One of the ways to future proof your business is to create a website that will be the centre of your online presence. However, hiring an in-house website designer comes with its set of challenges, and it is better to consider getting a freelance website designer in Singapore. The best thing is that the website design in Singapore freelance industry is bustling with hundreds if not thousands of professionals looking for website design in Singapore freelance jobs.
With that said, hiring a freelance website designer is not a walk in the park. There is a lot of trust and gambling involved and, in this article, we will look at the website design Singapore freelance tips to keep in mind. These tips will help you avoid the agonising problems many businesses face as well as how to improve your chances of getting hired as a freelance website designer.
Define Your Expectations
Before you go looking for a freelance website designer, you should have a design vision for your website. This involves considering the image you want to portray to your users. Many a time, brands know that they need a website but after the freelancer has submitted the project, they are left disappointed. The fault in such occasion is not on the freelancer’s part but your end. Be sure to talk in depth with the freelancer to define your expectations. You can look at the website design trends in 2019, to give you a clue on what you should add to increase the visual appeal.
Create a Compelling Job Posting
Websites such as freelancer.com, Upwork, and Fiverr offer a platform to businesses and individuals a chance to interact with professional ecommerce website designer in Singapore. As much as the market is competitive in that freelancers will outbid each other to undertake a project, you need to create a job posting that is clear and concise.
You should consider including design samples, a list of must-haves in the web design company, state the type of design styles you want to include, colour schemes, and a design mock-up. This way you will avoid any confusion and an experienced freelancer will be able to get an idea of what you want in your website design.
Go Beyond the Design Portfolio
Many people put a lot of emphasis on a freelancer’s design portfolio as the main factor when hiring a freelance website designer. While it is an important aspect, you should be more concerned with their expertise. Look to hire a knowledgeable website designer, who is versed in SEO, the best content management system (CMS) and more. You should put more emphasis on the technical competences of the freelancer.
Have a Realistic Timeline and Budget
Time and budget are the two most important aspects of website design project and no matter the size of the project you need to give the designer enough time to deliver on your project. However, if you have a massive and complicated project and you need results fast, and then you should be prepared to pay more. All in all, be reasonable with your timeline as well as budget and the freelance website designer will give you the best results.
Ask As Many Questions as Possible
Unless you understand the ins and outs of website design, then you need to ask as many questions as possible. This is because there is a lot of jargon thrown around and if you fail to ask what they mean, you will have a box load of surprises when the freelancer delivers the final product.
There are two skills you should ensure that a freelance website designer has, website design and coding. For this, you can get different specialists who will do the job separately, or get a generalist who will handle the project alone. It is essential that the generalist will be more expensive, but they are the better one compare to two people with conflicting work ethics.
Own the Content
The last thing to consider when hiring website design Singapore freelance is that you should own the content on your website. What does this mean, you ask? It has become common practice that many businesses sell the intellectual property rights to their website and retain the right to showcase their projects on the designer’s portfolio. The disadvantage of such a move is that you will be the biggest loser should there come up an investment opportunity or when you need to see your business.
Test the Website Yourself
After the designer has delivered the project, you should take it through A/B testing to ensure that all the components are working. This will also allow you to note the changes you should make or remove some aspects to ensure that it meets your needs.
With that said, website design in Singapore freelance industry is growing by the day. For aspiring website designers looking to make their mark in 2019 and beyond, we have the tips that will help you get website design in Singapore freelance jobs.
How to Be Picked For Website Design Freelance Jobs in Singapore
There are hundreds of businesses in Singapore that are in need of website design services, but they hold back due to the costs associated with hiring an in-house website designer. However, they are open to using freelancers that can design their websites from scratch or improve on their existing design. Here are tips that will help you get picked for freelance website design jobs in Singapore.
Make Yourself Discoverable
With the increase in the number of freelancers, it is necessary that you take measures to ensure that potential clients find you. You could start by creating accounts on freelancing websites in Singapore, and you can find the top job sites for freelancing gigs in Singapore here.
You will also need to set up a web presence specifically with a website. There are many website builders including Wix, WordPress, Squarespace and more. However, of most importance is that you should ensure that you add a section on your website, blog, and social media accounts that you are available for commissions.
If you are beginning, you lack enough projects to fill your design portfolio; then you could initiate your projects. This will show potential clients your abilities in different areas of website design.
Be Proactive
There is a lot of competition in the modern business environment, and only a proactive freelancer can get a shot at success. You will need to scout for businesses whose website’s design need an upgrade or that which is non-existent and present to them your portfolio. You might get doors closed in your face, but greatness requires internal toughness.
Also, go through your inbox and identify potential clients that you might not have considered in the past. Look for people who you have a good relationship; they might offer you freelancing gigs or refer you to their networks.
Promote Your Services
Armed with your design portfolio and list of prospects; the next step is to hit the ground running and promote yourself. Marketing might be a necessary evil, but you can start small, you will get the knack for it. You can start with the organic online relationships with potential agencies and clients and grow your confidence in approaching potential clients face to face.
LinkedIn and Twitter forums are good platforms to show your expertise, and Facebook groups are an excellent place to connect with people already in the industry. Always ask your connections to refer you to people who need website design work. Most importantly, strive to attend as many networking events as possible and strive to work on your networking skills.
Set a Price for Your Services
No matter how good your pitch is, getting a client to agree to your deal comes down to the numbers. Research on the website design market rates and set your prices per your expertise. You should ensure that the client understands how much you are charging, and whenever possible, be open to price negotiations to close the clients.
However, as much as you need to get a project, you need to be realistic and tell the client how long it will take for you to complete the project and how much it will cost. Many freelancers end up getting negative reviews because they did not give realistic expectations top their clients and thus have a negative
Ask For Testimonies
Initiating marketing campaigns is always tough and time-consuming and in most cases, they do not bring in the intended clients. If you have clients who are satisfied with your work, ask them to leave testimonials on the experience they had when working with you. Social media is the easiest place for your clients to leave testimonials, and you can then incorporate them into your website.
This practice will bring in more clients than your marketing leads. The trick here is to get as many people as possible endorsing your services.
The website design in Singapore freelance industry is bustling with professionals and individuals as well as businesses who need website design service. One thing with these two classes of people have in common is the amount of money that they will charge or pay. No matter where you stand, it is necessary that you be realistic with your budget or rate as well as the timeline.
Get in touch with us for professional website design services in Singapore. Our team is highly trained and committed to ensuring that your business thrives in Singapore. We look forward to hearing from you.
