When it comes to searching for a talented and competent website designer in Kenya, I feel your pain. Finding an affordable pro who knows what their doing can be terribly difficult.
Creating a website for your business is now a necessity and what you should be thinking about is how to get the best web designer. This guide will walk you through the process of finding the right website designer in Kenya for your business.
According to a survey carried out in 2019, more than one-third of small businesses do not have a website. This is quite surprising considering the fact that so much business is being done online. This is very wrong considering that about 80% of people conduct online research of companies they intend to purchase from.
Why Should I Find a Web Designer?
You have decided to create a website for your business, but how do you know if you should work with a web designer? Check out these four signs.
1. You don’t have time to build your own website
Designing a website is time-consuming and will take time to develop a website that drives impactful results for your business. For your business to stand out from the competition, you need to invest in creating a customized design.
If you are too busy running your business, you may lack time to invest in your website’s design. This will make you miss valuable opportunities to attract leads and potential customers to your business. If your website is not visually appealing and easy to navigate, you will turn away potential customers and valuable leads.
Hiring a website designer to create for you a website will help you never miss an opportunity to drive valuable traffic to your website. If you lack time to dedicate to building your website, a web designer will be the best option for you. A web designer has the time to dedicate to building an attractive and functional website that is easy to navigate.
2. You Don’t Have Experience Building a Website
A website is a crucial part of your business, and as such, you ought to put in the time and effort to create it. Knowledge and experience in website development are very crucial when you want to build a custom website that will effectively drive results. You will not just build a website and hope that it will drive results for your business. On the contrary, you must think through the construction of your website to determine how each element will impact user experience.
Having web design experience and know-how will help you create a great website. However, if you lack such experience, it is good to consider hiring an experienced website designer. A website designer has the knowledge of the various elements of a website and how they impact the audience and overall business results.
3. You don’t know how to drive results with your website
It is pretty common for businesses to know what they want on a website. They may have an idea of the look and feel of their website and other aesthetics but fail to understand how to derive results. Employing various elements on your website will produce different user experiences. Adding something as simple as a video or a particular call-to-action can create a significant impact on your website audience experiences.
The best website designer in Kenya will bring in the expertise and help you figure out your website’s needs. They will take your ideas and plans and execute them to provide a great website that drives results for your business.
A web designer will also help you create a strategic plan to help your website thrive in the long run. They always consider your business model and future organizational goals. You will also benefit from their guidance along the way.
4. You want a website that stands out from the competition
When creating a website, you will want it to have a valuable competitive advantage. Since you may not have the expertise to do this, hiring a website designer will help you create a unique website that will create a memorable experience for your users.
If, as a business owner, you try to create your own website using the readily available templates, it may not stand out from the competition. These templates are used by hundreds of other businesses, and you will simply blend in. The best website designer in Kenya will help you create a customized website unique to your business. The website will be able to give unique experiences to your audience and stand out from your competitors.
How to Find the Right Website Designer in Kenya
1. Decide Your Budget For Hiring a Website Designer in Kenya
The next step in hiring a website designer in Kenya is to decide on your budget. Setting a budget for website design may prove to be a challenging task for a business owner, especially if doing it for the first time. Having your website professionally designed calls for careful consideration of your budget. Web design rates highly depend on your design project, and they can vary widely. Before you settle on any budget, you first need to contact your designer agency or freelance to get quotes.
For example, the cost of creating websites in Kenya can range from Ksh. 10,000 to well over Ksh. 90,000. This depends on the type and complexity of the website and the number of pages that you want to be included.
Apart from the cost of your designer’s work, you will also incur other costs to maintain a high-quality website. These additional costs may include domain name registration and yearly renewal, web hosting, SSL certificate, and theme costs. Therefore, in planning for your website budget, you need to consider all these costs.
2. Decide on the Type of Website Designer You Need
When designing your website, you have the option to work with freelance designers or full-time designers. Full-time designers are usually design agencies, and they are a good option if you have ongoing web design development projects which need to be worked on and maintained. They are also great if you plan to offer web design as a service.
The choice of a web designer entirely depends on what you need. What will your website focus on? It is your products, industry news, speed of your service, or your reliability? You can also determine your needs by defining your target audience, what action you’d like your visitors to take, etc. Write down the requirement of your website so that you can clearly determine the kind of skills you will be looking for in a web designer.
All web designers in Kenya are not the same. Each website designer in Kenya has a specific set of skills, and you will choose one according to your business needs. If you want to develop a simple business website, the best way to decide if a designer is the best fit is to look at their portfolio. If they don’t have one, it is best to move on!
From their portfolio, if they communicate clearly what the business is really about, if their design is clean, and with a clear message throughout, if they have designed similar sites to what you are looking for and if their designs are responsive. If their designs and style are appealing to you and have positive feedback from their previous clients, they could be a good fit for you. Check also if they offer additional services like ongoing technical support, copywriting, or SEO optimization.
3. Where to Find a Website Designer in Kenya
When looking for a website designer in Kenya, there are many places to look. You can search online for both freelancers and design agencies. Some of the most popular industry platforms include Talent Networks, Freelance Market Places, and Design communities. Below are some of the online places to look for a web designer in Kenya
· Talent Networks
Kuhustle.com is one of the best places to look for a web designer in Kenya. This is a talent network where you can get some of the best and most experienced web designers in Kenya. To get started with searching for a web designer on this site, you will need to sign up first using Gmail, Twitter, or Facebook. Fill in the mandatory sections of your profile which include skills, experience, and bio.
Next, click on “Post a Job” and give a description of what you want to be done. Give specifications of what you are looking for. Give details of what you want from your web designer, including the specific skills you want. Once you post the job, you will receive quotes from interested individuals.
