7 Things Your Website Designer Doesn’t Want to Tell You, But I Will

In this episode of "Get Over Your Shit," host Malinda Watt delves into the intricate world of hiring website designers. Titled "What Your Website Designer Won't Tell You," this episode equips listeners with crucial information and insider tips for making informed decisions in the often overwhelming process of designing a business website. Malinda draws from her extensive experience to reveal seven key things that website designers might not disclose, ensuring that listeners leave empowered and ready to take on their website projects with confidence.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the essentials: Not every element of your website requires a designer; tools like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace can be user-friendly and cost-effective.
• Be aware of templates: Many designers use templates as starting points, which can save time and money if clients are informed.
• Account for revisions: Clarify the number of revisions included in your contract to avoid unexpected costs.
• Consider long-term control: Ask about site management post-launch to ensure you can edit your website without dependency on the designer.
• Identify potential costs: Ask for a breakdown of all fees, including hidden costs associated with plugins and hosting, to prevent budget surprises.

Episode Resources:

• Malinda's Website Content Planner

 
"A beautiful site means nothing if no one can find it."

Additional Links & Resources:

• Stop letting content keep you stuck—jumpstart your website planning with clarity and confidence! Get your content organized in just a few hours: https://malindawatt.com/planner
• Try Siteground, my favorite website hosting company: Siteground.com
• Learn more about me and my work at malindawatt.com

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Get Over Your Sh!t! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a rating or review. Share this with someone who needs a push to start taking action—because we’re all about moving forward together!

Hosted by Malinda Watt
Edited by Chris @ Wider View Studios
Music License purchased from stockmusic.com

Transcript

0:00:00 - (Malinda Watt): Hello and welcome to get over your Shit, the podcast dedicated to helping digital course creators, entrepreneurs and small business owners stop overthinking and start executing. I'm Melinda Watt, your host and fellow overthinker, here to guide you through the maze of self doubt and procrastination that keeps us from reaching our full potential. In today's episode, we're pulling back the curtain on the world of website design.

0:00:27 - (Malinda Watt): If you've ever hired or thought about hiring website designer, you know it can be an overwhelming process. Designers have expertise and creativity, but let's face it, they're also running a business. And that means there are things they might not tell you upfront. But don't worry, I've got you covered. I've been building websites since before WordPress was even a thing, and I've seen a lot. So let's break things down to make sure that you don't get burned.

0:00:58 - (Malinda Watt): Today, I'm sharing seven things your website designer doesn't want to tell you, but I will. From hidden fees to shortcuts they might take, this episode will empower you to make smarter decisions and get the website you truly deserve. So let's get into it. Before we dive into the seven things, let me tell you why this topic is so important. I've worked with countless people who've hired website designers only to feel frustrated or blindsided by unexpected costs, delays or results that didn't match their vision.

0:01:33 - (Malinda Watt): Take my friend Lisa, for example. She hired a designer to create a website for her online boutique. She paid thousands of dollars only to end up with a site that looked great but didn't function the way she needed it to. The designer hadn't set up her online store properly and she had to spend even more money hiring someone else to fix it. Lisa's experience is far too common, but it's also avoidable.

0:02:00 - (Malinda Watt): By knowing what to ask and what to look out for, you can avoid the pitfalls and make sure you're getting the value you deserve. All right, let's break it down. Here are seven things your web designer might not tell you, but absolutely should. 1. You don't need a designer for everything. Most website builders like SuiteSpace, Wix and WordPress Again, WordPress is my go to are so user friendly that you can handle a lot on your own.

0:02:32 - (Malinda Watt): Designers might not mention this because, well, it's their job to make you feel like you need them for every detail. But sometimes you just need a little help getting started, not a full service package. 2. Templates are your best friend. Many designers use templates as a starting point. I know I do. Even if they're charging you for custom work, there's nothing wrong with templates. They save time and look great. But you should know if that's what you're paying for.

