How The Role Of A Web Designer Is Changing

Due to the constant creation of new technology, the world of web design is an ever-evolving profession. No longer do businesses wonder if they need a website. Now, it’s a matter of what kind of website, and how soon they can get it off the ground. If your business is looking to hire a designer, you need to hire a web designer who constantly adapts to the new trends in order to keep skills sharp and avoid falling short of the rest of the market.

Today, let’s dig into how exactly a web designer’s role is changing, and what that means for anyone looking to hire one. That way, when it comes time to design your website, you’ll know exactly what questions to ask and how to get started.

Web Designers Are More Specialized

It used to be that a web designer was the catchall phrase for someone who built a website, optimized for SEO with content. Nowadays, each of these roles is so complex that one person can’t specialize in all of them. Unless you’re an SEO expert, you can’t possibly know enough about how SEO works, for instance, or how it’s progressing.

Therefore, your web designer shouldn’t be the same person who writes your content, manages your social media profiles or maintains your site (usually the purview of the web developer). The exception here is if you work with a web design and development company or marketing business that employs enough specialists in order to wrap all these services into one neat package.

Designers Are No Longer Developers

The difference between a designer versus a developer might seem minute, but understanding this difference is crucial to making the best decision when it comes to your website design.

In previous years, when websites were smaller and less complex, it was possible to hire an all-in-one designer and developer who could conceive the aesthetic and functional composition of the site, then also perform the coding magic that brought the designs to life. For the most part, that’s no longer the case.

Today, it’s better to hire designers and developers separately, because they have very different skill sets. Designers understand how users interact with web content, how to integrate colors and images with the spirit of the business enterprise, and how to use logos to best effect. Developers, on the other hand, are better at solving problems, optimizing for mobile and programming code. Don’t make the mistake of thinking these areas of expertise are interchangeable.

Web Designers Must Be Collaborative
With the highly specialized roles today’s web designers play, it’s unlikely you’ll find a designer who can do everything else you need, too. Therefore, you should always look for designers who work seamlessly with others — or who can connect you with related services, such as development, SEO optimization, social media and more.

That collaborative spirit extends to the businesses that web designers work with. These days, most companies want to know something is going to pay itself back. If they don’t, why would they bother paying for it? Therefore, the modern web designer must be prepared not only to create a great product, but to back that product with concrete data (site visits, bounce rates, click-throughs, etc.).

Ultimately, great web designers understand how to adjust in today’s web environment. Your website is a key piece of your business plan and it should reflect your brand, services and message. You have every right to expect your designer to come through for you.

Before choosing anyone, therefore, conduct multiple interviews to figure out what your web designer will be able to do for you. When you find the right one, you’ll know.

Sources

https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/how-search-engines-operate

https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/articles/the-job-of-a-web-designer-is-changing-which-is-good--cms-27180

About the author

Chris Pautsch is Founder and CEO of KeyLimeTie. KeyLimeTie is a full-service design, development and digital strategy agency, helping clients communicate more effectively and intimately with their customers through interactive marketing channels. 

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
CAPTCHA
This question is for preventing automated spam submissions.