Many new bloggers choose to start with a free WordPress theme or framework for their blog’s design. Premium themes like StudioPress allow for owners to customize their site’s colors, fonts headers. You can also choose Wordpres themes that fit your niche for blogging? Recipe and foodie bloggers may choose a theme that features large images of their work. The themes range from $30 to more than $100 for use on one site or more. At some point, experienced bloggers who’ve generated some income decide it’s time for a custom blog design. Whether you’re considering a fresh look for the new year, planning to rebrand or want to put your blog’s “best face forward” before the social media conference season – a custom blog design is a large investment. Expect to spend as little as $400 to as much as $2,000 for a custom look with a professional designer. It’s important to ask your blog designer key questions before you hire them and move forward. The questions we’ve recommended below can save you time, money and improve the user experience for anyone who visits your blog.
Ask Your Blog Designer:
1. How long will this website design take to complete? Timing is everything. If you’d like your redesigned blog to launch by a certain date – you should let your blog designer know. Depending on the designer’s waiting list and needed revisions, it could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to complete.
If you decide to change your design around major holidays, you need to consider that your designer may take time off.
Get a firm start date and end date for the blog design project. Do your best to submit the design questionnaire answers in a reasonable amount of time.
2. What trends are you seeing in a blog design that we can include in my design? Get the most bang for your buck by making sure your new custom design follows the latest design trends. This can keep you from asking for a costly revision every few months.
Ask about a custom image slider window and custom widgets you’d like.
3. How can we make the blog design match the rest of my branding? Do you offer to design Facebook and Twitter covers, Instagram images, quotable images, Pinterest covers and business cards?
See if the designer offers a discounted package that includes the rest of your branding needs.
Since Instagram stories can be added to your profile and categorized, influencers are choosing to brand them to stand out.
4. How many revisions are included in this design? How much are additional changes beyond the included revisions?
5. How can this design protect my blog from spam? Are there security features included in this theme?
6. What plugins can you recommend to use with this WordPress theme/redesign?
7. How can this blog design help my site with search engine optimization (SEO)? Are there ways to customize and target keywords in this blog’s theme?
RELATED TOPIC: How to Write a 1,000-Word Blog Post Post Search Engines Will Love
8. What’s the best way to reach you for questions about my blog’s design? Do you prefer email, direct messages via social media, a work tracking platform or text messages?
9. Will your website link (as the designer) be included in the footer with this redesign? If so, do you offer a referral program for bonuses or discounts off of your design services? How can I tell other influencers about your work?
RELATED TOPIC: 4 Free WordPress Plugins to Backup Your Blog Automatically.
10. What plugins do you recommend and what do they add to the ease of navigating my new blog?
How can you look for an experienced blog designer? Ask members of your blogging tribe for a referral!
11. How can I track the load time for this redesigned blog? How can I make sure that it’s better than my former design?
12. Can you design a landing page for a product/service I sell? What is the cost of custom landing pages?
13. How will this design look on various devices and browsers?
14. How can you draw attention to my call-to-action (CTA) and help me build my subscriber list?
15. Can you refer me to (two or more) your past clients to ask for their recommendation?
16. How can my social channels (links) and social posts be featured on the resigned blog?
Comment below: How do you know when it’s time to redesign your blog? How do you budget for this type of expense? What benefits have you noticed when you changed WordPress themes or got a redesign?
Pin this to your favorite blogging board:
No Comments