Someone once told us, “Web designers are like lawyers; they’re a dime a dozen.” A double burn, but they are mostly right about web designers! However, not all web designers are created equal. Anyone can claim to be a web designer, but the real test for a good one lies in their fundamentals, mindset, knowledge, and process. Especially in Columbus, where there’s a large competition, they must check all those boxes.
In this article, we’ll break down each when searching for a top web designer.
UI & UX: They Need Both
A good web designer must have the fundamentals down:
- UI (User Interface): These are the visual, static elements of your website. That includes the homepage sections, navigation bar, header, footer, color schemes, typography, and overall layout. With a strong command of the UI, designers can guide customers where to go and what to do next.
- UX (User Experience): This focuses on how users interact with the site. It includes scrolling behaviors, hover effects, transitions, animations, and user flows. When done right, UX design feels seamless and makes an experience that much more engaging.
Together, UI and UX solidify your digital story. And in Columbus, professional web designs must bring equal parts look and feel to the table.
Web Design Isn’t Just About Looks, It’s Also Mindset
While UI/UX is important, great web designers must also bring the following intangibles to the table:
1. Always Start with Strategy and Planning
Before the first pixel is placed, great web design begins with strategy. What are the goals of your business and/or website? Who’s the audience? What actions do you want users to take? At a minimum, they should be asking you these.
A solid strategy helps structure your site’s navigation, determine page hierarchy, and ensure that every element has a purpose. The best web designers use a crawl, walk, run approach in their strategy and planning, allowing them to start small, iterate quickly, and scale effectively.
2. Design with Performance in Mind
Website speed is non-negotiable. Designers must understand how to optimize files by choosing the right formats (such as WebP for images) and compressing them effectively. Oversized files will slow down your site, impacting both user experience and your SEO. Remember, SEO is a game of inches, so any advantage that you can have over competitors ranks you higher on both search and answer engines.
From a conversion perspective, poor website performance decreases your conversion rates. If your designer ignores performance and focuses only on looks, you may want to keep looking.
3. Don’t Forget About Accessibility
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is reshaping how websites are built, and good web design must embrace these changes. Accessible design not only supports legal compliance but also improves the UX and even website performance! Google even considers accessibility as an essential website metric through its PageSpeed reports.
As such, good web designers must know how to use contrast ratios, alt text, ARIA labels, and more to maximize a website’s effectiveness.
4. Are Naturally a Team Player
Brilliant web designers don’t work in a vacuum. They must collaborate and communicate with:
- Web developers for backend functionality.
- SEO specialists to ensure on-page optimization.
- Content creators to craft engaging copy.
- Project managers to stay on budget and schedule.
- Account managers to manage client expectations.
The last thing you want is to get a website that doesn’t meet your requirements. So whether you’re working with a web design agency in Columbus, Ohio, or have one in-house, your designer must communicate and coordinate across departments to launch a successful website.
Great Web Designers Must Know Every Part of a Website
Today’s top designers must be fluent in both creative and technical aspects of a website. Quiz them on the following:
- Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, Webflow, Framer, or Shopify. What do they use?
- Page speed optimization tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. What metrics are optimized?
- SEO best practices for metadata, image alt tags, and structured content. Are they managing these?
- CRM integration for lead capture and user data management. Do they work with CRMs?
- Google Analytics & Tag Manager for user behavior tracking. Can they integrate these?
- Libraries and frameworks such as Bootstrap, PHP, or Tailwind CSS. Do they have the capabilities to build custom functionality?
- HTML and CSS proficiency for layout control and custom styling. Do they have the capabilities to customize the UI?
Great web designers deliver modern solutions that use the most impactful web technologies. If they can’t explain them, it’s time to move on.
Web Design Is an Ongoing Process
A great web designer doesn’t just build your website; they’ll also manage it. That’s because:
- User behavior evolves.
- Design trends change.
- Technology improves.
- Industry shifts.
- Your business goals update.
To add, a site that performed well two years ago is likely outdated or underperforming today. That’s why your web design must stay relevant, continuously test new ideas, and implement what’s proven in real-time.
If your Columbus-based business wants to stay competitive, regular web design audits by a web designer are a must, and website updates are common sense investments.
Final Thoughts: Go with a Quality Web Designer
Choosing the right web designer is about partnering with someone who think strategically, balance UI and UX, prioritize performance and accessibility, collaborate seamlessly, and understand the full technical ecosystem behind a modern website. In Columbus, the teams that stand out are those that treat web design as an ongoing, results-driven process rather than a one-time deliverable. Look for a web designer who has the right fundamentals, mindset, and process to build a better website.
Ready to launch a new website or redesign an existing one? Connect with us today to get started on your free quote and consultation!
