# How to Pick a Great Web Designer | Reed Dynamic Blog

> Essential factors to consider when hiring a web designer for your next project, from portfolio review to communication style.

**Keywords:** Reed Dynamic, blog, hiring web designer, choosing web designer, web design tips, web designer selection, web development

**Source:** https://reeddynamic.com/blog/how-to-pick-a-great-web-designer/
**Published:** 2023-11-05
**Updated:** 2023-11-05

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[Web Development](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/category/web-development/)

# How to Pick a Great Web Designer

By [Drew Reed](https://reeddynamic.com/about/#founder), Founder & Principal EngineerPublished November 5, 20234 min read

Essential factors to consider when hiring a web designer for your next project, from portfolio review to communication style.

- [blog](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/#q=blog)
- [hiring web designer](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/#q=hiring%20web%20designer)
- [choosing web designer](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/#q=choosing%20web%20designer)
- [web design tips](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/#q=web%20design%20tips)
- [web designer selection](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/#q=web%20designer%20selection)
- [web development](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/#q=web%20development)

## In this article

1. [1. Review Their Portfolio Critically](#1-review-their-portfolio-critically)
2. [2. Understand Their Process](#2-understand-their-process)
3. [3. Check Technical Competence](#3-check-technical-competence)
4. [4. Evaluate Communication Style](#4-evaluate-communication-style)
5. [5. Read Reviews and Check References](#5-read-reviews-and-check-references)
6. [6. Understand Pricing and Value](#6-understand-pricing-and-value)
7. [7. Assess Their Understanding of Your Goals](#7-assess-their-understanding-of-your-goals)
8. [8. Look for Strategic Thinking](#8-look-for-strategic-thinking)
9. [9. Consider Post-Launch Support](#9-consider-post-launch-support)
10. [10. Trust Your Gut](#10-trust-your-gut)
11. [Questions to Ask Before Hiring](#questions-to-ask-before-hiring)
12. [Work with Reed Dynamic](#work-with-reed-dynamic)
13. [Related reading](#related-reading)

Choosing the right web designer can make or break your online presence. A great designer creates websites that look professional, work flawlessly, and drive real business results. A poor choice leads to wasted money, missed deadlines, and a website that hurts more than helps. Here's how to evaluate web designers and make a confident decision.

## 1. Review Their Portfolio Critically

A designer's portfolio shows what they're capable of—and what they prioritize. Don't just look at whether sites are "pretty." Ask deeper questions:

### Look For:

- **Variety and versatility:** Can they design for different industries and styles?
- **Mobile responsiveness:** Do portfolio sites work well on phones?
- **Page speed:** Are their sites fast? Test with Google PageSpeed Insights
- **Real businesses:** Do they show work for actual clients (not just design mockups)?
- **Results-focused design:** Do they highlight outcomes (traffic, conversions, sales)?

### Red Flags:

- All portfolio sites look similar (template-reliant)
- No live sites (only screenshots or mockups)
- Sites are slow or broken on mobile
- No case studies or client results
- Portfolio hasn't been updated in years

## 2. Understand Their Process

Great designers have a clear, repeatable process. Ask how they approach projects:

### Discovery Phase

- How do they learn about your business and goals?
- Do they research your industry and competitors?
- What questions do they ask upfront?

### Design Phase

- How many design concepts do you see?
- How many rounds of revisions are included?
- What's the review and approval process?

### Development Phase

- Who codes the site? (Designer, developer, or both?)
- What platform/technology will they use?
- How do they handle custom functionality?

### Launch and Support

- What testing happens before launch?
- Do they provide training?
- What post-launch support is included?

## 3. Check Technical Competence

Design aesthetics matter, but technical execution determines whether your site actually works. Ask about:

### SEO Knowledge

- Do they build SEO-friendly site structure?
- How do they handle meta tags, headings, and schema markup?
- Do they optimize images and page speed?

### Performance Optimization

- What's their approach to page speed?
- Do they optimize images automatically?
- Do they use CDNs and caching?

### Security

- How do they secure websites?
- Do they implement SSL certificates?
- How are updates and backups handled?

### Accessibility

- Do they design for accessibility standards (WCAG)?
- Are sites usable for people with disabilities?

