How do I hire a webdesigner?

slush Peon

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#1

So I've been reading the BST and looking at the ads that programmers and designers post. But I'm confused by some of the terms. Like, when they say that the layout for the website is $100 - does that mean the whole website is $100 or $100/page?

Is it normal to have one person to the design, and then pay another to code it for me, or should I have the same person do both? And how do I know if I need CSS and PHP? I want a fairly basic website with about 6 different pages. One page will be a form that my visitors fill out. I was also thinking of having a login page for registered users that will display their account details - what do I need for that?

I'm really surprised there is no sticky that serves as a guide for us noobs on how to hire a webdesigner.

slush, Sep 1, 2008 IP

Zwitterion Peon

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#2

You can try elance.com, getafreelancer.com

there are many webdesigners there

Zwitterion, Sep 1, 2008 IP

amazingronit Well-Known Member

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#3

that should be pretty simple. you can talk to the designers on IM or maybe you can call them over phone. so that you can be clear about what they can do for you. there are lots of good web designers here on DigitalPoint. You'll surely get a good deal

amazingronit, Sep 1, 2008 IP

kiteguy123 Guest

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#4

Just do a post in the BST here. Be specific as to what you want, and there'll be someone here who can do it, and ask for a quote from them. If that fails (which I honestly doubt it will) check out other sites such as elance.com and getafreelancer.com. Hope you find someone soon

kiteguy123, Sep 1, 2008 IP

Eloans Active Member

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#5

It is always a good idea to have a web designing company do the job- both designing and coding rather than different people work on it. Also we have always believed the website of the person designing your website should give you a good picture as to what you should expect.

Eloans, Sep 1, 2008 IP

zinruss Notable Member

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#6

slush said: ↑

So I've been reading the BST and looking at the ads that programmers and designers post. But I'm confused by some of the terms. Like, when they say that the layout for the website is $100 - does that mean the whole website is $100 or $100/page?
Click to expand...

If you are refering to link section, then they are selling links and resell rights excluded. If you are refering to template section, then they are selling themes with full rights.

What to Look For in Web Designer

Your site is the cornerstone of your business on the web, and so you should exercise care in what goes on it. Because of that, you should consider carefully who you pick to design.

The biggest question is what kind of design you need, not what kind of design you want. Too many small business owners expect the site to be some major investment, but plan too small of a budget for it. Figure that you will be spending at least $1000; realistically, you will be spending a lot less than that, but thatâ€™s a great starting figure. After all, you arenâ€™t paying for the time that the designer spends creating your site, but for what amounts to a somewhat permanent advertisement for your business. It makes no sense having no problem budgeting $400-$500 for a newspaper advertisement thatâ€™s only going to last a few months, but budgeting only $100 for web design.

Look at this way: Realistically, itâ€™s only going to take about eight hours of labor (tops) to design the site, and most of that is creating the images needed for the site. Also, a good part of that time will be spent submitting your site to search engines and some of the major directories, such as DMOZ. You may budget only $10 per hour for that, but you are going to end up getting what you paid for. A better price is $25 to $50 an hour; a basic five-page site should run about $300 to $500 minimally. It may seem expensive, but you are paying for a lot more than just services rendered; you are paying for something that will be a major advantage for your business, and help to increase your business far more than almost any other form of advertising. That, not the time it takes to design it, should be the consideration.

When it comes to the designer himself, ask to look for sites, and get some statistics on those sites. When you are looking at the sites, donâ€™t let your prejudices regarding popular colors and design influence your decision; ask yourself if you can tell what the site sells, and if you can everything quickly. If you can, then the design is successful. Also, plug some of the siteâ€™s keywords into your favorite search engine, and explore the results. An ideal result is within the first three or four pages (studies have shown that searchers will look as far as six or seven pages before choosing a company, so showing up on the first page should not be as important as you would think it is). You should take into consideration how well the sites do, rather than their design.

Also, remember that once you have chosen your designer, listen to what that person says. It may not sound like what you are expecting (especially if he says that it may take six months to show up on search engine!). Anyone that promises instant results should be disregarded out of hand, as that person is just not being realistic. Just remember to trust your gut and their results rather than the person himself, and you should do fine.
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zinruss, Sep 1, 2008 IP

prSEO Peon

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#7

DigitalPoint has hundreds of designers. I would search in the Buy, Sell, Trade forum if you are looking for one there are anything from cheap designers to professional and same with coders if you need their services to.

prSEO, Sep 1, 2008 IP

Sensei.Design Prominent Member

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#8

I would recomend you to use a cms for running your website. if you'Re interested i can give you some advice and if you wnat me to also create a design but this is your decision.

if you made a decision on what you want go to the bst section and open a thread give some information about the website and aks for quotes and examples.

Sensei.Design, Sep 1, 2008 IP