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How to choose the right web designer.
Small Business marketing is very different to Big Brand marketing. Instead of multi million advertising campaigns we use "gorilla tactics" to get our brands noticed.
This is why you'll notice that the top ranking sites in google don't really look like anything, but they rank and they generate leads. Beautiful websites have the potential to convert visitors into customers but in most cases they are not visible on google. If you are serious about your online presence and want to make a success then follow these steps when choosing your web designer.
1. Get an All-Rounder
Your website should be a marketing tool. Not a place in the invisible realm called the world wide web. Your web designer must understand marketing and also your target customers. Design, Functionality, Speed, Search Engine Visibility and most of all Conversions are crucial. Your web designer must be willing to become part of your business, not just a service provider once off. Changes will have to be made frequently, fresh content needs to be added, ongoing marketing will be needed and list goes on and on. So the most important thing is to get a web designer that understands marketing, understands your business and is willing to go the distance with you.
2. Designer must understand Surfing Psychology
Your web designer must understand how people view your site. Conversions of visitors are crucial. In today's web sphere you have about 3 seconds to grip a client and keep them on your site. If you don't you will lose their interest very quickly. Your web designer must know how to captivate a visitor, make navigation simple and make the entire experience as easy and user friendly as possible.
Factors that must be considered are: User friendly navigation, Exciting Design, Correct Colour usage, wording, and more while maintaining download speed and access from various platforms like pc's, macs and mobile devices.
3. Designer must understand Search Engine Optimization
Your web designer must have a strong background in search engine optimization strategies. It's all fine and well to have the most beautiful website in the world, but SEO requires a few small tweaks and tricks to give your site even more visibility online. The balance between design and search engine optimization must be carefully planned.
4. Your Designer must respect web standards
Adhering to web standards might seem limiting in some cases, but the purpose of your website should be to reach as many potential visitors as possible. If web standards are followed you'll be able to rank higher in search engines, be visible on various devices and expand your reach.
5. Like your designer
Probably the most important factor. You must trust your web designer and be willing to work together for a long time. Changes, Upgrades and Enhancements will have to take place. Changing designers is not always to best long term strategy and starting over is also not really an option unless you chose the wrong designer to start off with.
6. The Bottom line
Get a web designer that will do everything to increase your sites conversion rate, reduce the bounce rate, improve your search engine visibility and make your business grow. Not someone that wants to make a quick buck and disappear. A good designer may cost you more, but when your sales increase you will benefit most. Chopping and changing designers will give you more headaches and cost you a lot more in the long run.
Article Written: 18 Jun 2011 by Brenton Watt of Creative Core | S.A
