How to find a web page designer?

[Paintedlady]

DH has a business and we need a web page designed. It would need a shopping cart and multiple pages. We want to hire someone who we don't know (in case we don't like their work and need to fire them) but aren't sure how to go about finding them. I've heard stories about people taking your money and either doing shoddy work or leaving the job incomplete. Is there a web site somewhere that ranks/reviews them? Do you just ask friends for references? Help me find someone, please!

[Hen]

you could try looking at some businesses with pages you admire and see if there is a button at the bottom with a designed by- button. I'm thinking that might not be real common, so you could also try looking at bigger, more professional blogs, like PW and go to their designer's site and see if in their portfolio they have regular business pages. You could also ask a few times on twitter, if you have a big following and someone might recommend a designer.

[Hen]

here's someone who does both blogs and websites. I haven't personally used her, but I'm thinking I will hire her next time. I asked for help on twitter for something that was probably a minor tweak but I didn't know how to do it and she told me how to do it instead of charging me money and doing it for me, which she could have-cus I have no idea how to fix it. Anyways, I was impressed at her helping me for nothing. Her site looks professional, she has a portfolio and she does how to articles, so she seems to know what she is doing

http://www.theblogmaven.com/design/

 

here is a site I noticed when a blogger called Mama Kat is losin' it- redesigned her blog, and I noticed a few others had the same look- these people did it. I remember it was too pricey for me, but websites tend to spend more on designs since they are a business...

http://www.shatterboxx.com/

 

here is one called Lifted Logic, I only found them because I clicked their button on an online magazine called Rhythm of the Home, here is the link, they look prettty professional

http://webdesigninkansascity.com/site/'>http://webdesigninkansascity.com/site/

 

Lisa Leonard designs http://webdesigninkansascity.com/site/ ( a mom who makes jewelry and has become pretty well-known) has a shopping website

for her things, and she used AP Logic http://www.ap-logic.com/

 

I don't have any connection to any of these designers, don't know their prices or reputation, except the first one, I spoke to her on twitter...anyways, if you look around on other blogs/websites- you can go to the bottom of their page and find a designer link. sometimes it is on the bottom sidebar, but usually it is on the very bottom of the page. I hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas :)

[idnib]

Helpful tips:

 

--Make sure you get the username and password for the hosting site so if you change web people you have the info

 

--If you plan to make lots of changes regularly (adding and removing products etc) then consider a retainer. Otherwise pay by the hour. Don't pay every month or whatever and not have changes.

 

--Find out where the site will be hosted. By this I mean the web server where the files will actually be available to the public. It's better if it's on a osting service and not on the person's own service. This makes it easier to change people later.

 

--Do you have a domain name yet? If not, make sure it is registered to you or your business, not to the web person.

 

--It's better to use an existing shopping cart like Google than to use one that the designer/programmer has come up with. They're easily hackable so you want something proven.

 

--Find out if the web person will just be showing you photoshop proofs or if you'll get to play around with a staged web site and get a feel for it. Latter is preferable.

 

--Think about the things you want before the design and programming begin. Like a construction job, it's more expensive to make changes later in the process. Think about a privacy policy, newsletter signup, help or faq if needed, facebook logo, twitter, etc.

 

--Consider artwork costs. If all the artwork is being provided by you, no problem. If the web person will be buying artwork, take that cost into consideration.

[Lanny]

The MOST critical thing is that you, personally, register and control the Domain Name registration, with a Registrar (GoDaddy.com or Name.com for 2 examples). NEVER NEVER NEVER let anyone else control your domain name registration or access the web site of your domain registrar.

 

Never use the same company for your domain name registration and your web hosting. Always use 2 different companies.

 

You might look on WebHostingTalk.com with regard to designers. Also, possibly on Elance.com

 

With regard to a Shopping Cart, you will need a Dedicated IP address to have a Secure web page (https which indicates the web page is encrypted). However, if you personally receive, on your web site, confidential data (credit card numbers, expiration dates, etc, etc.) there are Severely Strict laws in place (I cannot recall the acronym as I write this) and you will probably have neither the expertise or the money required to comply with them.

 

So, it is much better to off load your credit card processing, to a company like PayPal, 2Checkout, etc. They are able to comply with security laws you probably cannot comply with, because of a lack of expertise and a lack of funding.

 

Look on WebHostingTalk.com in the different forums and you will get a lot of help there.

 

Your domain name is your most valuable asset. Make the Password for your account with your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Name, etc.) very strong (upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

 

GL...

[FLDebbie]

The MOST critical thing is that you, personally, register and control the Domain Name registration, with a Registrar (GoDaddy.com or Name.com for 2 examples). NEVER NEVER NEVER let anyone else control your domain name registration or access the web site of your domain registrar.

 

:iagree: My husband owns a web development business and many times he gets new clients who have been burned by a shoddy developer (bad work, unfinished work, etc.). It's made much worse when the old developer controls the domain name and won't release it to the customer.

[Carrie75]

I highly recommend http://www.bludomain.com/ They do work mostly with photographers, their sites are image heavy, but they actually work with all different types of businesses and their templates can be customized to what you want. They have a easy to learn back end, so you can make your own changes, ect.

 

Can't beat the price for sure!