Choosing a web designer for your business in Cape Town is something you should approach with care. All web designers do not offer the same quality and they might not specialize in what you need for your business. Many web designers work on different technologies and they are not all appropriate for all businesses. In this article, we will go through the key points you want to look at before choosing the appropriate web designer for your specific requirements.
What is a web designer?
A web designer is a professional who designs the user interface of websites while taking into consideration the user experience of the website visitors. The objective of the web designer is to create an ultimate experience for web page visitors and to provide fluid navigation and an easy customer journey depending on the objective of the website.
Not all web designers can do both UI (layout look and feel) and UX (customer journey and customer experience) as these are totally different fields. This is why some websites end up having a very nice look but are horrible to navigate through to end up where you want to go or difficult to get the information you are looking for.
Web designers are different from web developers as they usually do not offer custom functionalities such as options to book meetings, integration with external booking systems, or external payment or accounting programs. However, most professional web designers are able to offer functionalities through the setting up of plugins in the backend. WordPress has a lot of third-party plugins which really power up websites without any need for coding.
Technology used by the web designer
Tools like Wix and Squarespace are being developed so fast that it is possible for almost everyone to set up a ‘website’. However, this usually ends up with a graphic representation on a screen that has low to no consistency, does not convey a message, or is just of very poor quality. This is because, even though the tools are there, one still needs the expertise of knowing what works and what doesn’t in specific situations in relevant industries.
Web designers at AB Designs work with WordPress, which is the most popular and robust platform and has been for several years in a row. Several big companies around the world have developed tools compatible with WordPress (and are still upgrading these) to allow for even better custom designs and even more complex functionalities without the need for coding and development.
WordPress is also the most SEO-friendly platform, which means that it gives a clear advantage to the websites built with it when it comes to ranking on google.
If you are looking for a website for your business and you want it to be found online by your audience, opt for a company or a web designer that uses a tool as professional as WordPress.
How good is the web designer with graphic design?
Graphic design is a profession on its own and web designers are not expected to master this skill. However, because all websites need personalization, most web designers learn how to use graphic design tools to give life to their ideas.
It is common for web designers to also work and collaborate with graphic designers and vice versa. You will know if they have skills for graphic design or if they collaborate with graphic designers if you look at their services offer. They would usually offer branding and logo design as part of their services.
AB Designs is an agency regrouping both web designers and graphic designers in order to offer the most comprehensive and unique product to their clients. The websites we craft are all premium quality and tailored to each business’s goals and objectives.
Do the web designers offer website performance optimisation?
A website is good only if it performs. And to perform, they have to be built in a very specific manner. This is also why websites built on less professional platforms tend to underperform.
Web designers build websites according to industry guidelines and the majority of these are derived from Google’s guidelines and best practices. A website needs to load fast and there are a lot of technical optimizations that need to happen in the back end to make this happen.
If you have a simple portfolio and you usually use it to show people your past work as opposed to wanting to drive traffic to your website to generate leads and sales, then you don’t have to worry about this. However, if your goal is to have your website work alongside your sales strategy and generate ROI, then choose a web designer or web design agency that provides performance optimization.
You will know who provides this as they would usually also provide search engine optimization. Obtaining a website that is fully SEO-ready is a must for businesses and unfortunately, most of them do not know that. Some realize that too late, after months or years, and would say “why is no one getting in touch with me for business through my website?”. That’s because no one ever finds you!
AB Designs has a team dedicated to SEO. They work with web designers to ensure that the product they release adheres to all Google’s guidelines.
Can your web designer write your website content?
This is a no! Web designers do not write content. Unless you have a team or you have written the content yourself, you should be very careful about what kind of content you will be posting on your website.
Content is usually researched first to find the best keywords and the best format to help search engines understand what your page is about. This is what will also determine how well your page ranks on Google and gets discovered by your potential clients.
A web designer only creates the space for the content; However, website design companies know that, in the eyes of Google, content is king. Thus, they employ content writers to curate their clients’ websites text and help it be optimized and more discoverable.
How much does a web designer cost in Cape Town?
A web designer in Cape Town can cost anywhere between 10,000 Rands to 100,000 Rands and more if the project is very big and complex. It is always important to discuss your budget and objectives with your web designer as he will be able to give you the best options which fit your budget without compromising on quality and efficiency.
Ab Designs is a web design company in Cape Town that helps individuals, SMEs, and larger corporates with their website design by offering websites that are modern, performant, and that work well along with their sales strategy.
Contact us today by email at hello@arnaud-brunel.com or give us a call on +27 76 269 0535.
We can help.