## 4. Evaluate Communication Style

You'll work closely with your designer for weeks or months. Communication quality matters enormously:

### Good Signs:

- Responds promptly to inquiries
- Asks clarifying questions
- Explains technical concepts clearly
- Sets realistic expectations
- Proactively shares progress updates

### Warning Signs:

- Slow or inconsistent responses
- Vague answers or avoids questions
- Promises unrealistic timelines
- Doesn't explain technical decisions
- Gets defensive about feedback

## 5. Read Reviews and Check References

Past clients reveal what working with a designer is really like:

### Where to Look:

- Google Business reviews
- Clutch.co and similar platforms
- Testimonials on their website
- LinkedIn recommendations

### What to Ask References:

- Did the project finish on time and on budget?
- How was communication throughout the project?
- Were they responsive to feedback and changes?
- How's the site performing months/years later?
- Would you hire them again?

## 6. Understand Pricing and Value

Price matters, but value matters more. The cheapest option often costs more in the long run through revisions, fixes, and rebuilds.

### Get Clear Answers On:

- **What's included:** Design, development, content, images, SEO setup?
- **What costs extra:** Additional pages, custom features, integrations?
- **Payment terms:** Deposit, milestones, or full payment upfront?
- **Ownership:** Do you own the design and code?
- **Ongoing costs:** Hosting, maintenance, updates, support?

### Red Flags:

- Extremely low prices (you get what you pay for)
- Vague pricing without clear scope
- Require 100% payment upfront
- Hidden fees discovered later
- Don't provide ownership of files

## 7. Assess Their Understanding of Your Goals

Great designers don't just make pretty sites—they solve business problems. Do they understand:

- Your target audience and their needs?
- Your business goals (leads, sales, brand awareness)?
- Your competitive landscape?
- How to measure success?

## 8. Look for Strategic Thinking

The best designers offer strategic guidance, not just pixel-pushing:

- Do they challenge your assumptions constructively?
- Do they suggest improvements to your plan?
- Do they think about user experience and conversion?
- Do they consider long-term scalability?

## 9. Consider Post-Launch Support

Website launch is the beginning, not the end. Ask about:

- Training for managing the site
- Documentation and guides
- Bug fix warranty period
- Ongoing maintenance options
- Support availability and response time

## 10. Trust Your Gut

After evaluating everything objectively, don't ignore intuition. Do you feel confident in their expertise? Do you trust them to deliver? Will this be a positive working relationship?

## Questions to Ask Before Hiring

- What's your typical project timeline?
- How many projects do you take on simultaneously?
- Who will I be working with directly?
- What platforms/technologies do you recommend and why?
- How do you handle scope changes or additional requests?
- What happens if I'm not happy with the design?
- How do you ensure the site is secure and backed up?
- Will the site be optimized for search engines?
- What analytics and tracking will be set up?
- Do you offer ongoing maintenance after launch?

## Work with Reed Dynamic

At Reed Dynamic, we combine strategic thinking, technical expertise, and transparent communication to build websites that drive business results. We've helped businesses across industries create high-performing websites that look great and convert visitors into customers.

Ready to discuss your web design project? [Contact us](https://reeddynamic.com/contact/) to start the conversation.

## Related reading

- [Why Michigan Businesses Need Professional Web Design](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/why-michigan-businesses-need-a-professional-web-design/)
- [Why Every Business Needs a Cutting-Edge Website](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/why-every-business-needs-a-cutting-edge-website/)
- [Website Repair and Maintenance Services](https://reeddynamic.com/blog/expert-website-repair-fix-maintenance-services/)

## Related services

- [Web Development](https://reeddynamic.com/services/web-development/)
- [WordPress Development](https://reeddynamic.com/services/wordpress-development/)
- [Accessibility (WCAG / ADA)](https://reeddynamic.com/services/accessibility-wcag-ada/)

### About Drew Reed

Drew Reed is the founder and principal engineer of Reed Dynamic, a software studio near Ann Arbor, Michigan, building Magento 2 stores, iOS and Android apps, SharePoint intranets, and the API integrations that connect them since 2010. [More about us](https://reeddynamic.com/about/) · [Start a project](https://reeddynamic.com/contact/)

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## Need help putting this into practice?

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            [Start a project](https://reeddynamic.com/contact/) · [Schedule a call](https://calendly.com/reed-dynamic)

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