Do you love your website?
Are you proud to display it as a business tool and a true work of art?
If the answer to either question is “no,” your site is not built to its full potential … and here are 10 reasons why you should consider hiring a web design consultant.
Website Audit
Imagine pouring a lot of time and work into building your website, just to find out that it’s not actually serving your business.
A well-built site doesn’t just look great — it is functional, optimized for the latest search engine algorithms, and it boasts a user-friendly interface.
To an untrained eye, your current website may seem adequate. However, a professional web designer may have additional insight into what works in terms of digital performance.
Hire a web design consultant to perform a website audit. They can ensure your digital home is up to par in the following ways.
1. Optimize For a Modern Framework
1. Optimize For a Modern FrameworkIs your site compatible with Web 2.0?
This concept is a framework for how modern sites should be designed. At a glance, your web design consultant can scrutinize whether your layout, imagery, and content adhere to the latest Web 2.0 guidelines.
A site built around Web 2.0 specifications loads faster, looks cleaner, and ranks better in search engines than sites that are technically out-of-date.
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2. Check If Site Is Mobile-Friendly
How do most people access the Internet today?
Smartphones and tablets are surpassing traditional computers in terms of Internet access today, thanks to their powerful specs and portability. It’s easier and more convenient for people to conduct business on-the-go.
Data gathered by Statcounter in November 2016 shows that 51.3 percent of Internet users accessed the web via a mobile device rather than a computer.
If your website is optimized for desktop usage only, it can cost you customers. People are not likely to do business with a company whose site is clunky and lagging when displayed on their tablets.
A web design consultant can test your site on a variety of platforms, and then incorporate a sleek interface that is compatible with any browser. In some cases, he might recommend building a scaled-down version of the site to accommodate mobile usage.
If you are building a site on WordPress, I recommend drag-and-drop page builder plugins like Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, WPBakery, etc. They are easy to use and have SEO Optimized layouts. FYI – DemandSage, the exclusive partner of Divi Page Builder, has a 20% discount code for first-time users.
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3. Make Sure Site Adheres To Accessibility Standards
Did you know that people with disabilities use various adaptive technology to get online?
Visually impaired visitors use a screen reader to navigate the web, for instance. This type of software converts text from the screen into synthesized speech. In order for this assistive software to work properly, websites must be built around certain accessibility guidelines.
A web designer who is familiar with accessibility for the disabled can steer you toward building a more user-friendly site. Since optimizing for accessibility often results in a less cluttered interface, your nondisabled customers can appreciate the layout, too.
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4. Eliminate Broken Links
Dead links are bad for business.
The last thing a visitor wants to see when they click on a Google search result is a 404 “page not found” error. During an audit, your consultant can test each link and page on your site to fix any such errors.
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5. Adhere To Latest SEO Trends
What good is your site if no one visits it because no one knows it’s there?
Think of your website as your digital storefront, and of Google and other search engines as maps. If your storefront is nowhere on the map, its visibility is drastically reduced.
Search engines update their algorithms constantly, and Google is especially stringent with what ranks highly in their results. Anything Google deems as spam is automatically blacklisted.
Web consultants keep up with the latest Search Engine Optimization trends. Hiring an SEO specialist means you can prevent a low Google ranking due to an innocent mistake.
Long-Term Maintenance
Hiring a web design consultant can ensure that regular maintenance of your site runs smoothly. In addition to helping with the technical aspects of the website, a consultant can connect you with experts within related industries who will make your content stand out.
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6. Connect With Content Writers
Who has time to write web content while running a business?
You might not have that kind of time, and if you hire a web consultant, you won’t have to fit that in.
Web designers tend to network with agencies and freelancers from related industries. Content writers and designers go hand-in-hand.
Your consultant can connect you with a web content writer to help with your text. The writer can update your blog, perfect ad copy, and edit all of the essential pages on your site.
Or, if you work with Goodman Creatives, we can do your copywriting in-house.
Under such circumstances, the writer and consultant can manage your site as a team while you contribute by specifying what you would like done.
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7. Network With Photographers and Video Producers
Your website should be aesthetically pleasing. It should capture the essence of your business with masterful photography and engaging videos.
There’s no need to be a career videographer to boost your business’s image when you work with a web design consultant. Chances are he has cultivated partnerships with a trustworthy photo/video expert he can recommend.
Perhaps the designer himself specializes in photography.
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8. Suggest Digital Marketing Strategies
Can you sell your services online?
Digital marketing is very different from traditional marketing. In order to succeed online, you need to employ strategies that link to SEO and engage your audience’s short attention span.
While web designers may not be marketing strategists, they understand how to target an audience through technology. Your consultant can give you marketing pointers from a web developer’s perspective wile you fill in the rest with your business-savvy mindset.
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9. Give Frequent Website Makeovers
How often do you update your website?
Building a site and then leaving it untouched for long intervals is bad for Google rankings. Performing regular site maintenance can help you:
- Catch any errors quickly, before visitors get frustrated with your pages.
- Upload new media such as an updated logo.
- Post news about your products and services.
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10. Manage Coding And Other Technical Data
Did you rely on frequent glances into HTML reference guides to build your site?
Or, maybe you don’t know HTML at all. That’s ok!
HTML tags have to be precise. One small mistake in a formula can result in a layout glitch or poorly placed content.
There’s no need to worry about complicated tags and strings of code when you hire a web design consultant to handle that work. Programming is every web designers second language.
Can You Use A Web Design Consultant?
Building a website is intense, technical, and sometimes intimidating work. Unless you are a web developer, you can use the help of an expert to make your digital storefront shine.
Don’t hesitate: Contact us for a quote today.
