[vc_row height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Truth About Professional WordPress Developers/Designers

As CMS software like WordPress is becoming more mainstream and easily accessible web designers are coming out of the woodwork. Consequently, the skill level of designers runs the spectrum and finding the right designer has become more important than ever. Many clients, from large enterprises to small businesses are experiencing the pitfalls of working with designers that look good on paper but fail to deliver the end result they are looking for. In this article, we decided to discuss a few tips and tricks to finding a good designer based on some of the experiences our clients have had with other designers. We’re going to talk about some of the key questions and attributes that can help distinguish the skill level of a designer.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row height=”small”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Educational Background

Every good web designer should be able to craft HTML and stylize elements with CSS. No matter how simple a theme in WordPress may be, there is always a  need to customize elements. What languages can your designer code in? Typically they should be able to create custom HTML, CSS, and a basic amount of javascript. Additionally, your designer should have plenty of experience with WordPress and should be able to navigate around the dashboard, understand how the modular elements interact, and be able to implement customizations in a way that allows you to continue updating your theme’s framework.

Recently, we experienced a redesign that was not efficient because the previous designer made customizations to the theme in a way that did not allow for core theme updates. Many of the complex topics related to wordpress development go without saying but essentially your designer should understand the importance of a child theme and should be able to explain, even minimally, why customizing theme elements too much can cause issues down the road.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

A Best Practice Approach

One of the most fundamental features a good wordpress developer will implement is a best practice approach. For those who don’t know what this means we will elaborate. A best practice approach means that your developer will create a website that will look good on various screen sizes, includes clean code with little or no redundant semantics, and a level of organization that will allow a new designer to easily make changes without having to decipher a mess of code.

Amateur designers have a tendency to complicate even mundane features. They will stylize elements individually instead of creating CSS rules to style consistently. Lastly, they will customize elements and as an analogy they will void the warranty of the theme. When working with a theme a designer must do everything to ensure that the theme itself isn’t modified which ultimately will allow you to update the theme without consequences. Many of the themes available for designers are coded tirelessly by teams of coders which means wordpress designers should set things up to take advantage of the updates these teams produce.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Finding The Right Designer

CMS themes have made it easy for just about anyone to create a website. The truth is, there are many skills and knowledge required to create a functional and professional website. Regrettably, many businesses know the importance of a good WordPress developer and, in an attempt to save money, choose a less-experienced designer only to end up paying more through code revisions/updates, adjustments, and troubleshooting. We encourage everyone to do their research and hire the right web design organization because a website can affect the bottom line of a business more than any other marketing investment. Working with a company that can provide a professional service can save a business time and money in the long run. Updating websites that aren’t developed correctly are less efficient and ultimately more costly. At 960 DESIGN, our goal is to provide practical business-focused solutions that provide the organizations we work with value and increased revenue or brand awareness.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Features Great Web Design Should Include

Whether we are creating a website for you and your organization or you are researching information before working with a web designer – these are some important features every professional web designer should include.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row height=”small”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]

  • Competitor Research
  • Content Development
  • Custom Photography

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]

  • Mobile-Friendly Design
  • Dynamic Back-End
  • Social Media Integration

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]

  • On-Page SEO
  • Off-Page SEO
  • Logo Optimization

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]