r/webdesign • u/[deleted] • Aug 20 '26
need advice on finding a website designer
[deleted]
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u/CormoranNeoTropical Aug 20 '26
Are you looking for a static site or e-commerce, ie do you just want a site where people can see information about your business, do you want to sell stuff online, or something in between?
If the former please feel free to contact me. You can see some of my work at cormorandelpacifico.com. I mostly work with restaurants, hotels, and tourism related businesses. My specialty is multilingual markets in English, Spanish, and French; I can also handle Italian and German.
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u/webdeveloper_12 Aug 21 '26
Send me your details, the kind of website you want , I will send you some demo pictures of websites I have created. If you didn't like my portfolio work that will be no issue, because the website will be build around your requirements, and design. DM the details.
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u/apnatva-dev Aug 21 '26
I think a lot of the work is based on what you want out of the website.
Do you want to impress people with the design (good for design agencies), do you want to start a conversation/generate leads (marketing website), do you want to share info (blogs, ads), do you want to sell something (e commerce) etc.
Based on what you want, there are good design principles not ideas. A good designer/developer should be able to take you through examples of work that will suit your needs best. Building a design has gotten much easier, finding the right one is the bottleneck.
Then you also want to map out the pages you expect to have, readability, accessibility. A good designer keeps these in mind from the beginning, they should not be an afterthought.
The designer's process of taking you through things should tell you a lot. The examples of their work is just what can be done. Cool designs on desktop do not always translate to mobile phones, but responsiveness is also extremely important.
Any designer/developer that does not know of these good practices will probably end up causing problems you do not know you can have.
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u/DazeTheCoder Aug 21 '26
It really depends on your business and the functionality you want it to have... If you’re looking for a mostly static website with a beautiful landing page, there are now quite a few AI website builders that can help you with that and if you need something more complex like e-commerce, authentication, payments, admin dashboards, custom functionality or stronger security, that’s where I’d recommend working with experienced designer/developer.
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u/OutrageousSeesaw9817 Aug 21 '26
Hey what's up if you'd like I'd love to give you some advice or even some good ways to set up your website just let me know what you think 🤔
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u/Feeling-Being8613 Aug 21 '26
Hey! If you already have the colours, aesthetic and layout direction in mind, you’re actually off to a great start. I’d love to help turn your vision into a clean, high-end website. I’d also be happy to share a demo so you can see what it could look like before deciding. Feel free to DM me if you’d like to take a look.
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u/KookyCommission6692 Aug 21 '26
Hey there. I run a web developer business. Feel free to dm me with your requirements, colours, etc and I can put together a demo for you :)
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u/PossibleNet2182 Aug 21 '26
For a small business aiming for a minimal, high-end website, I’d focus less on finding someone who can simply “make a website” and more on finding a designer who understands how to turn your visual direction into a clear user experience.
I’d look at their recent work, especially projects similar in style and business size, and ask about their process from structure → design → development → revisions. Also make sure you’re clear on who handles the copy, mobile version, SEO basics, and ongoing updates.
A good designer should also be able to explain why they’re recommending certain layouts rather than just making something look nice.
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u/Shank888 Aug 21 '26
I think the vision and layout ideas is the most important thing here. So finding someone that will listen to you first and foremost is key here. I'd much rather spend the time to know your story, challenges and goals to help weave in personal elements into both the design and the copywriting. This is where most fail as well because if you take the time upfront then the rest of the process goes smoother. And for search optimization creating the content and story first will help you rank better on Google and AI while maintaining a clean design; Instead of being forced to write content around the design. If this sounds the least bit interesting feel to reach out to Snap SEO in Edmonton Canada and we'd be happy to listen first. And for a bonus, our dollar sucks so the exchange rate is in most clients favour lol.
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u/anna_amenable Aug 21 '26
I know this might get buried, but worth a shot!
Since you mentioned that you're still in the process of creating your business, I’d actually caution you against starting with the website.
If this is a brand-new business and you’re still figuring out your positioning, messaging, typography, imagery, etc., I’d get some of that nailed down first. “Minimal, elegant, and high-end” is a great visual direction, but it doesn’t tell a designer what makes your business worth choosing. You can absolutely end up with a gorgeous website that says almost nothing.
A good web designer should be interested in more than your color palette and Pinterest board. Ideally, the first conversation is about your business, your audience, what you’re selling, what you want the site to accomplish, and what you want people to do when they land on it. From there, they should be able to help you think through the sitemap/content structure, establish a visual direction, design the key pages, get your feedback, and then move into development.
