Imagine discovering an ad online for a product that you’ve been dying to find. You click on the link and follow it to their website, only to find a bland, lifeless page. Now you’re second guessing whether you actually need this product or not. Confusing. Product seems great, but the user interface is uninspiring. Now, imagine this product is your own. Would you offer it on this same outdated site? The answer is likely a resounding no. It’s important not to overlook the benefits of solid web design. While the design work is important, the partnership you form with your web designer is just as important. Finding a quality partner to help bring your vision to life will make all the difference in the final product. Here are some things to look for when searching for your next web design services provider.

1) Web Design Portfolio

First things first! You’ll want to take a look at their portfolio if they have one available. And if they don’t… Might be worth looking elsewhere. You’ll want to look at the industries they’ve worked with, the website design work they’ve contributed, and whether or not you like what you see.

2) Responsive Design

The second thing to look for is a web design company that understands responsive design. For those who aren’t familiar, responsive web design is a convention that promotes mobile friendly design patterns. Your visitors are much more likely to visit on a mobile device and having a site that is mobile first is more important than ever.

3) Modern Design Trends

It’s important that your next web designer keeps up with all the modern conventions and design trends as well. Similar to the example I introduced above, you’ll want your product and offerings to be presented in a modern way. Let’s be honest, we all like shiny, nice things and one of the most popular complaints I’ve received in my years in software is: “The user interface doesn’t look very nice”.

4) Experience, Experience, Experience

This goes hand in hand with looking through their portfolio. The more industries your next web design company has worked with, the more you are assured that you will be provided a unique design. You might think there’s a benefit to hiring a web design specialist who works exclusively with one industry. But there’s a chance you might receive a product that looks similar to other work they’ve done before.

5) They listen to you!

This is the most vital part of your next partnership. Responsive, modern web design only goes so far if your voice is drowned out in the process. You’ll want to combine your industry specific expertise with their web design experience to produce a final product that best meets your needs.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but this forms a nice baseline on the search for your next web designer. Remember, it’s important to ask questions and make sure you understand the process involved with creating and designing your website. Here’s to providing your customers an awesome, memorable and well designed experience!