Hiring a Web Designer by Jake Gonzales
Hiring a Web Designer by Jake Gonzales
Your website remains a place where you get to call the shots on design and content. When it comes to hiring a designer to create or update your Website, you need to evaluate your options carefully. Changing the face of your business on the internet is a big step, one that you want to put in capable and competent hands.
Domain Name Registration and Website Hosting A domain name is the website address for your pharmacy( i. e. abcpharmacy. com). It is imperative that you control and own your domain name because it’ s the method your customers will use to find you on the internet for years to come. If your designer purchases or manages the domain name for you, you will have a tough time getting ownership rights back if you part ways or if your designer goes out of business.
The same holds for your website hosting plan. Website hosting is a lease of space on a Web server where your website’ s files are stored. You should own and control this account too. But don’ t worry about the management of your website! Hosting companies like DreamHost make management a snap through their award-winning website control panel.
Content Management System A content management system like WordPress allows you to easily update information on your website without needing to pay a designer. By using a particular website address, you can log into your website and modify its core content. For example, if your pharmacy purchases a toll-free phone number, you can access the“ Contact Us” page, add the information, and save the changes.
Website Templates Content management systems store the text and images on your website, but a template determines the appearance of the content to your customers. If a designer insists that you need a template coded from the ground up, run the other way! There are so many well-designed and low-cost templates on the market that it is more cost effective to purchase a standard theme and have your designer modify it to your tastes.
Social Media Any template worth its price will have the ability to tie your social media accounts to your website. Make sure your designer can deliver a well-connected website.
Search Engine Optimization & Analytics Search Engine Optimization is the process of crafting your website content in a way that increases your ranking on search engines. Type your pharmacy’ s name into Google. Are you the first pharmacy listed? If not, your site could use some optimization. It’ s also helpful to know how many people are visiting your website, how often, and how they’ re interacting with your content. Google Analytics makes this process easy by tracking this information and displaying it in easy-to-read graphs and charts to fine-tune your internet marketing strategy.
Training Your designer should provide some form of training on the use of your new website and its content management system. A basic training should teach you how to add new content, change old content, post pictures, update the website software, use plug-ins, and add new users.
You Get What You Pay For While it might be tempting to latch onto the first person who offers to design your site for free, you’ ll want to consider the implications of this decision. You are better off paying a designer to do the job right the first time. While this initial price may seem steep, consider the marketing impact of a well-designed website on your customers’ perception of your pharmacy’ s professionalism and attention to detail.
Final Thoughts Working with a designer can be a rewarding experience, but only if you take the time and the project seriously. Make sure you select a designer who has a demonstrated history of good design, but also takes personality and working style into account. Remember, your website is your storefront to the world. Treat it as such, and you will see the benefits long after your designer has moved on.