Web Design Services

Web design is an umbrella term that involves the process of creating web products. It encompasses all aspects of designing a professional website: from creating a visually appealing interface to designing the functionality from a user experience standpoint.

The responsibilities of website designers include creating:

• Design concepts,
• Wireframes,
• Mockups,
• User maps and journeys,
• Prototypes,

And more, depending on the complexity of the projects. The goal of website design services is to create engaging and responsive websites that enable users to interact with the website smoothly. A major focus in website design is also put on creating a responsive design across different devices, like smartphones, tablets, and desktops.

Professional web designers typically use a variety of design tools, most commonly Adobe XD, Figma, Invision Studio, and Photoshop. Other types of software are also used to create user flows and different screens that developers can easily understand and bring to life.

Web development includes coding a website to create an intended design by using various coding languages, like PHP or JavaScript, and care about search engine optimisation. Front-end web developers are the ones responsible for coding the visual elements of the interface design, as well as building all the features of user experience, previously created by a web designer.

Depending on the type of website you want to create, you may require specific services. In general, most website design projects need a full-cycle design service that tackles multiple aspects, regardless if it’s an existing or new product.

As an established design and development company, Limeup offers a variety of web design services for small businesses and enterprises to reach their goals through impactful website design.

Let’s talk about what kind of professional web design services exist and how they can benefit your business.

Example of the types of website design services.

#1 User experience design

User experience, or UX, design is one of the most crucial cornerstones of a successful web design. A good user experience enables users to have pleasant and trouble-free interactions with the website.

Creating a well-thought-out user experience means designing with users in mind by providing intuitive navigation and simple layouts to ensure users can find what they are looking for and complete tasks easily.

On the other hand, a bad user experience can lead to frustration and confusion, risking to have the user completely abandoning interacting with the website. This is why user experience is a highly important website design service that needs to be applied mindfully.

#2 User interface design

A user interface, or UI, design is responsible for delivering the visual aesthetics of web design. Nowadays, it’s impossible to be competitive in the market without an attractive and clean interface that represents the distinct identity of your brand.

A professionally designed interface helps users focus on the important contents of the pages without being distracted by other elements of design. A bad user interface may include inconsistent graphics, large amounts of text, unattractive iconography, low contrast, and more.

Oftentimes, a good user interface is associated with minimalism and simplicity, using a lot of whitespace and complimentary color schemes. The UI website design service is important in delivering a visually appealing interface that is in line with your brand identity and speaks to the preferences of your target audience.

#3 Mobile optimization

Creating a web design that is optimized for mobile devices is a must in the modern world, as more users access websites through smartphones and tablets instead of desktops. Designers must prioritize mobile optimization to create the best solution for your business.

This includes designing mobile-friendly pages that respond to changes in screen size, keeping in mind smaller touchscreen interactions and consistency in the size of visual elements, such as text, buttons, icons, etc.

#4 Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization, or SEO, in web design packages is the practice of designing a website that performs well on search engines. Optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages is important, as this is the way to get organic traffic to the site.

Creating a stunning interface and user experience for your website is not enough if users can’t organically find it through search algorithms. There are a few practices that are aimed at SEO in web design. In particular:

• Readability. Using high-intent keywords and meaningful copy on your website increases the content value, both in the eyes of search engines and users.
• Sitemaps. A sitemap is a file that compiles all the pages and media on your website, which helps search engines crawl them and understand the content of the site in order to rank it appropriately.
• Alt tags. Alt tags are textual descriptions of media files that are on your website, which also increase the accessibility of your website.
• Metadata. Such data includes title tags and a meta description of your web pages that is visible in search engine results pages.

#5 Accessibility

A website that is not designed with accessibility in mind cannot be considered competitive in the market. Large and small business owners shouldn’t avoid this website design service in order to be inclusive to all website users.

Accessibility in web design implies designing features that are accessible to users with certain disabilities or impairments. Some of the most common accessibility features include:

• Screen readers. Users with sight impairments can use screen readers that identify the text alternative to images (this is where alt tags come into play). Transcripts for audio and video content also positively reflect your brand.
• Keyboard navigation. Users with limited mobility can use keyboard navigation as an alternative to mouse controls.
• Color contrast. Users with color blindness or low vision can use the high color contrast option. This is especially valuable if the color scheme of your web design uses similar colors.
• Text size augmentation. Ideally, users should be able to scale up or down the text on your pages to increase readability.

Before you can choose a web design company to collaborate with, it’s important to evaluate a few key factors that will come into play during the design process. You should take your time to ensure you pick a design provider best meets your needs and will provide top-notch web design service.

Let’s talk about several moments that you should consider before signing a contract with a company.

#1 Define your goals and requirements

In order to assess whether a certain design company can make a good partner, you should clearly define what your goals and requirements are for designing a new website or redesigning an old one.

It’s best to sit down and make an organized list of all services required. That way, you will have a clearer vision for the project and will be able to better communicate to the design team exactly what you are looking for.

