Finding the right blog designer

You’re ready. Your blog’s ready. You want to really graduate to the big times. You want your very own, personal blog design.

Woohoo! Whether you decide to do it yourself or find a web designer, this is a very exciting time for your blog.

So, if you’re going the web designer route, how do you find one that will work for you?

See samples of their work
Look at your favorite blogs. Okay, blogs that you think are pretty. See if they have a designer credit (usually at the bottom of the page), or ask the bloggers who did their design.

If you already have a designer in mind, be sure to look through their portfolio (they should definitely have a collection of sample themes or clients’ blogs that you can look at).

What should you be looking for? You should be looking to see if you like some (or better still, all) of the designs that person has done. It can be helpful to point to elements their previous work and ask for something similar in your design.

You should also look to see if they work in the same “genre” (or at least style) as your blog. If they’ve done exclusively corporate blogs and you have a mom blog, they might not be a good match.

Check prices
You know how it goes: good stuff don’t come cheap. Generally, if you’re working with a designer that specializes in mom blogs, their prices will be far more affordable than “professional” blog designers’. Many blog designers charge flat rates and publish those rates on their websites. Others may give ballpark prices and/or estimates on the website, but the final price will be based on how extensive and custom your blog design is.

Make sure they work in your platform
If you’re on Blogger and they only do WordPress, that’s a problem. Blogger and WordPress are worlds apart; it would take a lot for a designer to learn an entire new platform just for one design.

Again, most blog designers will state directly on their blog what platforms they design for. If you’re using something other than WordPress, TypePad or Blogger, it may be a bit harder to find the affordable mom blog designer you’re looking for.

Make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting
Will your blog design include a just a new header? What about a favicon? Customized sidebars? For that matter, one or two sidebars—and will they cost extra? How many widgets will they include? Will the design for specific plugins? Will the designer “install” your new design for you and make sure it works on your blog?

Ask what kind of input they’d like
I believe most designers appreciate some direction when you’re working with them. I know that it’s really hard to make something a client likes when you have no idea what they’re looking for. I’ll have more on this topic next week, so stay tuned!

That’s right, next week we’ll have more on working with your chosen blog designer as well as another Group Writing Project!

Get more Works-for-me Wednesday!