If you’re looking to hire a website designer for your next design project, be sure to do your due diligence and watch out for these 3 things.

Website Designer Tip #1. The Price is Right.
Warren Buffett, who is widely considered one of the greatest investors of all time, states that the most important thing when it comes to thinking about money is "opportunity-cost".
What is opportunity-cost? When looking for a website, think of it like this. “I have this money. I can do one of many different things, including getting a do-it-myself site, hire a website builder near me, hiring someone overseas, etc. And then out of all those decisions, which one will bring me in the most net profit overall?” That’s really the way you should be thinking about hiring a website designer. What’s the best overall net profit on all the different options available? Sometimes when you go the cheap route, you’re really losing a lot in terms of potential net profit. Does building a DIY website, truly save you money in the long run, if when you launch, it does not bring in new leads, customers, and sales.

Sure you could try and build a website on your own. There are templates out there, and cookie cutter site builders that get you started. But truth be told, just like trying to assemble furniture, you’re not a professional furniture builder, and therefore the quality and the product is not going to be as good. And that metaphor applies to website design. Most people are not professional digital marketers or designers or understand SEO, Keywords, Metatags, user personas, or how to get traffic, or any of these details that a professional website designer knows. And so, not only are you using all of your time to build the website but then you’re not getting as high-quality an output and return on investment as you would if you just hired someone who did that full time.

Let me reveal a little secret when it comes to website design. Most people think, "I'll hire a professional website firm because I want a “real website” As opposed to a Word Press site or template builder. What most people don't realize is that all websites are made from the same stuff - coding! HTML and CSS and Javascript, and the list goes on. If you go to google.com, CNN.com, Youtube.com, and any other sites on the web, and you look at the source code, it’s just CSS and HTML. The HTML gives it structure, the CSS gives it design, and  JavaScript gives it animation. 

So, when you work with an experienced  local web designer, you’re paying for a higher quality version of the same thing. Someone who knows how to code better, someone who understands design, marketing, and search engine optimization, and that’s what you’re buying. You get what you pay for.

One thing I would suggest when it comes to choosing a website designer is to focus on the results. At the end of the day, “do you like the work?” Do you like the quality of their portfolio? You are looking for a final result that will represent your company and bring in more leads and sales. Trust your own judgment. Trust their customer reviews.

Website Design Tip #2. Get a Good CMS.
A CMS stands for Content Management System; software to manage and update your website. Wordpress and Weebly are both a CMS, and there are thousands of different CMS's out there. The one thing to know is that not all CMSs are the same. The "behind the scenes of a website is called the backend of the site. This is where you can edit the site within the content management system. Most people, when buying a website only think about the front-end; the site's appearance. A CMS creates ease of use, and reduces the number of hours and frustration it takes to edit and manage the website. Most current CMS systems use WYSIWYG editors (What You See Is What You Get) which utilize a drag-and-drop type of program. A good CMS allows you to update the images, titles, descriptions, and many other pieces of the puzzle eith ease.

Local Website Designer Tip #3. Research Their Portfolio.
Check out their online portfolio samples, and also look for testimonials and client reviews. Look them up on Yelp, Facebook, Google Reviews, and LinkedIn. See if people are saying nice things about them, or if anyone is saying anything particularly bad. Most importantly ‘do you like their work?’ As well as, look at their work on mobile. A lot of people don’t take the time to think about what their site is going to look like on mobile. Responsive sites (websites that look great on all screens) are very important!

Just as you wouldn’t trust an obese personal trainer, you should probably never trust a designer with an ugly or outdated looking website, or an SEO expert who doesn’t rank well on Google. For example, we rank on page one on Google for “Gettysburg Web Design.” 

Ready to Hire Someone to Make a Website?
So, if you’ve made it this far, then you’re probably thinking “I need someone to build my website for me.” So, I’d like to make you an offer that you can’t refuse. Simply request a time for a FREE consultation before you sign or pay for anything. We'll come to your office, free of charge. We simply ask a few questions to learn more about you and your company, and dig a little deeper into your online business goals. There is nothing to sign, and no credit card information is taken. So, if that sounds like something that might be of interest to you, click here and choose a time that works for you.

In 2020, an online presence is crucial for any business, even for local brick-and-mortar companies that don't conduct via an online storefront. Studies show that 97% of customers search for local businesses online, while 94% of B2B buyers research companies online first.

Whether you are creating a new website or updating an older site, you must keep these design principles in mind:

1. Mobile responsive
   Reports state that more than 70% of shoppers made purchases using their cell phones, and stats show that over 90% of shoppers use their smartphones (even while in retail stores!) for comparing prices and looking at product reviews. A good website absolutely must cater to mobile users.
2. Clear call-to-action
   Each page on your website should tempt the reader to do something – call, sign up for a service, subscribe to newsletter, or buy a product. Be sure to have a clear invitation to do just that: actionable text, a button, or a link. Keep it above the fold (the portion of a web page that is visible in a browser window when the page first loads), so that readers do not have to scroll before finding the call to action.
3. Easy to navigate
   Limit your top-level navigation menu to easy-to-understand tabs with related pages organized under them. Have a clear way to get back to the home page no matter where your readers land. Very often, a search can have your reader begin on a section other than the home page. Short paragraphs and bullet points also make the information more scannable and likely to be read. 
4. Easy to find
   You need to have a domain name (URL) that describes your business, or is your company name, and contains main keywords. If your business depends on people being able to contact you or call your sales team, put that information where they can find it easily (in the header and footer of every page). If you use social media to connect with customers, then be sure to put links where they are easily found.
5. Keep your pages uncluttered
   Readers need to be able to put information in context. If a site has too much information, it overloads. Be sure you use a balance of text and graphics that present a clean page. If your widgets, and gifs, and video content do not support the purpose of the page, remove it.
6. Make sure it's accurate
   Inaccurate information will frustrate consumers, whether it's a wrong number, outdated information, incorrect product details, or basic grammatical errors. Not only should you proofread each page before it goes live, but you should periodically check each page, especially after making updates. 
7. Get personal
   Just as local brick-and-mortar businesses invest heavily in their storefronts to represent their brand images, e-commerce retailers need to create a similar high-quality online experience in keeping with their brand. Your "About Us" page should not be a bland block of text about your company. We recommend including a good, current photo of yourself and/or your team. Consumers want to know that there's a real person who's going to be working with them. 

To remain competitive in 2020, websites need to engage their users and create an enjoyable experience. Shoppers are looking for a seamless way to get what they want, and when they want it. Keep it clean, simple, and current.