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Whether you're launching an online business or trying to gain better online visibility, creating a solid first impression for your prospects is essential to winning their trust.
A professional, visually appealing website here can make all the difference. Think of it as the storefront of your business.
But should you hire a web designer? How much value does hiring a professional web designer add compared to using a no-code website builder to build the website yourself? Let's find out!
Benefits of Hiring a Web Designer
Hiring web designers can have lots of perks for your business. Here's how collaborating with a website designer can help you take your business to the next level:
Build a Recognizable Brand
A website that matches your brand identity can make a huge difference when it comes to sales volumes and customer engagement and satisfaction.
However, there are a few things to consider here. You need to think about how you interact with your customers. If you run an e-commerce store, there's a good chance you're almost exclusively relying on your website to engage with your customers, making it even more important to have a professional website that delivers your key messaging and brand voice.
On the flip side, if you're a solopreneur that offers particular services, for example, and you barely use your website to interact with your customers, it wouldn't make sense to invest a lot of money in a shiny new website. After all, you probably care more about building your email list and communicating effectively with leads and customers through email.
Customization
Getting a professional website designer to build your website for you means that you can customize it as much as you like. You're not limited by ready-made themes or your technical knowledge.
A web designer will make every inch of your website look and behave exactly as you want.
Deliver an Excellent User Experience
If you try to design your website yourself drag-and-drop website builder, there's a good chance your website won't deliver the best possible user experience.
Customer expectations for online browsing and shopping are higher than ever. According to Forrester, a good UX design can boost conversions but up to 400%. Little things like tapping, scrolling, and checking out can make all the difference here. For instance, a user might add an item to their cart and abandon it because the checkout process is too clumsy and confusing.
An experienced web designer who knows how to build a user-friendly website will make sure that your customers will love your website, enabling you to build great relationships with them.
Boost Your Online Visibility
Having a fast, user-friendly website is a great way to improve your online visibility with SEO (Search Engine Optimization), especially if you run a blog for your website.
When people use search engines to find information related to your products, you'd want your website to be there on the first page of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
When to Hire a Web Designer
Not sure whether you should work with a web designer or not? Here's when hiring a web designer would be your best bet:
Your Website Feels Outdated
If you visit a coffee shop that just opened its doors and compare its interior aesthetics to a coffee shop that's been there for a few years, you'll immediately notice the difference in shop design and decorations. The newer coffee shop will likely look cleaner and more modern and appealing than the older coffee shop.
The same goes for websites, especially since the web design industry is evolving rapidly. If your website feels outdated, it could use a refresh, and hiring a talented web designer to revamp it for you with fresh new visual elements and an improved UX/UI design is the best way to impress your customers.
Your Business Is Growing Fast
If your business is new and your customer base is limited, you might get away with a generic website that uses a ready-made theme. But if your business is growing and your customers are increasing exponentially, it might be time to invest in a more professional website.
Since you're getting more sales, investing in a new website won't affect your finances much, and will boost your sales even more.
You Have the Required Budget
There's no denying that a professionally built website will cost you more than a simple DIY website. Here, you'll have to consider your budget and spending priorities. If you can afford to pay for a professional web design and you don't have other, more urgent things to do with your money, there's little reason why you shouldn't opt for it.
If you're just starting out with your business, a DIY website should get the job done. You can give your website a professional revamp later when you start making some money.
Your Time Is Limited
Website builders can definitely make it easier for non-techie entrepreneurs to build their own websites quickly with a drag-and-drop interface. However, it's not as easy as you might think. You still need to dedicate time to set everything up. This includes choosing a theme, installing plugins, adjusting the overall layout, etc.
A web designer will simply take the whole process off your plate. As long as you communicate your requirements effectively, you won't have to do anything yourself.
Should You Hire a freelance web designer or a web design agency?
Choosing between hiring a freelance web designer or a web design agency largely depends on your needs and budget.
A web design agency will likely be able to finish the project much faster than a freelancer. Large web design agencies can also give you more professional-looking websites since they have dedicated teams of web designers, web developers, UX designers, and graphic designers.
On the other hand, hiring a freelance web designer means that you'll be able to directly communicate with the person working on your project, providing a more personalized experience. You can even let them communicate with other people from your in-house team, so a freelance will probably feel like a "part of your team". Plus, hiring website designers typically costs less than hiring an agency.
However, freelance web designers often don't deliver the same level of after-sales support as agencies do. They also work on a project-by-project basis, so the turnaround time might be longer than that of a web design agency. Plus, if you need to launch multiple websites at the same time, you won't likely find a freelancer with such high availability.
How Much Does a Web Designer Charge?
There are no hard rules when it comes to how much web designers charge. There are many variables here, like the web designer's experience and skill set, your website requirements, and how long you're willing to wait to get it done.
As a general rule of thumb, expect to invest somewhere between $5,000-$10,000 on your new website. The best web designers charge between $100-$150 per hour, while those with less experience can charge between $50-$90 per hour. We know there are many things to consider when working with a website designer, so we've created a guide to help you understand what to look for when hiring a web designer.
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