This post may contain affiliate links which may give us a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Getting a custom blog design and working with a blog designer is a great way to take your blog to the next level. A custom design can help you create a brand and reflect that brand through font, layout, and colors. Through design, you set a tone for your unique space on the Internet. And it also makes you more attractive to brands and readers!
If you are ready to take that next step and invest in a custom design, then you will need to find a fabulous blog designer. Find someone that is not only talented, but also a good match for you and your project.
Five Questions to Ask Your Blog Designer
Before you decide to start working with a blog designer, there are a few questions you’ll want to ask.
1.) May I see examples of other blogs, websites, and logos you have worked on?
Most reputable designers will have a portfolio on their website, but don’t be shy about asking to see examples of work. This is the best way to get a feel for the designer’s style. Pay attention to the headers on the blogs they have worked on. The header is the first thing new visitors will see and will leave a lasting impression. Has this designer created headers that are text focused? Graphic focused? Does their past work line up with your vision for your blog? Make sure the design style is a good fit before moving forward.
2.) What is included in your package price?
Designers often offer tiered packages for design. Consider which components are important to you. Decide what is a must have, and what is a nice to have.
Packages may or may not include:
- Custom header and logo
- Custom social media icons
- Custom favicon (the small icon that shows upon your browser)
- Custom background
- Installation of fonts
- Set up of widgets
- Custom banners and images for Facebook/Twitter/Google+
- Business cards
If your budget is tight, don’t be afraid to ask for a customized package. You may be able to negotiate a lesser price by cutting out some of the items you don’t feel are mission critical .
3.) Can you outline your design process for me?
In order to eliminate headaches and miscommunications, find out what you can expect from your designer and how they approach a new project. Again, this a great question to ask when you are trying to determine if the personality of your designer is a match for you as the client. Be sure to ask what their process is for getting to know you and your unique style. Do they use a questionnaire? Do they ask for a Pinterest board or a sample of images that inspire you? Make sure they are focused on bringing your vision to life.
Keep your own working style in mind when selecting a designer. Are you a structured person who needs detail? Or are you more of a go-with-the-flow kind of gal? Make sure you understand the timeline and steps in the design process in order to avoid frustration later on.
4.) What is your preferred method of communication and what is your turnaround time for response to questions?
This may seem like an obvious question, but it’s often overlooked. Find out if they prefer phone, email, or text. Outline your communication expectations of each other from the start. If your designer prefers email, make sure you as a client stay on top of your emails and provide feedback in a timely manner. Having this conversation up front will help your design project to go more smoothly and quickly.
5.) What support do you offer post roll out? Do you have an hourly fee?
When considering your budget, also consider extra costs that may come up post roll out. If in the future you add a new social media platform, will your designer charge an hourly fee to create a new button? Some designers may include basic support post roll out in their package, and charge an hourly rate for more in depth work. Some may offer support for a set period of time. Factor additional support time into your budget or ask if your designer will train you to do some basic edits yourself.
Have you worked with a blog designer? Share your experience! What advice do you have for those looking to get a custom design?
KEEP READING
Looking for more info? Here are a few posts related to starting a blog and hiring a blog designer that you’ll find helpful:
- Essential Camera Gear For Beginning Photographers - Aug 12, 2022
- Finding Your Friends on Instagram - May 3, 2022
- Magic Mosaic Easter Egg Coloring - Mar 5, 2022
- 11 Recipes For National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day - Feb 24, 2022
- Our Favorite Things – 2021 Edition (Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaways!) - Nov 15, 2021
- Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe - Sep 2, 2021
- Low Light Photography Tips for the Holidays - Nov 11, 2020
- DIY 30-Minute Thanksgiving Tree - Nov 8, 2020
- The Spanish Princess Part 2 Is Coming - Oct 8, 2020
- Fabric Pumpkins – DIY in 15 Minutes - Sep 9, 2020
- Jack-O-Lantern Marshmallow Pops - Sep 7, 2020
- DIY Mini Herb Garden - Aug 30, 2020
- Step by Step Plan to Drive Traffic to A New Blog - Aug 30, 2020
- Six Tips to Reduce Stress In Your Life - Aug 30, 2020
- How To Take A Food Photo From Good To Great - Aug 30, 2020
This is great advice. You girls need to keep it up. I love this! You have been very helpful to me. thanks again.
