The Benefits of Hiring a Graphic Designer for Your Website Redesign
So, your website is starting to look like a relic rather than a place that showcases your brand and engages with the visitors you want to convert into customers. Unfortunately, many business websites go ignored and become outdated for too long. Over time, they’ll start showing their age – especially for visitors on mobile.
It happens. You’re focusing on running a business, and you may have been content to leave your website in set-it-and-forget-it mode. Then, you go online and find countless articles with “tricks” and “hacks” to make a great new website quickly.
Obviously, if you had the time to work on your website, you would. For those who don’t have the extra time available, that’s where finding the right graphic designer for hire can come into play.
Today, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about hiring the right freelance graphic designer for your website redesign project. We’re going to cover not only the benefits of working with a professional graphic designer but also how to find the right one for you.
First, we should cover something important: What makes a graphic designer different from a web designer?
Graphic Designer vs Web Designer
Graphic designers web designers each have their unique skill sets that can add immense value to your project. Some individuals may also double as a combination of the two, having experience on both sides of refreshing a website.
However, the first stages of your website redesign should begin with a graphic designer. Before you decide to completely overhaul your site, you probably want to see what it could look like. This also presents a great opportunity to update your logo, brand colors, and overall aesthetic to better appeal to and serve your ideal visitors. In the stages where the graphic designer is most heavily involved, you’ll be planning your mockups and concepts before you move into fully implementing your new website aesthetic.
Next, a web designer will construct the visual look and feel of your website. This includes areas like aesthetics, usability, and the overall user experience (UX). They apply design principles and their layout planning expertise to create mockups, wireframes, and visual style guides and may possibly do some finishing work after a developer has constructed the site itself.
Lastly, but definitely not least, a web developer focuses on functionality, performance, and coding. Their skills are centered around programming languages, frameworks, and back-end development. Essentially, they make your website structurally possible based on the aesthetic direction provided by graphic designers and web designers.
Typically, if you’re looking for a “two-in-one” value, many graphic designers also serve as web designers and can help you construct the full visual concept of your website. From there, the developer will build the actual website to make it a reality.
Benefits of Graphic Design Services for Website Redesigns
Access to Expertise
Think of a graphic designer as your website’s architect and builder rolled into one. They possess a unique combination of creativity, technical knowledge, and user experience (UX) understanding that you just can’t replicate with a crash course and a template. They know the ins and outs of design trends, web accessibility, and how to create a visually compelling and user-friendly experience that converts visitors into customers.
They can also apply their knowledge and expertise using advanced digital creative tools to produce an incredible finished product. Rather than having to learn how to use these yourself, you can save time and focus more on your core business while another qualified professional takes care of your design needs.
Creative Brand Development
You know your brand – what it stands for, who it’s targeting, and the values behind it. However, translating that into a visual representation is not always the easiest task.
A graphic designer can take your concepts, add their own creative perspective, and collaborate with you to establish a brand identity that not only satisfies your vision, but also makes a defining statement in your industry.
Multi-Device Designs
For your website to succeed on the ever-competitive internet, you need to make sure that your site both looks great and functions flawlessly across device types. This isn’t always simple as using an automated responsive design tool.
Automated tools that create responsive designs are convenient, we’ll give them that. Still, their customization and UX options are often limited. Instead, by designing each version of your site from scratch in a holistic manner, a graphic designer can help you work toward achieving a great experience for your visitors regardless of the device they’re using to interact with your brand online.
Optimized Media Assets
Media assets like images, graphics, and video files all severely impact a website’s load time. If a page takes too long to render, this doesn’t only bother your users – search engines like Google also hate when sites have slow load times.
Working with the right freelance graphic designer, your designer can assist you with highly optimized media assets that will be lean on load times without sacrificing the visual quality and creative edge you need to create a lasting impression with users.
Save Time and Leverage Their Network
So you’ve hired a graphic designer to help you better define your brand and refresh your website. Great! Now here are a few other questions you need to answer:
- Who is going to actually code and develop the website?
- Who is going to assist you with putting tracking codes on your pages to track performance?
- Do you want to run paid digital advertisements to drive more traffic to your site?
- Does search engine optimization (SEO) matter to you at all?
These are just some examples of questions you might have to work through once you’ve decided on your graphic designer. Since many graphic designers also work with a wide range of other talented marketers and developers, they may also have other providers in their network that you could leverage to complete your redesign in a more efficient and collaborative fashion.
How to Find the Right Freelance Graphic Designer for Your Project
Now that you’re convinced a graphic designer is the way to go, how do you find the right one for your project? Here are some critical steps:
1. Define your needs and budget: Be clear about your website’s goals, target audience, and desired redesign scope. This will help you narrow your search and communicate effectively with potential designers that you can afford.
2. Research and compare: Look for designers with experience in your industry and a portfolio that aligns with your taste. Check online reviews and testimonials to get a sense of their client satisfaction.
3. Get quotes and proposals: Don’t be afraid to contact several designers and request quotes that outline their services, fees, and timeline. Compare their approaches and find someone who fits your budget and project needs.
4. Schedule consultations: Talk to the shortlisted designers to discuss your vision, ask questions, and gauge their communication style and understanding of your project.
5. Trust your gut: Ultimately, the right designer is someone you feel comfortable collaborating with, someone who understands your specific vision and can translate it into a website that exceeds your expectations.
6: Use a reputable platform: When you’re searching for a freelance graphic designer, use a reputable platform that allows you to see multiple creative professionals and portfolios in one place. You can compare aesthetic styles, see pricing information and reviews, and make a more informed decision rather than going through multiple candidates individually.
Remember, investing in a professional website redesign is an investment in your brand’s future. By partnering with a skilled graphic designer, you can reap the benefits of a visually stunning, user-friendly, and conversion-focused website that sets you apart from the competition.
Bonus Tip: Don’t hesitate to ask for revisions and feedback throughout the design process. Open communication is key to ensuring the final product reflects your vision and achieves your business goals.
Find the Perfect Graphic Designer for Your Own Website Redesign
Great! You’ve decided a graphic designer is the right choice to spearhead your website redesign. Now – how do you find one?
The good news: They could be just a few clicks away.
At Funnel, we proudly provide an innovative platform for creative professionals to showcase their expertise, find quality opportunities, and network with other professionals in the space. With transparent information on each graphic designer’s prices, skill sets, portfolios, reviews and more, you can find the perfect partner in relaunching your digital presence.
Get started and browse our graphic designers who specialize in web design today.