0:03:00 - (Malinda Watt): Custom work is where things really start to take off in costs. And a template that has been used over and over and over again can look so different from website to website, just simply based on colors and images and changes in the font. 3. Revisions will cost you. Most designers include a limited number of revisions in their contract. If you don't love the first draft draft, extra changes can add up. Always clarify how many revisions are included and what happens if you need more.

0:03:31 - (Malinda Watt): 4. You might end up locked in. Some website designers use proprietary tools or platforms that make it hard for you to edit or update the site later without their help. This drives me nuts. I can not stand it when I come across a website like this. But anyway, I digress. Be sure to ask about this upfront. You want a site you can manage yourself or with minimal assistance once it's live. 5. SEO and speed aren't always a priority for the web designer. A beautiful site means nothing if no one can find it.

0:04:08 - (Malinda Watt): Some designers focus so much on aesthetic that they overlook critical elements like search engine optimization and site speed. Make sure these are part of the plan. 6. Content is on you. Most designers don't create your content. That means writing your own copy, finding images, and organizing your site structure. If you don't have this already, your project could face delays or extra charges for content creation services.

0:04:37 - (Malinda Watt): Now, this is not how I work with my done for you clients. But if you are considering hiring a web designer or you're starting to consider diying your own website, I would encourage you to check out my Easy Website Content Planner. It's a jumpstart kit to get all of this organized so that you can confidently go into hiring a web designer or diying your website and have all of this initial content done and organized.

0:05:05 - (Malinda Watt): Okay? 7. Hidden fees are everywhere. From premium plugins to hosting fees, the cost of running a website can pile up. Your designer might not tell you about these until you're already locked into a project. Ask for a breakdown of all potential costs upfront so you are not caught off guard. The way I like to approach this is I will host a client's website, I increase the cost of that hosting and within that I'm covering off the additional costs of some of those plugins because I will hold a developer license on that plugin, which means I'M paying for it regardless.

0:05:40 - (Malinda Watt): And so the benefit of them staying with me for hosting is that they're getting this added bonus of not having to buy these premium plugins necessarily for their own website. The odd time you can run into something where you need to upgrade to a paid plugin because your website needs one specific thing and that's always a conversation around this is the cost annually. Do you approve? Do you not approve?

0:06:04 - (Malinda Watt): And then added it in. So you just want to make sure that you're hiring someone who's going to be honest with you through the process. If something pops up that you have asked for that's going to increase those costs, you want to be the one that says, yes, I'm okay with that. I approve the extra fees. Now that you know what to watch for, let's talk about how to protect yourself and ensure you're getting the best results.

0:06:27 - (Malinda Watt): Ask for transparency. When you're interviewing designers, don't be afraid to ask hard questions. What tools are they using? What's included in the price? How will revisions work? The more you know, the better. Do your homework. Before you hire someone, check out their portfolio and reviews. Reach out to past clients if possible to hear about their experience. Oftentimes you can find reviews either on Google Business Listing.

0:06:52 - (Malinda Watt): Check out their LinkedIn profile to see if they have any recommendations there. Oftentimes, if there's someone that you're considering, a referral can be worth its weight in gold. Because if you know that someone else has already had a positive experience, someone that you up to or know professionally, that can go a long way in ensuring that your work, your website with that web designer doesn't get overlooked.

0:07:17 - (Malinda Watt): Get everything in writing. A clear, detailed contract proposal is non negotiable. It should outline the scope of the work, deadlines, timelines, cost and revision policy. And I would encourage you to ask about the hidden fees if there's anything that they anticipate might pop up as an additional expense. For myself personally, I always prefer that when I put together a proposal, the price is the price that I am going to be forthright in making sure that they know what kind of requests might increase the cost.

0:07:53 - (Malinda Watt): And I always give my clients the ability to say yes or no to that increase. There's nothing I hate more than getting a bill I'm not anticipating and I want to make sure that I never do that to my clients. So just make sure you're asking your website designer about that so that you both leave the project happy and that it's someone that you want to continue working with even after the website is live.