what should i ask if my brother is the desinger? mmm..
i think this questions are great, actually! i know exactly what to ask him without sounding mean or bossy.
xoxo,
Orly
coffeebeansandhighheels.weebly.com
Good stuff. I’m almost to the point I’ll be in the market for custom work. Fun, but scary
Excellent round up! As a designer this definitely saves us time for both designer and client. If anyone is in need of blog design, website design or any graphics, they can be sure to check out my portfolio http://freshmedleydesigns.com
Thanks SITS for this post!
As a blog designer, I can tell you that this list is spot on!
Excellent list of questions. I got burned buying a blog design on Etsy around Christmas because I fell in love with the design and didn’t ask enough questions before I paid. Lesson learned!
Happy nice day ! and great post, great blog 🙂
WordPress is definitely the way to go to get started. I remember for the longest time I wanted to NOT use WP…I actually shyed away from it. Glad I finally broke down because it’s a skill that is priceless….
Then you can customize the look by designing a header, banners, book covers (if you’re promoting a product for example; I use the free and paid versions at MyEcoverCreator.com) or just keep a personal blog with personal pic’s, uploads, etc.
Great advice. I’d like to get my blog redesigned when I have the funds. Wishing I’d done research on more designers when first setting up my blog.
Hi, this blog gives great information, I personally like to use wordpress for a website/blog as you can change to different themes as much as you like for a different design. This is very easy to do, but if your not to confident then there are many people on fiverr.com that will set up your wordpress blog and install a ‘theme’ that you have chosen. You will be able to find workers who have access to the premium themes at a fraction of the cost if you had to buy it for yourself. This is the route I take and if I decide I want a different look, then I change the theme, simple as that.
Hope this helped 🙂
Really a very nice post on blog design.I read the post and like it very much.There are many blog designs but this one of the most popular blog.This article is very informative.I would have said thanks for this post and we appreciate.
Hello! Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful information. There are a lot of blog designers out here and we must ensure that we get the best from whomever we select.
Have a nice day!
Going through this right now. Such good questions.
This list is wonderful and I actually considered all of them when I was looking for someone to give my blog a serious makeover, but the problem that I was having was that many blog designer fees were way over my budget….I grew frustrated but my prayers were answered…..while I was on Pinterest and found Fantastique Designs. Her prices were totally affordable, she made the process enjoyable, her turn around time was fast and she never left me thinking “uhmmm i haven’t heard from her in awhile” because she always kept me informed. I couldn’t be happier with what she did…. you can find her at http://www.fantastiquedesigns.com/
That’s awesome! So excited for you!
I would add to others who are still looking, sometimes around the bigger blogging conferences, or big holidays, designers run specials so keep your eyes out on Twitter and Facebook.
I thought many times to take the help of a designer for my blog, but always took a back seat considering what would I ask him being a layman in the field. This post would definitely help.
I’m in the process of getting a new blog design for a group I volunteer with. It has been a challenge because there are so many opinions.
Then on the other side, our designer for a virus and the whole process has been delayed by months.
It’s been a real process.
As someone who just opened up a new blog design business – this is perfect! It’s all about giving the customer complete love!
http://www.mynewfavoritedesign.com
Ginny, I’m looking at your site right now. I need a total re-design and would love to support a new business.
I would love to answer any blog design questions you might have – and would LOVE to work on your site’s new design! Email me at [email protected] or just submit information through the site. You can also order off of Etsy.
Wonderful to meet you!
We’re preparing to move on to the next step with our website so this is great advice! Thank you