As a web designer, it’s very important to strike an equilibrium between business and art. And when you are designing a website for a registered dietitian and nutritionist (RDN), then you must give equal importance to every element be it design or boosting conversion rate. Website is a business tool, so it’s highly recommended that a designer decodes what his prospect expects, what he wants to convey and subsequently the audience’s reaction to the interface. There are abundant web designers who maintain that ‘they are the best’, but guessing the best from the herd could be tedious. However, there are some traits that a best web designer flaunts, so, let me just enlist these skills that you should look for in a good web designer while hiring.
A Good Listener
Listening skills are a top-notch priority. An ideal web designer will listen to all your ideas and try to come up with a design that covers the core concepts. Of course, he should not just nod and agree to all terms, instead he should give his suggestions too. A client will always come up with changes in midway but handling them after carefully listening to their choices is real excellence. If a designer isn’t listening to your suggestions, then it’s better to move on with another designer.
Knowledge Base
Knowing HTML, constructing layouts with CSS, managing Content Management System are some of the basics that every web designer should brag. Some designers feel that its OK to not know coding, because the process of – easy creation of websites, has made them tag themselves as professional. So, before taking a web designer on board, make sure his concepts are clear regarding web designing. A great designer should have basic knowledge of HTML as it is the basic framework of all pages on the web.
Tricks And Tips
A good web designer has a gamut of tips and tricks for the smooth running of the process. Most importantly, he is never afraid to share his tricks, rather implements them to the fullest. These tricks, help designers to save time and even money, thus making the entire process easy. So, if your designer is proactively sharing tricks, then hands down – he is the best.
Designing With SEO In Mind
Speed is the protagonist of the website. Its loading time, has a far-reaching impact on SEO. Loading time can be affected by design elements – sliders, animations, flash, etc., so a good designer uses them wisely. Also, clear and clean code, neatly written meta tags and descriptions, proper usage of keywords in the pages copy, optimized image are some of the key players when it comes to search friendly website. So, if a designer is utilizing these factors smartly, then he is the right one.
Outstanding Content
Several times, many websites boast of content that is poorly written, or displays a piece of information that holds no importance. But a good designer will make sure that the content outshines and complements the design. If he is outsourcing it to a writer then he will make sure to give him proper guidelines for writing the content. He may also ask the writer to interact with the client to simplify the task.
Solution-Finder
While working on coding, there are times when a designer might hit a roadblock, but rising above the problem – lies the true quality of a web designer. Getting stuck, hitting a mental block, is the part and parcel of any business. But suppressing them with effective R&D (Research and development) is sheer excellency. Most importantly, a good designer will not look for alternatives, but will hunt for solutions till he is fully satisfied.
Communication Skills
Communication can either nurture or ruin a relationship. A great designer has the ability to walk-in into a client’s office, absorb their brand, strike a conversation and understand their needs. He communicates and articulates his thoughts and ideas to form a close-knit relationship. A designer will always express his vision and will make sure to guide his team to achieve that vision.
Market Knowledge
A good designer is well aware about the market. He is well-versed about the latest trends, ideas, modern design techniques and makes sure to implement that to the fullest. He is also aware about the target group and hence creates design that blends with the market. Lack of knowledge – is a major obstacle for an average designer, but experienced ones keep themselves updated to the fullest. Every new trend is a learning experience for them.
Business Skills
A great designer is aware about his talent, and thus he makes sure to market his profile and work smartly. He makes sure to find more and more clients, maintains his relations with the client and markets his services at the right place and at the right time. Along with this, a good designer is into multi-tasking too wherein he blends his creativity and business mind subtlety.
Presentation Skills
Presentation skills are extremely important for designers when they are trying to sell their ideas. They are well-equipped with tools and software to design a website, but presenting and communicating them to their clients – lies their skill set. Also, with presentation skills, a good designer is able to explain the road map of the project – as to how he intends to undertake it.
Apart from this, a web designer should maintain constant follow-ups with his clients, timeliness, design sound packages, explore his creativity, be observant of minute details and be attentive. There are various web designers who commit several mistakes but rising above them is the real ‘master’. So, are you looking forward for a designer to get started with a website that will help your business then do get in touch with us!
