There comes a time when every business needs to spread its brand and reach new customers far and wide. Though launching a website brings you one step closer to your goals, it's not always an easy task. However, you have a few choices. You can learn Web programming and buy development software to do the job yourself. Then again, you could hire a Web designer to do the job for you.
You might wonder why you would ever hire a professional when you could build a site on your own. Look at it this way: You need to design the layout, program the functions, write the content and market your brand. Not everyone has content writers, digital strategists, user-experience designers and marketers at their disposal. When you use a professional Web agency, these things are all taken care of for you.
14 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Web Designer
1. Make a great first impression.
Let's say you run a retail shop somewhere in the downtown area. What do you want people to see when they step through the door? Is it a vast selection of products or helpful staff eagerly waiting to help? Though you want to provide great products and services for your customers, they should also see your design, creativity and attention to detail.
First impressions matter, and users flock to modern and shiny websites. Your site should not only cater to your customers' needs but also provide a great visual experience. Creating a "wow" moment when people land on your site and making it easy for them to find what they're looking for will keep your visitors there and coming back as customers.
2. Experience helps.
You may have a great idea for your website but lack the skills to make it happen. Many business owners rush the process and launch a website without thinking about its design. Some even turn to using prebuilt templates and soon discover the limitations. Professional web designers have the experience to create exactly what you want without restricting or limiting your design.
3. Save time and money.
Would you rather spend time focusing on your business or sitting at a computer learning how to do Web design? It takes a lot of time developing and running a website, from handling the graphic design to creating blogs and maintaining the code. Before you know it, running your site has become a full-time job.
Your time is better spent dealing with the important parts of your business, such as providing quality customer service and shipping your products. By letting professional Web designers handle your website, you can focus on running your business and making it a success.
4. Professionalism matters.
You might have heard this phrase before: "You get what you pay for." It's a very true phrase in the Web design world. You could pay for a template and launch a website in the same day. You could hire an amateur designer from a freelancing platform. However, you'll get exactly what you pay for – an amateur-looking website that does nothing to help or grow your business.
Your website is the face of your online business. If it looks unprofessional and fails to give users a good experience, they'll go somewhere else. Having a professional-quality website will capture more visitors and help spread your brand to other parts of the Web.
5. Increase your conversion rates.
You want to convert visitors into customers. Professional Web designers understand how to implement key elements on your site and landing page to increase conversions. Some of these elements include a clear call to action, an effective headline and a responsive, tidy layout.
Good Web designers also double as marketers, creating a website that not only looks professional but also promotes your business. A conversion-centric website focuses on customers, pulls them in and makes them click through to the next page. The longer they stay on your site, the more likely they'll purchase something and come back in the future.
6. Stay ahead of modern trends.
Today's websites look nothing like they did when the Internet first entered the mainstream. Sites were once filled with multicolored fonts, animated images and flashing banners on every page (and don’t forget those fiery little balls running across the page!). Some sites only had links with very few images at all. Thankfully, times have changed and ushered in a new era of Web design.
Websites now have to look good on multiple devices such as desktops, tablets and smartphones. They need to respond well to various screen sizes, load quickly and have an easy-to-use layout. As technology improves and Web design evolves, it pays to have a professional designer work with you and keep your website up to date with the latest trends.
7. Make it easy to read and navigate.
It's very difficult to view and navigate a desktop website on a tablet or a smartphone. Having your website respond well to multiple devices provides a great user experience for everyone. Your site should have a unified look and make your visitors feel at home whether they log in from their laptops or tablets.
Responsive design is the key to providing the same user experience on any device. Whether it's a 24-inch monitor or a 4-inch screen, a responsive website will scale to fit and provide the content in an easy-to-view layout. You'll never have to worry about missing images, text or menu items.
8. Improve your brand recognition.
Though it's important to have a unified look on every device, it's even more important to keep your branding consistent. If you operate a deli in town, your website should have the same look and feel as your business. Having consistent branding helps visitors recognise you when they visit your site. Even if you run a simple blog, your branding helps to sell your content to the reader.
Professional Web designers specialise in the user experience and can easily implement your brand into your new website. Keeping your branding consistent will build customer trust and confidence and give your customers the same feeling whether they visit you online or locally.
9. Give customers a great user experience.
Branding isn't the only thing that gives people a great user experience. Knowing your customers and what they enjoy will improve how they interact with and share your site. The overall design makes a huge impact on the user experience and can persuade visitors to take one action over the other. A well-planned, innovative website can influence the behaviour and action of every visitor and result in a more successful online presence.
Professional Web designers create a good user experience, also referred to as UX. Quantum knows what works and what doesn't from countless tried-and-tested methods. Through good UX, your site will lead visitors by the hand, help influence their decisions and convert them to loyal customers.
10. With growth comes opportunity.
Just because your business starts small doesn't mean it will stay that way forever. It will grow as you gain more customers; therefore, your website should grow with you. You may want blog pages to connect with your customers or social plug-ins to spread the word about new products. You might also want to add a shopping cart and an improved store page to make purchasing items easier for everyone.
When you hire professional Web designers, they think about these things beforehand and develop your site with scalability in mind. They make it easy to add useful features later without costing you downtime and sales.
11. Have a team work for you.
Teams accomplish more in less time than one person who does everything alone. Between juggling business tasks and building your online presence, it can get frustrating and leave you pressed for time. Neglecting your website leads to unsecured code. The overall design can also end up dated and unappealing to those who expect a more modern aesthetic.
Having a professional Web agency work for you takes the burden off your shoulders. You don't have to worry about maintaining your site, updating old plug-ins, reconfiguring the layout or updating to a modern, responsive design.
12. Send your message loud and clear.
You can have an outstanding mission statement, a wonderful reputation and great services. However, if you don't know how to communicate those things on your website, you'll miss out on the exposure and benefits that come along with them. Professional designers know how to make your business shine on the Web by taking what you offer and showcasing it for all to see.
13. Target your specific audience.
You may have heard about search engine optimisation but don't know how to implement it on your site. Professional Web designers do more than add style to a website; they also know how to target the people in your market. When SEO is used properly, it brings customers to your website when they perform a search.
For example, if someone types "flower delivery Sydney" in a browser, the search engine will list the available flower shops in the Sydney area. If your site capitalises on SEO, it will rate near or at the top of the search result pages. Good Web design combined with SEO equals greater conversions from the start. In short, your website starts paying for itself immediately.
14. Professional designers yield professional results.
In the end, it's all about getting the most professional-looking website for your business. You don't have time to sit down and learn HTML5, CSS, JavaScript or any other programming language to build your site. In addition, your money should go toward promoting your business, not Web development or graphics software. Whether it's e-commerce, social media integration or other features, the professional Web designers at Quantum can implement them quickly and efficiently.
Professional Web Design Done Right
Whether it's targeting your audience, improving the user experience or increasing your conversion rates, there are plenty of reasons to choose a professional agency to design your website. Building a custom site isn't easy and takes careful planning to ensure a successful outcome. Let us work for you and bring your vision to the Web. The designers here at Quantum not only specialise in designing, building and maintaining websites; we're also driven to see you succeed and grow in the online marketplace.