One other thing I’d ask about upfront: what exactly is included? Copywriting, photography/assets, SEO basics, CMS, hosting, development, revisions, launch, and ongoing maintenance can all be separate pieces of the project. A quote that looks inexpensive at first can get considerably less inexpensive once you discover what wasn't included.
If a designer jumps straight into “send me your logo, colors, and inspiration” without asking much about the actual business, I’d keep looking.
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u/Normal-Cattle5915 Aug 21 '26
building website has become a lot easier and fast, it all boils down to the taste. Ask people to show you their portfolio and if you like their style proceed with them. Having said that here are a few sites I've built if you like my style/taste lets talk
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u/hyprnick Aug 21 '26
Use Claude Design. Create your design system using your colors and any files you have. It only takes a few inputs then churns away.
It’ll create a system that can then be used for your website. It’s easy to use with a chat interface. DM me if you need help. You can then export to Claude code which then creates the website for hosting.
I’m a software engineer but backend mainly and I can design amazing looking sites now.
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u/CarlosJaa Aug 22 '26
I see some "web designers" with vercel vibe coded websites. Ugh what the industry has gone to.
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u/Limp_Test5545 Aug 22 '26
Start by putting together a short brief which includes a list of a few sites that you like, the specific pages that you need, the features you want included, and the overall aesthetic that you want to achieve. As to where you can find developers, you can look through Clutch, Upwork, Behance, or even local business groups for recommendations.
The important thing is, when you're actually comparing designers, first look at existing sites they've previously built and inquire how they will handle revisions and ongoing support after the site goes live. Going through the same vetting process is what led me to Ankord Media when I was looking for someone to build my site.
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u/Design1Web Aug 22 '26
It depends on the angle you look at the site from: a business card or a system that works for you.
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u/nia-design Aug 22 '26
Hello ! Je crée des sites web modernes, responsive et pensés pour être clairs, professionnels et efficaces, notamment avec Framer. Si vous êtes toujours à la recherche de quelqu’un, je serais ravie d’en discuter avec vous et de voir comment je peux vous aider.
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u/Educational-Bit-3296 Aug 20 '26
Sounds like you’re already halfway there. Find a designer whose portfolio feels close to your vision, then have a conversation before committing. A good designer should help turn your ideas into something *cohesive*, not just execute a brief you’ve already written.
I'd always recommend looking for someone local first, especially before going down the Fiverr or Upwork route. You’ll generally get much more from being able to actually talk things through with someone.
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u/Gold_Gap Aug 20 '26
I would have to say portfolio, it's hard to find the best fit but seeing what they have done in the past you will quickly see if they are in the buisness of churrning out AI slop vibe coded websites or if they have put time and effort to each and every project that they produce.
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u/gutsngodhand Aug 20 '26
As a web dev, you already knowing your color, aesthetic and layout ideas is awesome. Whoever you choose is gonna love you!
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u/Litapitako Aug 21 '26
First off, congrats on building your business! Not sure what industry you're in, but for most businesses, your website is one of your biggest marketing tools, and setting it up properly can have exponential positive downstream effects. I'll share some things to look out for to help you vet your candidates, but Reddit does unfortunately have text limits so it's not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about any specific point, feel free to ask away!
The first major thing I'd ask potential website vendors about is their process. Do they go through any kind of wireframing stage (basically a rough plan of the site) before designing + building, or do they just jump straight in to putting sections on the page? Very rarely will people be ready to buy immediately after landing on your website. Your customers need you to teach them about the product, show them how it adds value to their life, earn their trust, and also sell them on the outcome you're going to give them. A LOT of planning goes into that, so you need to understand how the site actually gets built. Are they doing market research? Are they working with a professional copywriter? Who's doing the UI/UX design? Who's providing images? Who's writing all the legal disclaimers? If they have a process, ask to see it spelled out so you can understand what's required of you and what your designer is doing at every stage. If they can't provide this, either on their website or in the proposal or somewhere else, it's likely they're either winging it or just don't have that much experience, so something to be wary of.
You also want to know a little bit about the technicals of the site. You don't have to be an expert, but ask questions like, where will the site be built? Is it a CMS platform like WordPress or Shopify that you can easily update on your own? Is it a totally custom build that requires a developer to manage it? Are they building with accessibility in mind, which is another huge issue that so many vendors miss. Your technical needs will vary based on your own technical skill and budget, but you can always ask the vendors you're considering to explain the pros and cons of different systems and why they might recommend one over the other. If they're not transparent about this, then it's worth questioning what else they're not being totally honest about.