0:08:16 - (Malinda Watt): At this point you might be wondering, should I even hire a designer or should I just DIY my website? The answer depends on your needs. If you're just starting out and need something simple, a DIY approach using a platform like Squarespace or Wix is an option. Again, I am a web designer. I'm going to encourage you to go with WordPress. Trust me, it's not as overwhelming as you might think, but Squarespace and wix, they have their place as well.

0:08:44 - (Malinda Watt): You can always hire a designer later to refine and upgrade your site. On the other hand, if you have a larger budget and need a highly customized site, working with a designer can save you time and stress as long as you go into the process with clear expectations. If you do decide to hire a website designer, here are a few tips to make the process smoother. 1. Know your goals. Be clear about what you want your website to achieve, whether it's selling products, showcasing your portfolio, or growing your email list.

0:09:14 - (Malinda Watt): 2. Start simple. Don't overcomplicate things with unnecessary features or pages. You can always expand your site later. 3. Communicate clearly. The more specific you are about your vision, the better. Share examples of sites that you like and explain why they appeal to you. You don't need to have the technical jargon to do this. A web designer should be able to pull out those details from you through clear communication.

0:09:42 - (Malinda Watt): 4. Stay involved. Even if you're not a tech expert, check in regularly and review the progress to ensure everything aligns with your expectations. I often encourage people who are looking to hire a web designer to make sure that you schedule regular check ins. Get on zoom every couple of weeks, even every week as the project comes to an end, so that you're both on the same track and can continue to pick away at the final details as the website comes together and before it is made live.

0:10:14 - (Malinda Watt): This can be really helpful to make sure that you and the web designer are actively involved in the successful launch of the website. Don't just step back and expect that your launch date, your deadline that you have set that everything will be perfect about the website when it's time to launch. You need to be involved in that process, so ask for those regular check in calls. Now let's tackle a few questions you might have about working with a website designer.

0:10:43 - (Malinda Watt): How much should I budget for a website designer? Honestly, it varies, but a basic site might cost you 1,000 to 3,000 while a more complex site can be 5,000 and up. Always get multiple quotes to compare. What if I'm not happy with the final product? Again, this goes back to those regular check in sessions. Get on Zoom so that you can meet regularly to make sure that you're keeping the project on task. Most designers include revisions, but if you're still unhappy, refer to your contract.

0:11:14 - (Malinda Watt): This is why it's critical to have everything in writing. For myself when I'm working with a client, I want to be able to check in and know that the look and design and the feeling feel is on track. I will not spend more energy going into developing out other pages until I know that they're happy with the design. And I know that's not the way that all web designers work. But I think it's really, really important to ensure an amicable relationship between the client and the web designer.

0:11:44 - (Malinda Watt): To be touching base regularly and have things that you're checking off and approving as you go. Can I edit my website after it's live? That depends on how your site is built. Ask your designer to provide training or user guide if you plan to manage updates yourself. For myself, when I'm working with clients I will often leave them with a handful of videos that are a screen capture of their own website, walking them through how to edit things on their website.

0:12:15 - (Malinda Watt): I think it's really important that as a client heads into sort of a maintenance mode of our contract or retainer fee if they have regular updates, that they are empowered to be able to log in confidently into the back end of their website and change a spelling mistake or add a service to their website. It's really important that someone can do that and not have to rely on a web designer or a web company that may be going through a transition or is a larger company that that web designer that you worked with originally has left and maybe the next one isn't as good as follow up. You really want to consider your web designer as someone who will be invested in your success of your business. And yes, you're paying a retainer for that. But it is important to know that if something goes wrong, they're going to call you back, they're going to text you back, they're going to email you back.

0:13:09 - (Malinda Watt): That's incredibly important when your website is essentially your business that is open and available to people 247 and that's it for today's episode. Hiring a website designer doesn't have to be intimidating as long as you go into the process informed and empowered. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of get over your Shit. If you found this helpful. Be sure to subscribe. Share this episode with a fellow overthinker and leave a review.

0:13:37 - (Malinda Watt): Your feedback helps podcast grow and reach more people who need to hear this message. Until next time, remember progress over perfection. You've got this.