How To Avoid A Bad Web Designer

Have you heard of a friend who got burnt by a bad web designer / a bad web design firm?  Well, it’s not uncommon at all!  

A friend of a friend knows someone who knows a designer who built a site for his brother’s blog and that’s how you found your designer. You ended up with a website that was less than ideal.  Many businesses begin their online journey with websites they aren’t proud of. 

But your business has reached a point where you can’t do without a professional online presence.

And the very thought of kick-starting the entire process all over again may give you the chills.

There are a hundred questions running in your head: “How do I avoid a bad web designer or web design agency?” “What if I don’t like the website they build for me?”

Here are some things you could do to ease the process:

1) Make sure you hire a web designer who you have good rapport with

It starts with hiring the right designer, somehow who really gets you, your business, your visions.  Good designers are able to take your raw ideas, visualize it, elevate it, design & craft it then show you your ideas in the best light possible.

However, working with the wrong web designer can feel daunting. You are talking one language while your designer, another. You end up guessing each other without reaching anywhere.

But there’s an easy solution to avoid any confusion!

In our experience, a good website is the result of good rapport between the web designer and the client. Aim to build rapport with your designer.

Look at references on Pinterest together. Gather a board and pour out your thoughts, ideas and vision. That way your designer will know what you like and don’t like.  

Below is an example of a website we did for our client Karico Solutions International.  For each project, we put together a Pinterest mood board for art direction.  Here is ours:

2) Sometimes, your designer isn’t necessarily bad.  It could be because he/she misunderstood – always communicate in person

If you are not happy with the mock-up your designer has come up with, don’t simply send a text or an email.

Set up a face to face meeting to discuss your thoughts.

One thing we find very helpful in such situations is doing a working session. You tell us the changes you want and we do it on the fly.

This speeds up the process and always avoids any misunderstanding.  It’s also a good way to see if your web designer actually knows what he/she is doing.  You can tell by the speed 🙂

3) Work with a web designer who offers unlimited revisions

Most web design agencies will tell you that you can request no more than two, three or at most five revisions.

Working with limitations will never work in your favour. So avoid working with such designers in the first place.

At Magenta Web Design, we offer unlimited revisions until you are happy. We know our format works and we are happy to offer unlimited revisions.

This allows us to deliver a solution that works for our clients. Every time.  

Below is an example of different versions of the homepage we have created and revised for one of our clients.  You want ask your designer to give you multiple options and allow to revise with them until you are fully happy.

4) Avoid bad web designers by finding one that offers a satisfaction guarantee

Some of our clients come to us after a terrible experience with their previous web designer.

They tell us how their web designer worked with them for several months and yet had no clue about what was expected of them. The designer didn’t have a clue what the client really wanted.

Then they wonder why they paid so much!

That is not uncommon.

Website visitors begin assessing your business right from the moment they land on your website.

They are looking for clues to decide whether to engage with your website or to leave. And they do that based on what they see.

If your website is poorly designed or offers a poor user experience, your visitors are sure to click away.

Your designer either gets it or doesn’t. There’s no middle path here!

So before you sign the dotted line, make sure your designer has a clear understanding of your requirements and offers a guarantee of some sort.

Here at Magenta Design, when a client comes to us with a design or a brand identity that scores a 3 on a scale of 10, we aim to deliver a solution that scores 9/10. If we can’t do that, and after a few rounds of revisions, if we just can’t deliver what you want, we’d be happy to give you a full refund.

5) Avoid hiring a bad web designer – don’t base on solely the price

Your website is effectively the face of your business. No matter who you choose, do not base your decision solely on price.

Your website is a valuable asset, a marketing tool that, when done well, can improve traffic, increase conversions and boost revenue.

With so much at stake, it’s only wise to choose a designer who understands the intricacies of good web design, appreciates the value of good user experience and is committed to building a conversion driven website for you.

Not sure how much you should pay a good web designer?  Here is an article we wrote on How much does a website really cost? Why do web design prices vary so much?

Magenta Design can help!

Here at Magenta Design, customer satisfaction is our goal.

Whether you are looking for a website, new brand identity or need help with SEO, we will work with you to deliver a custom solution.

With our data-backed approach and a proven web design process, we assure you of building a winning website for you.

Contact us today for a chat. Call 905 882 3145 now.