7 Common Mistakes When Hiring a Web Designer to Avoid

If you’re thinking about building a new website for your business, hiring the right web designer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.

A professional web designer plays a crucial role in creating a site that reflects your business goals and captures the attention of potential customers.

But, as with any service, many people need more time to rush into the hiring process and make costly mistakes.

To help you avoid those pitfalls, here are 7 common mistakes businesses make when hiring a web designer and how to avoid them.

1. Focusing Only on Price Instead of Quality

One of business owners’ biggest mistakes when hiring a web designer is focusing too much on the price tag.

Understandably, you want to stay within budget, especially if you’re a small business owner.

However, choosing a web designer based purely on cost can lead to issues that may cost you even more in the long run.

A cheap website might seem like a good idea upfront, but it often needs more quality and functionality for long-term success.

Lower-priced designers often cut corners, resulting in poor user experience, slow load times, and additional fees for basic features that should have been included.

Instead of looking solely at the price, consider the value a good web designer can bring.

A well-designed website meets your immediate needs and helps you attract potential customers, increase your online presence, and deliver a positive experience for visitors.

This, in turn, can save you a lot of time and money over time.

The key is finding the right web designer who offers good value and can deliver a quality product that fits your budget without sacrificing the essential elements of web design.

2. Not Defining Business Goals Before Starting the Design Process

Before you even begin searching for a web design service provider, clearly defining your business goals is essential.

This is a step that many business owners skip, but it’s one of the most important things you can do to ensure a successful website project.

Think about what you want your new website to accomplish.

Is it to increase online presence?

Attract more potential clients?

Boost your digital marketing efforts?

Or perhaps you want to improve your site’s search engine optimization (SEO) to rank higher on search engines.

These goals will determine the direction of your website project.

Without clear goals, you risk wasting a lot of time on design elements that don’t align with your business needs.

Worse, you might end up with a website that looks great but fails to connect with your target audience.

A good web designer will take the time to understand your business goals, target audience, and specific needs before beginning the design process.

This ensures that every part of the site, from the design elements to the content management system (CMS) and user interface, is aligned with your business objectives.

3. Neglecting Search Engine Optimization (SEO) From the Start

SEO is critical to your website’s success.

It’s optimizing your site to rank higher on search engines like Google, helping you attract more organic traffic.

Yet, many businesses need to pay more attention to search engine optimization during the early stages of website development, which can be a costly mistake.

A responsive web design that works across different devices (especially mobile devices) is essential for your visitors and SEO.

Google and other search engines prioritize websites that offer a smooth experience for mobile users, and they penalize those that don’t.

So, if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re already at a disadvantage.

Another aspect to consider is the technical SEO setup.

This includes optimizing page titles, using clean URLs, and ensuring fast load times, all part of the web design process.

If you wait until after your site is built to think about SEO, it could lead to a big mistake that’s harder and more expensive to fix later.

A good web designer will build SEO into the foundation of your website, ensuring that your site is beautiful and optimized for search engines from the start.

4. Overlooking the Importance of a Content Management System (CMS)

A content management system (CMS) is the backbone of your website.

It allows you to update, add, and manage content on your site without needing a developer whenever you want to make changes.

Despite its importance, many businesses need to pay more attention to the CMS when hiring a web developer or web design agency.

Selecting the right CMS for your specific needs is crucial.

Some businesses may require a highly customized CMS, while others may benefit from popular options like WordPress, which is user-friendly and highly flexible.

A good web designer will help you choose the best CMS for your business.

Without the right CMS, you could spend a lot of time manually updating your site or, worse, have to pay for expensive changes later.

The ease of use of the CMS can make or break your ability to keep your site up-to-date and aligned with your evolving business needs.

When evaluating web design firms, always ask about their experience with different CMS platforms and ensure they recommend a solution that fits your long-term goals.

5. Failing to Ask for a Portfolio and Verify Experience

Another big mistake many business owners make is failing to check the portfolio and experience of a web designer before hiring them.

Just like you wouldn’t hire an employee without verifying their qualifications, you shouldn’t hire a web design company without reviewing their previous work.

A good web designer will have a solid portfolio of sites they’ve worked on, showcasing a range of design styles and functionalities.

Reviewing these portfolio sites will give you an idea of their capabilities, whether they can handle your specific needs, and whether their design style aligns with your vision.

Additionally, look for a designer with years of experience working with businesses similar to yours.

Whether you run a small business or a large corporation, you want to ensure the designer understands your industry’s challenges and opportunities.

And don’t forget to ask for references!

A web design firm that can provide testimonials and case studies from satisfied clients is a good fit for your project.

6. Not Considering Responsive Web Design

In today’s mobile-first world, a responsive web design is absolutely essential.

Your site must look and function well on all devices, from desktops to mobile phones.

Yet, many businesses need to focus more on the desktop version of their site, paying attention to the needs of mobile users.

Ignoring mobile optimization is a big mistake that can severely limit your reach.

With most internet users accessing sites through mobile devices, a website that doesn’t offer a smooth experience on smartphones and tablets will drive away potential clients.

A great web designer will prioritize responsive design from the start, ensuring that your site adapts to any screen size.

This improves the user experience and boosts your search engine optimization (SEO) rankings since Google favors mobile-friendly sites.

Don’t overlook this step to ensure your designer can deliver a fully responsive website that caters to all users.

7. Overlooking Long-Term Maintenance and Support

A website is never truly “finished.”

As your business grows and changes, so will your website.

That’s why it’s important to hire a web designer or web design firm that offers long-term support and maintenance services.

Unfortunately, many business owners forget to ask about ongoing support when hiring a designer, leading to costly issues down the road.

Regular updates, security patches, and the renewal of SSL certificates are just a few things that must be maintained to ensure your site continues to function smoothly.

A good web design agency will offer maintenance packages that keep your site up-to-date, secure, and performing well on search engines.

They’ll also be available to help with any issues or improvements you may need in the future.

Before hiring a designer, ask about their long-term support options.

The last thing you want is to be stuck with a site that’s outdated or vulnerable to security threats because there’s no one to maintain it.

Conclusion

Hiring a professional web designer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your business.

A well-designed website can give you a competitive edge, attract potential customers, and help you achieve your business goals.

However, making one of these common mistakes can save time and money.

By avoiding these biggest mistakes, from focusing only on price to neglecting SEO, you’ll be well on your way to making the right decision for your business.

Take the time to define your goals, review portfolios, and choose a designer who can deliver a site that meets your business needs.

In the end, the right web designer will be a good fit for your project, providing a beautiful website and ongoing support to help your business thrive in the long run.

Ready to take your business’s online presence to the next level?

At Brimar Online Marketing, we specialize in creating stunning, SEO-optimized websites tailored to your unique business goals.

Whether you’re a small business owner or a large corporation, we’re here to help you avoid costly mistakes and create a website that works for you.

Contact us today to get started on your new website and see how we can help you grow your business online!