A good website designer will design the look of your website, i.e. what the homepage will look like, the layout of the pages, the logo, suggest colours to use etc. 

A website developer takes the designs created by the designer and builds the website.  They both have different roles, in the same way an architect can design a building but you would need to employ a builder to actually build it.  There are not many people who are excellent designers and developers. 

If you look in the yellow pages or do a search on the internet, you will see there are many website design and development agencies around.  Choosing the right website designer could take a bit of shopping around and prices will vary considerably.  It is worth selecting and speaking to a variety of website designers in your local area or city, to get a feel for what they are like and the kind of designs they create.  It is also worth remembering the saying ‘you get what you pay for!’ 

Your website could be the first point of contact for new and existing visitors.  The look and feel of your website could have people flocking to your site or clicking away to a competitor’s website. 

Having a poorly designed website may:

• not attract the visitors you are looking
• have fewer recommendations
• may annoy existing visitors, if they can’t find what they are looking for
• not give your company or service a professional image, which could give the impression that you cannot be trusted and relied on to deliver what you promise

Many website designers are freelancers who work from home, the advantages of this is that they won’t have the same overheads as a designer that works for a big agency, therefore they may be able to produce designs for less money.  However, assigning work to a designer working for a small or large company could mean that the whole website can be produced in-house.  By getting the whole package from one company can make it easier to contact and/or resolve problems because there is only one company involved.  Whether you choose a freelancer or a larger agency, the quality of work can vary considerably, so it is always worth taking a look at the designs they have created for previous clients. 

Choosing a designer

The most important thing to consider is, do you like the style of their designs?  Take a look at their website and portfolio to find out about the kind of designs they have created for previous clients.

Other things to consider.

Have they got:

• Knowledge of brand identity and good logo design
• Knowledge of usability
• A professional attitude
• Good subject knowledge
• An up to date portfolio
• A varied client base
• A variety of ways for you to contact them e.g. e-mail, landline number, mobile number, address
• A number of years experience behind them