With so many website builders and design tools readily available online, you may be wondering if you really need to hire a web designer.
And while it is possible for most people to build and design a website on their own, without a designer, there is no guarantee that that site will do any of the things you need it to do.
A website that doesn’t function properly or look good will lose you significant online opportunities for growth and revenue.
Hiring a website designer comes with a number of benefits. To help you understand why you should hire a web designer, we’ve put together this short guide.
What is a Web Designer?
A web designer is an individual who designs websites or individual web pages (among other online content) using both creative and design software.
They are primarily responsible for the layout and visual appearance of a site and how these elements will function together in the application. Depending on their skill level, they can also execute your unique branding elements in your web design for cohesive branding and marketing.
A web designer can help to create a website that not only looks appealing to visitors but also supports your unique business or organizational goals.
Benefits of Hiring A Professional Web Design Agency
Hiring a website design company makes good business sense.
Even if you are capable of putting together a site using any number of available tools, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve the results you are after.
The benefits of hiring a professional web designer far outweigh the costs. Not only will you get a great website, but you will have more time to focus on the actual running of your business or organization!
Here’s a list of some of the biggest benefits of hiring a professional web design agency:
A Custom Design
With a professional web design agency, you will get a site that is unique to you and perfectly represents your brand voice.
Typically, the web designer will first evaluate your business and then come to you with some very important questions about your goals for the site. Will the site be for informational purposes or do you plan to use it to generate more sales? Will these sales be online sales or visits to your brick and mortar location?
Your designer will want to know a little more about you, your ideal customer/client, and how you want to be seen by and engage with visitors.
From there, a site will be created that speaks to these needs and goals, helping you achieve the results you desire.
When using do-it-yourself site builders and templates, you will only have limited capabilities and may have image, graphic, and text restrictions to contend with.
A professional web designer does not have these same limitations.
Improved User Experience
The user experience, or UX, is a critical factor to your site’s success.
UX is simply the experience a visitor has when they arrive on your site. The more enjoyable the experience, the more likely they are to stay on your site and to take whatever action you are hoping for (i.e., product purchase, registration, etc). A good UX can make visitors come back again and again.
Site layout, load times, ease of navigation, and content relevance can all contribute to UX.
A professional web design company understands the average visitor journey, and after consultations with you, they understand your target audience and your business objectives.
A web designer can create a site that accomplishes your aims while providing the user with a comfortable, valuable, and headache-free experience.
Mobile-Friendly Layouts
In the final quarter of 2021, mobile visits accounted for 54.4% of all web traffic. This means that it is in your best interest to have a responsive website.
Responsive website design is a development approach that ensures dynamic changes to a site’s appearance based on the size and orientation of the screen being used to view.
Without a responsive, mobile-friendly website, you could be losing a significant number of visitors within seconds. This is part of UX.
Mobile visitors expect your site to load quickly and for it to be easy to read and navigate from their mobile device. Give them what they are looking for and they are more likely to do the same for you!
Improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO) For Increased Traffic
A professional web design agency can ensure your site is search engine optimized (SEO).
It is estimated that Google processes 63,000 search queries per second or 5.6 billion searches per day. And with trillions of indexed pages, Google is a busy place. Without proper SEO techniques applied to your website, it will be next to impossible for anyone to find you.
What good is a website no one sees?
A web designer can properly optimize images and text on both the front and back end of your site, allowing your audience to find it.
And because SEO is an ongoing, continually evolving process, your design team can help you stay ahead of the latest trends. For example, 55% of teens are using voice search on Google every day. This means that this particular search type is likely to grow as these teens age. And if your site isn’t prepared for that shift down the road, you can miss out on conversions.
Quicker Load Times
Website load time refers to the amount of time it takes for your page to fully load or appear on the screen. These load times play a significant role in the success (or failure!) of your website. Ideally, your website load time should be between 2 and 5 seconds.
Load times are important because:
- Conversion rates drop by an average of 4.42% with each additional second of load time
- Probability of bounce increases 32% as page load time goes from 1 to 3 seconds.
Load time can be impacted by things like site type, file size, hosting, widgets/plug-ins, and more.
A professional website designer can ensure that all of these elements are properly employed, that images are compressed where possible, and that your site loads as quickly as possible.
Improved Website Conversions
For visitors to convert, whatever that means for you, the site must work to move the visitor toward that end.
Using the elements listed above, and employing smart design strategies, a website designer can funnel visitors in the direction of your objectives.
Without a design professional working on your behalf, you may be missing features that make your site difficult to understand and navigate.
A professional website design agency can ensure you have intuitive pages that make sense for your audience and your brand.
Discover More About WDK’s Custom Web Design Services
If you find yourself asking “do I need a web designer?”, the answer is likely yes!
Hiring a professional website design agency, like WDK, just makes practical sense. Our team will work with you to create a custom website that provides an exceptional UX, improves conversions, and ensures you can be found in online searches.
To learn more about what we can do for you, contact us today!
Additional Resources:
- Benefits of Website Maintenance
- Why is Good UX Important?
- What is the Difference between Frontend and Backend Web Development?
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