Despite WordPress\u2019 plethora of customization options, you\u2019re not guaranteed a professional-looking site out of the box. In fact, without solid design skills, you could end up creating a site that erodes trust and conversions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this reason, a dedicated WordPress designer should be a key part of your team. They will have the know-how to create a layout that\u2019s well-optimized for conversions and looks appealing to visitors \u2013 without introducing any problematic elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll talk more about what a WordPress designer is, and explain what you need to consider when looking for one to work with. Let\u2019s jump right in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
In a nutshell, a WordPress designer is the person who makes your website look stunning. They play a crucial role when your site is being built, as visuals are important<\/a> in determining whether or not a visitor converts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An experienced designer will usually have expert-level knowledge in a number of key areas, such as typography, color theory, placement, media usage, and more. You\u2019ll also find that WordPress designers come in various guises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, there are a lot of solo freelancers, but you may also find designers who are part of an agency, or who work alongside developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we mentioned, a designer is solely concerned with your site\u2019s front-end visuals. In contrast, a developer is responsible for making sure its code is strong, stable, and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may sometimes find that the two roles overlap, as \u2018T-shaped skills\u2019<\/a> are becoming more prevalent. It\u2019s not rare to find a front-end developer with the expertise to also create a highly-converting and accessible design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the most part, however, you\u2019ll want to hire both a designer and a developer. The developer will handle the back-end structure of your site, while the designer will take that raw \u2018wireframe\u2019 and make it shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To decide whether you actually need a designer, you\u2019ll first want to consider the elements and features you want to include on your site. You may be able to find solutions that offer much of what you need among the thousands of themes<\/a> and plugins<\/a> on WordPress.org, or in premium marketplaces such as Envato<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you can\u2019t find the features or layouts you want, a designer is likely to be vital. You may even have found a theme or plugin that\u2019s 80\u201390% perfect, but would benefit from some further tweaks. A designer can help make your site truly unique, and customize its look and features until they\u2019re just right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you do decide on hiring a designer, there are a few criteria to keep in mind. For starters, a candidate’s portfolio should be able to tell you whether their style would be a good fit for your website. For example, if you\u2019re looking for something minimalist, but the portfolio you\u2019re viewing features mainly ornate designs, you may want to look elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the very minimum, you\u2019ll also need a WordPress designer who\u2019s well-versed in the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, it also goes without saying that the designer you choose needs to specialize in WordPress, and have the relevant industry knowledge and experience to implement your requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to get the best results, you\u2019ll also need to give the designer everything they need to actually complete the job. Again, communication is a top priority here. You\u2019ll want the opportunity to discuss the timeframe of the project, your budget, your overall goals, and any other element that will determine your site\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, you\u2019ll need to account for a period before your project starts, where all these details can be hashed out. That way, you won\u2019t be splurging money on a designer who\u2019s unsuited to your needs. After this phase is over, you\u2019ll need let go of the reins and let your new hire get on with the task of designing your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to actually finding a suitable WordPress designer, there\u2019s a lot of choice. In our opinion, there are two places you\u2019ll want to start:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even with diligent planning, of course, you may still come across a bad fit for your requirements. Let\u2019s talk about how to sidestep a poor choice of designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In all honesty, if you\u2019ve followed our advice so far, you\u2019ll find that your shortlist is full of quality designers who will all be suitable for your project in some capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there\u2019s still one more red flag you need to watch out for. While a coding background isn\u2019t strictly necessary, its lack will usually hamper a designer\u2019s ability to provide a complete solution. What\u2019s more, if they are able to understand the work your developer has done, the designer will have more insight into your overall vision and strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All other things being equal, therefore, it\u2019s better to steer clear of designers with no discernible coding experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, designing your site is a team effort. To that end, you can (and should!) help your designer by providing a select batch of tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, a work management solution like Wrike<\/a> enables you to collaborate via the cloud and manage your project smoothly. In a similar vein, Asana<\/a> and ProjectManager.com<\/a> are popular tools that help you simplify your entire project workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An organizational solution such as Trello<\/a> is ideal for ticking off outstanding tasks, and understanding what stage your site is currently at. While Asana or Wrike can also do this, Trello is free to use, and is an excellent tool for smaller projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, if your project is particularly heavy on the visuals, another alternative worth considering is Milanote<\/a>. Built with designers in mind, it’s a particularly helpful tool for collaboration between design, development and marketing teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of your site\u2019s overall design, all that work will be for naught if you have a poor web host running your site. That\u2019s where WP Engine<\/a> comes into the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting the most out of your designer will be a breeze with WP Engine\u2019s staging and user access controls. What\u2019s more, our Digital Experience Platform (DXP)<\/a> is tailor-made for WordPress designers to create long-lasting solutions easily. To find out more, contact us<\/a> today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Despite WordPress\u2019 plethora of customization options, you\u2019re not guaranteed a professional-looking site out of the box. In fact, without solid design skills, you could end up creating a site that erodes trust and conversions. For this reason, a dedicated WordPress designer should be a key part of your team. They will have the know-how to…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":177,"featured_media":0,"template":"","resource-topic":[904,901],"resource-role":[903,899],"resource-type":[916],"class_list":["post-39797","resource","type-resource","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nDesigner vs. Developer \u2013 Which Do You Need?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When You Need a WordPress Designer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What to Look For in a WordPress Designer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Giving the WordPress Designer What They Need<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Finding a WordPress Designer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pitfalls of Hiring a WordPress Designer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tools to Help When Hiring a WordPress Designer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How WP Engine Can Help You Get the Most Out of Your Designer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n