Choosing a great web designer in itself can be a difficult task, but finding one that is right for YOU and the project you need work on, makes it that much more of a daunting task. There are so many web designers on the internet and so many options available that it is hard to find out which are good, which are great, and most importantly, which ones fit your needs. Let's start by covering some basics. First, cheaper is not always worse. Some people figure that the more you pay for web design, the better it is going to be. This is simply not true.
There are some that have only a year of experience under their belt that like to charge extravagant prices, because they figure people will think that very thing. On the other hand, there are seasoned veterans of web design that have a lot of experience and are extremely talented that don't charge a lot simply because they know there is so much competition in the market, or because they only do it as a side gig, and don't see the point in overvaluing something that doesn't take them very long to do. The other thing to look for in a good web designer is their portfolio. Probably the most important part of choosing a web designer is to look over their portfolio and ask yourself if their "style" fits with your own. If you don't like the examples of their previous work, then they probably won't be able to make you happy. When you are viewing their portfolio, be sure to look at the websites they have designed live, and contact the current webmaster of that site.
Ask how their experience was with that particular designer and how long it took, was the pricing reasonable, etc. Nothing can give you a better idea of how good or bad a web designer is than the people they have already designed for. Finally, you have to find out if they can do what you need them to do. Different web designers have different skill sets. While one web designer may be able to code incredible flash intros and moving JavaScript menus, you may need someone who can simply do rounded table corners and animated gifs. Let them know what you expect them to do, what you would like to see on your site, and if you have any special requirements.
Making sure that they can do the things you need them to do is a priority before you send any payment or make any agreements. Overall, finding a good designer can be an easy task if you know what to look for. There are an incredible amount of web designers available on the internet, each with their own style and set of skills.
Making sure that their prices work for you, their skills are what you need, and that their style fits your own is of the utmost importance when selecting your web designer. Unless you are a huge corporation, a company or individual should not charge you over $500 for a single project. Many web designers will charge less than that, anywhere from $50 to $200 a project is a reasonable amount for a basic web design job. As far as banners, flash intros, and other smaller projects, rates should be even lower, although you should take into account that any special skills (such as Flash, animation, extensive CSS, etc.) will and should cost more.
Stephanie Davies is a 27 year old Missourian with a loving husband and an 8 year old son. She currently owns her own business, Mystickal Incense & More, and sells handmade candles, incense, bath & body products and more at http://www.mystickalincense.com