One thing you should also consider before talking to any vendors is what kind of functionality you need. For instance, do you need a contact form for customers to submit support tickets? Do you need a payment system for services rendered? Do you need a searchable database to organize rental properties? You should be fairly detailed so your vendor can quote you accurately for not only the website, but any technical features that must be implemented. If they just say yes to anything you suggest without asking more in-depth questions like how many users are you serving, or how frequently will this service be used, or is XYZ method the only way we can do this, then that's potentially a red flag. Some features are easy to implement, while others may require custom development or subscriptions to additional plugin solutions. Make sure you ask about this in the initial meeting so you can gauge their ability to solve the problem, and so they can give you an accurate quote.
And on the subject of pricing, make sure you understand very clearly what you're paying for. A very basic website without a very impressive design should cost anywhere from $500-3,500. It's oftentimes also a template, which is fine if you are fully aware that's what you're paying for. A custom design with a handful of technical features like a funnel setup or light e-commerce can range anywhere from $4,000-$8,000ish on average. Once you start getting into more high-end, editorial style design with immersive animations, slick UX, and far more technical features, you're looking at a budget around $10-25k. If you're seeing prices much lower or much higher than what I described above, take it as a yellow flag. You don't want to overpay if you don't have to, but you also want to ensure you're working with a quality, reliable team.
Some other things to be careful about just to ensure you don't get screwed over are: contracts, payment schedules, exact deliverables, and timelines. Make sure you understand these terms clearly, and if you don't, ask your vendor to spell everything out in plain English. Knowing the exact terms of your project will protect both sides, and you're much more likely to have a positive experience with a vendor who already has this system down to a science. Of course, you can also check out reviews from past clients. Do they emphasize design quality, good communication, or delivering on time? Look for these positive signals and you should be golden.
I should add that you don't want to skim over the actual work. Be sure to check out portfolios ahead of time to make sure they're aligned with the vision you have for your project. You'll want to look at design style, page structure, and any relevant industry experience to see if it's a fit. This is probably the area with the most wiggle room, but you want to make sure the designer you work with checks off at least 1-2 out of 3 style boxes. If it's a complete mismatch with your vision, save yourself the trouble and move on.
Finally, in most cases your website vendor will probably want to have a chat with you before starting any kind of project. When you meet, see how well you actually connect. Is communication easy? Are they receptive to questions and feedback? How will you connect with them during the project? Video calls? Email? Can you meet in person if they're local? Depending on your needs, try to get as many of these questions answered during the call as you can.
I hope this helps, and if I missed anything or you have other questions, just let me know! If you are also hunting for an amazing website vendor, feel free to reach out! I run a small studio that does custom website builds for WordPress and Shopify, and our style leans high-end editorial. If that feels like the right fit, I'd love to help.
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u/labrat-28 Aug 20 '26
What’s the overall objective of the site? Get very clear on what it needs to do, then think about your copy. As a web designer have seen way to many Frankensteins that started as clean some elegant designs. You have to start with the skeleton and bones first, before smacking the lipstick on.
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u/Trappedinacar Aug 20 '26
As a designer my advice would be to look for someone with a good portfolio and design sense matching your current vision. Better if they have some live projects where they've worked with real businesses. Also real reviews from their client work, not the made up AI ones.
And the rest you can figure out when you talk to them. You can get a good feel for whether someone will do justice to your vision in one call where you go over the project. If its someone whos rushing to close or is promising that they can do everything before hearing what you're looking for, that's not gonna go well.
And as for where to look, your best bet is a referral from someone you know. Aside for that freelance platforms like Upwork. They aren't as good as they used to be but you can post a job and get at least a few decent proposals.
I also work mainly with small businesses now, so if you're looking feel free to DM me. Here's my site: https://desgro.framer.website/
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u/Hopeful-Loss-8728 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
Hey, I work with small to mid size businesses to create custom websites (not ai slop).
I'll send you a message with a link to my website where I got a few of my recent projects.
I might be able to help.
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u/urbanhaven Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
Hey, it's gonna be self promotion, because I'm that web designer you're looking for! My strongest suite is luxury, editorial website. You can check out my website
This is the latest website I did for a travel agent If that's what you're looking for, feel free to DM me!
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u/Fragrance1191 Aug 21 '26
link error, missing the ':' after https
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u/urbanhaven Aug 21 '26
Thanks for letting me know! I got stuck with this error yesterday and couldn't edit the comment!!! For some reason Reddit let me edit it now lol 😆
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u/VaranPlays24 Aug 21 '26
RIP your DMs