Website Design in Tofino: A Guide to Hiring the Right Designer
Written by JOEL MACLEOD
Additionally, selecting a designer who truly understands your business and vision, and can deliver on time and on budget, is no easy feat. So, how can you make the best choice?
Here are a few considerations to ensure you get the best value for your money while avoiding a web design dumpster fire.
About Joel MacLeod
Joel is a seasoned graphic and web designer on the west coast of Vancouver Island. He has worked across diverse industries from financial services to transportation to hospitality. His work has been featured in design publications in North America, Asia and Europe.
Communication
Look for a designer who is responsive, communicates clearly, and is easy to work with. You want a designer who takes the time to listen to your needs and provides regular updates on the project’s progress.
The best way to suss out whether a particular designer is a good fit is to meet them! This could be in person, a video or even a phone call. How they communicate during, and leading up to the meeting can tell you a lot about them. Are they on time? Are they organized? Do they lead the interaction? Do they actively listen and ask good questions?
This meeting will also help you determine if there is fit in terms of personality. Business is a grind. Why not make the web design process more enjoyable by working with someone you like and get along with, who sees eye to eye with you?
Reliability
Reliability is one of the most critical factors when hiring a web designer. You want to make sure that the person you hire can deliver your project on time and on budget.
The biggest challenge facing business owners in Tofino, is finding a designer that is consistent, available and isn’t going to disappear leaving them with an unfinished pile of html.
One way to ensure reliability is to look for a designer with a good track record of completing projects on time and within budget. You can ask for references or check their online reviews to get a sense of their past work.
Experience
Experienced web designers have a better understanding of how users interact with websites and can create designs that are intuitive and easy to navigate.
They will have a good eye for design and understand the principles of design, such as color theory, typography, and layout. They can create visually attractive websites that are consistent with the brand’s unique identity.
An experienced web designer will be proficient with current design tools and technologies. They can create websites that are optimized for speed and performance and can adapt to different devices and screen sizes.
A great question to ask is how do they stay up-to-date with the latest developments in technology, design and user experience.
Find for a designer who has worked on similar projects to yours. They will have a better understanding of your business’s needs and can offer valuable insights and advice.
Consider working with a local company that understands the market, the community, and the values of the people who live there.
Quality
"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten."
Quality websites provide a better user experience. This means that users can navigate through the website easily and find the information they are looking for quickly. A good user experience keeps visitors engaged and encourages them to stay on the website longer.
A website with high quality content and design looks more credible to visitors. This can help to build trust with users and encourage them to do business with you.
High quality websites are more likely to rank well in search engine result. This is because search engines, like Google, prioritize websites that provide a good user experience and have high quality content.
It is crucial to hire a designer who does high quality work and takes pride in their craft. Browsing their portfolio is a great way to assess the quality of their work. Look for a designer whose portfolio includes examples of websites that you like and that are similar to what you’re looking for.
Process
Without a process, designing a website is like trying to bake a cake without a recipe – it might turn out okay, but more likely it will be a hot mess.
You’ll be winging it, adding a pinch of this and a dash of that, and hoping for the best.
But when it comes to web design, there’s a lot at stake, and you don’t want to leave anything to chance. So, make sure you have a solid process in place, or you might end up with a design that’s all icing and no cake.
A well defined and refined process ensures that every project is approached in the same manner and provides a consistent level of quality and predictable results.
This is our process at Wave Web Studio:
During this tried and tested workshop, we will clarify the heart of the brand, define goals, target audience, and specific needs for the website. This vital step lays a solid foundation for the visual design and a clear, aligned and successful project.
This includes evaluating competitors’ websites, industry best practices, and understanding our visitor’s journey. A sitemap is created, outlining the structure of the website and designing low-fidelity representations of the website’s layout to show the positioning of content and key elements.
Next, we design the visual concept, selecting the color scheme, typography, and imagery to create an appealing and cohesive user experience. This involves building interactive prototypes that simulate the website’s functionality before developing the live site.
During the development phase, we bring the design to life and create a fully functional website in a staging environment, ensuring that it looks great and works well across different devices and browsers. We integrate features and a content management system (CMS) for easy content updates and maintenance.
Lastly, we test the site to ensure proper functioning of pages, buttons, and links. Once the testing phase is successful, we make the website live for public access. Furthermore, we offer training and support to guide you on using your new website.
Pricing
Pricing is not just about finding the cheapest option but also about finding a designer who can provide the best value for your money.
A designer who offers fair and transparent pricing can help you get the most value for your investment.
For small budgets, a website builder like Squarespace or Wix may be a good option.
If you are at the stage of business where you want to work an experienced professional to help you get the most out or your website, here are some factors to consider when evaluating the pricing:
Domain & hosting: Will they help set up and domain registration and secure website hosting? These tasks can be complex and time consuming.
Hidden fees: Are there any hidden fees or charges that may not be included in the original quote?
Revisions and changes: It’s important to consider the number of revisions or changes that are included in the pricing to avoid additional fees and manage expectations.
Support and maintenance: A website is like a car and requires upkeep. Some designers provide ongoing support and maintenance while others do not. For speed, security and user experience, you want your website to keep humming along smoothly like a well oiled machine.
Conclusion
Your website is often the first point of contact between your business and potential customers. We only get one chance at a first impression and it must make it a good one.
When done well, your website should:
- Attract and engage your audience
- Build trust and credibility
- Stand apart from the competition
- Put money in your pocket
Hiring the right web designer is a critical decision that can impact the success of your business. I hope you feel more confident in what to look for and what questions to ask. Take your time, do your diligence and trust your gut!
Joel MacLeod
Joel is a website strategist, designer and surfer. He’s worked with over 100 companies, from startups to seven-figure corporations, earning international recognition for his design work. Joel partners with business owners to achieve their goals with style and substance.