11 mistakes to avoid when hiring a website designer are as follows:
- Avoid creating a website without a Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress.
This software allows users to easily add your content and update your information shared on pages and/or posts.
No more need to have the software installed on your personal computer either, and no more need to know the latest version of HTML.
The CMS software stays on your website hosting server so it can serve up your website for you, and in this way you will have no need to understand the latest version of hidden code known as HTML and PHP. - Your website designer should know and understand Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
A website is going nowhere fast without proper SEO having been completed, and a qualified website designer will be able to offer you basic SEO. - Avoid not using a responsive design. Using responsive design will make your website device-friendly, providing a quality, responsive design is used, of course.
Most of your website visitors may access your website using a desktop or laptop computer but with a responsive design installed, your website will be more apt to rank much better in search engine search results than without it. Otherwise, be ready to offer viral information. - If you are a local business owner, you won’t want a website designer creating all of your website content, such as your Home and About pages.
Make sure you have your content ready to be used or arrange to have it created for you, as you know your business best. And, don’t use cookie-cutter type information!
However, having your website designer tweak your content for you, for the purposes of SEO is a good idea, but that would be SEO. So you will need to be prepared to pay extra, above and beyond simple website designing. - Make sure you use your own images or those you’ve received proper permission to use that is. Here’s why … When Free isn’t Free at all!
- Paying too little – like using free website hosting, they don’t always rank well. And, you most likely won’t have the proper accesses necessary to do a lot of tweaking and tracking to help your site rank higher.
Not all websites are created equally. Paying fair wages for fair work is the best policy. The old adage of “you get what you pay for” truly can apply here.
Some say they can hire those from other countries cheaper, but do remember that you will need to proof-read EVERYTHING and make sure they did not break any copyright laws. So, do you still think they are cheaper? - Paying too much – just because you hire a well-known, name-brand agency to create your website for you, does NOT mean you will get your money’s worth.
I have heard several clients complain about paying over $500 a month for a 3-page website that their teenage kid could have made look better. And, the sites I am referring to were created by a well-known local agency. - If a website designer has no satisfaction money back guarantee, why use them? This is the ONLY way your money will be spent safely.
- Regular maintenance is a requirement of most websites today, to not only make your website look great at all times, but also to prevent hackers from gaining access and taking over your website.
A qualified website designer should be able to offer you regular maintenance as an option. - Businesses need to be using a local web hosting servers to gain local organic traffic.
Having your business located in one province (or state) and your web hosting server located in a different province (or state) is asking for a low ranking website in local searches.
However, if your website is NOT for a local business, then this may not be as important.
Meaning, if you are a Canadian, and say, you have an affiliate website hosted in the United States that might be the best place for it. Especially, if your chosen niche is more popular in the USA.
Though, hosting that site on, say, a Russian located server would not be such a smart idea. - Hire Parr’s Publishing to build your website and brand your business!
Especially, if you are a local business owner. I’m not just a website designer; I’m an Internet Specialist!
My offerings are, a website package for every budget … and there are NO hidden fees. And, you get a 100% satisfaction guarantee or you don’t pay!
Among other services offered, you will find reasonably priced, basic SEO.
When you are ready for your business to rank well, contact me.
This is not an exclusive list by no means, and I’m sure you could add to this list of 11 mistakes to avoid when hiring a website designer.
If so, please feel free to add them in a comment below to be shared with everyone.
Credit for Header: image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images open warning door caution slowly 43809 on Pixaby
