it’s time to take it one step further. After all, the aim isn’t to hire just any great designer, but to hire a website designer who’s actually right for you and your business.
So, once you’ve established that the website designers you’re considering are all top-notch, it’s time to evaluate how well you would work together. Here, communication is key. Does the designer you’re considering communicate well? Are they friendly, professional, respectful, and understanding? And, perhaps most importantly, do you get along with them?
Designers can often be left to their own devices to build their magic, but in many ways, a new website is a communal project, merging your goals and vision with the designer’s skills. This means you need to be able to work together as a team, with enough mutual respect and understanding to move forward successfully.
You’ll also need to understand the designer’s actual working process and overall pricing transparency. For example, do they take the time to understand your business goals, target customer, and overall brand before trying to jump right into the design aspect? And are they transparent in the pricing, giving you a good overview of what’s included at each step?
Be wary of designers who don’t offer a strategic approach or who offer too-good-to-be-true deals. In the long term, you’re better off working with someone who offers clear, open communication, pricing transparency, and a step-by-step process, even if that designer may cost a little more.
Getting Started With A Website Designer Near You
So you’ve moved from “find website designer” thoughts to “hire website designer” satisfaction. But now what? Working with local website design services isn’t as simple as just paying a deposit and hoping for the best.
A website is an extension of your business, and you need to treat it as such. So at this point, you’ll need to take some steps to ensure the designer can help further your business goals. Create a shortlist of non-negotiables or design ideas, schedule consultations, calls, or in-person meetings (bonus!) to discuss the project, and ask the right questions on SEO and deliverables.
You’ll also want to discuss some basics on handling revisions and whether or not the designer offers post-launch website maintenance packages. A website, after all, is constantly developing, and you need to be able to make changes consistently without much effort.
Once ideas, goals, and timelines have been aligned, you’re ready to jump right in and let your new website designer work on crafting your dream site.
When Your New Website Is Only One Click Away
If you’ve made it this far, your new site is likely only one or a few clicks away. You know why hiring locally matters, and you’re well-equipped with the right tools, questions, and strategies to help you not only find but also hire the website designer that’s right for you.
But to make your life even easier, you can head right over to PrecisionSEO to see how we align with your goals and how we can help you make your website dreams come true.