From here, shortlist the people you wish to contact to get the final web designer. Remember to ask for their work samples, then when you narrow down to the right freelancer, click “Hire.”
· Freelance Marketplaces
Freelance marketplaces are numerous, but we will focus on Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer. These are the most popular sites among freelancers, and you are most likely to get the best talent here. Let’s look at each of these sites.
Upwork
Upwork is one of the biggest and most popular sites for freelancers. As such, you will find great talent here that will help you grow your business. You can use this platform to engage with freelancers, get work done and pay them quickly and securely. The best thing with Upwork is that it offers payment protection, and you can only for the work that you have approved.
To get started, you simply sign up as a client and fill out the details requested. Then click on “Post a Job” and give as many details of your job as possible. Give a clear and detailed job description. You will also be required to choose a category so that you can quickly get the right freelancers. Specify the skills or experience that you need, and then set a budget.
Web design freelancers will apply to these jobs, and you will get notified. Once again, consider the skills and experiences and shortlist them as you desire.
Fiverr
Initially, Fiverr offered services at $5, and that’s where it got its name from. Here, you can get thousands of web designers at affordable prices. Once you sign up as a client, you will need to look through the list of freelancers using the available filter tools. You can look for freelancers based on their price range, skills, design styles, etc.
Once you think that you have found a good web designer, you will contact them by simply clicking on their profiles. You will be required to pay upfront once the terms of the projects have been finalized. When the freelancer submits the work to you, you have three days to go over it and decide whether to accept it or reject it and get a refund.
Freelancer
Freelancer is another popular freelance marketplace where you can get a web designer for your projects. To get started as a client, you need first to register using your email and password or Facebook. Once you have been approved, you can start posting projects. You will get several bids from qualified and interested freelancers. Vet them to decide which one fits your needs, then hire them. You are required to make upfront payments. Once you approve the finished project, the freelancer will be paid.
· Job Boards
Job boards are another great source of getting web designers in Kenya. In Kenya, the biggest job board is Brighter Monday. It focuses on linking employers to employees to curb the issues of unemployment in Kenya. As an employer, Brighter Monday will match you with the best candidates very fast.
To find a web designer through brighter Monday, you will need to sign up first using either Facebook, Gmail, or LinkedIn. You will be given three pricing options to choose from depending on your budget and needs. You will then be matched with the best candidates for you to choose your best fit.
· Search engines
Use search engines like Google to discover freelance web designers, as well as web design agencies. Web designers with online portfolios will show up when you search on search engines like Google. This will give you the best designers, especially if you want them to incorporate SEO into your website. It shows that they are good at what they do and will transfer this knowledge to your project. You can specify that you are looking for web designers based in Kenya by typing, “Web designer+Kenya.”
4. Create a Job Description
Creating a job description before you start looking for a web designer will help you put down the skillset you desire and the qualifications you would like your designer to have. In your job description be specific, and describe the role accurately. State clearly what you need from the candidate and the compensation that you offer.
If you desire to hire a web designer full-time, your description will be longer and more detailed. You will need to provide information about company culture, benefits, and desired experience. The job descriptions serve as a project brief for the shorter-term jobs to ensure that freelancers your expectations and business needs.
5. Look at their portfolio
Once you create your job description for a web designer, the next step is to post it on job boards and communities to let interested designers see it and contact you. You can start with the sites listed above. You can also reach out to freelancers directly after going through their portfolios.
When reviewing portfolios for web designers, there are different aspects you need to consider. Look at their creativity and the look and feel of their past work. Although many designers have a distinct style, think carefully about what you want your website to look like. Their past websites can give you a good idea of what to expect.
The next thing to consider is whether the web designer has the skills that you are looking for. A professional web designer should possess skills like web development, an understanding of responsive web design, user experience, and accessibility. They should have an understanding of HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc. If you have a complex project that requires specific technical skills, put this into consideration when checking their portfolio.
6. See If They Offer Additional Services
If your website developer can offer you additional services, you will be in an advantaged position. Building a customized website may require you to include Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to help in promoting your website or copywriting to help create your website’s content.
A website designer who offers more than mere web design is an asset. When looking for a web designer in Kenya, go to the one that offers full service. This way, you will have a cohesive brand and get everything in one place.
7. Negotiate Web Design Rates
When narrowing down on your chosen designers for the final interviews, you will need to consider their rates so that you can have an idea of whether they align with your budget. Most designers work either on an hourly basis or per-project basis. Working at an hourly rate offers more flexibility while working per project gives you a good idea of what you will be spending on the entire project.
If you decide to pay per project, ensure that you clarify with your designer about what the project involves to avoid incurring additional costs later. Full-time website developers in Kenya mainly work on a monthly salary, so the negotiation process may be simpler.
Interviewing Website Designers
When hiring a website designer in Kenya, you will have an initial meeting with them, be it a consultation call or the traditional interview. For you to choose the best fit for your needs, you need to ask them several questions, which may include:
· Tell me about your most successful project
· How do you handle client feedback?
· What are the most important skills for a web designer?
· What is your design process like?
· Which technologies do you prefer and why?
Final thoughts on finding the Right Website Designer in Kenya
You made it all the way to the end. Give yourself a pat on the back.
There are many factors that go into choosing a website designer in Kenya. Your needs will be determined by factors like the size of your business, budget, etc. But there are general things to look for when hiring a graphic designer. Some of them include:
· Look for a website designer with solid communication skills
· They should have proven experience, and you can see this from their testimonials, resume, and portfolio.
· They should be knowledgeable in their field, including technical knowledge, design prowess, and an understanding of best practices.