#2 Set the timeline and the budget

Generally, the budget is tightly intertwined with the timeline for the projects. You must identify realistic deadlines for the web design service in order to come up with a viable budget range for the work that will be done. Having an honest assessment of your possibilities will save you a lot of headaches down the line.
Communicate your desired timeline and budget to potential candidates to see which one makes the most cost-effective option. Keep in mind that the cheapest option does not always guarantee a successful result.

#3 Consider the company’s size and location

How big or small the company is doesn’t necessarily translate into the team’s website design capabilities and skills. On average, big companies with large teams tend to charge more as opposed to boutique companies with smaller but dedicated teams.
Another factor that can play a major role is their location. You need to consider whether you will be more comfortable working with a remote or an on-site team. On the one hand, an on-site team can provide face-to-face meetings. On the other, remote collaboration opens up a larger pool of web experts that can make a good fit for your business.

#4 Evaluate the company’s culture

It’s a good idea to evaluate the work culture to see if they could be suitable partners for your website design idea. You can do so by checking out their About Us page on the company’s website to see if their values and culture align with your business.
You can also review their blog page and social media profiles. Based on the content they post, you can get a sense of their communication style and whether they focus on providing helpful or promotional information.

#5 Meet the team

Meeting the team is a great way to see if you feel comfortable and confident in the web design service providers. You should conduct an in-person or video interview with the specialists to assess their hard and soft skills before you can make a final decision.
Trusting your initial reaction is not a bad method of judging whether you feel encouraged or discouraged about making long-term commitments with a specific company.

What to think about before signing a contract with a company.

The cost of a website design service can vary greatly depending on several factors. While we can’t estimate the exact price without consultation, here are some influential aspects to keep in mind:

• The complexity of the project. A simple website with a few landing pages is going to cost less than, for example, a complex e-commerce website with a lot of custom features.
• Timeline. If clients set strict and short deadlines for website development, it’s going to cost more since web developers would require more resources to complete the service on time.
• The experience level of the team. The services of mid and senior-level designers and developers will be more costly since clients pay for their expertise.
• The number of team members involved. Depending on how complex your ideas are to develop, the service provider might need to onboard more members on the team, which could increase the final cost.
• Levels of customization. If you’re looking for a highly-customized design that would require specific features tailored to your business, it will cost more, as opposed to using pre-made templates and layouts.

On average, freelance designers and established website development agencies charge per hour for their services. Junior designers may charge around £20 — £40 per hour, while mid-level and senior designers can charge anywhere between £40 — £120+ an hour.

For a business owner that isn’t very familiar with the web design process, it may not be obvious what to look for when choosing web experts. Let’s go over some of the necessary skills and abilities you need to pay attention to if you want to hire web designers that will be the most suitable for your business.

#1 Portfolio of previous works

To evaluate the experience and expertise level of potential candidates, you must review their portfolios. You can make your assessment more structured by asking yourself the following questions:

1. What kind of industries do they have experience creating a design for? For example, e-commerce, healthcare, fintech, igaming, etc.
2. Do they have previous experience working in your specific industry?
3. What was the duration of their previous collaborations?
4. Was there an impact of their work on the business?
5. Did they provide any ongoing support?

Creating an organized spreadsheet with similar information can help you keep better track of the designers you review.

#2 Web design skills

You must assess what kind of skills the designer possess to see if they can help you bring your ideas to life. Ideally, the designer should be skilled in both UI and UX design to provide comprehensive services.
Here are some of the necessary skills that will be required to create an excellent web design:

• Understanding the principles of mobile-friendly design and web accessibility standards.
• Responsive and interaction design.
• User journey mapping.
• Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO).
• HTML and CSS knowledge.
• Wireframing and prototyping.
• Branding, color theory, and typography.
• Agile development methods.

#3 Communication and collaboration skills

The soft skills of a design provider are no less important than their hard skills when it comes to partnering on website design. You will most likely be able to evaluate their communication skills through an interview where you can ask questions about their collaboration style.

A good designer must be able to communicate concepts and ideas to clients in a clear and understandable manner. You can also ask situational questions to see how they would handle challenging situations and what their problem-solving skills are.

#4 Design tools and software

An experienced designer uses a variety of tools in the work cycle. It’s best to make sure the candidate is knowledgeable about which tools help create a functional and appealing web design.

If it’s not mentioned in the portfolio, you can ask them during an interview about the types of software they use in their work. Most commonly, designers are skilled in tools like Adobe XD, InVision, and Figma.

#5 Testimonials from former clients

Testimonials and reviews from previous clients can tell a lot more about a candidate than a resume or portfolio. It’s a good idea to contact their former employees for a recommendation. You can also ask for some details of their collaboration that don’t disclose confidential business details, for example:

• What was the communication like? Did the designer showcase professionalism and responsiveness when interacting with other members?
• Was the client satisfied with the end result of the collaboration? Did the designer deliver and meet all of the expectations from the service?
• Have any issues come up during the partnership? If so, how did the designer resolve and respond to negative feedback?
• What was the impact of the work? Have they witnessed positive results from the service?
• Would they recommend working with the designer? Any particular qualities that stood out, such as creativity, ability to meet deadlines, etc?

The time it takes to complete web design projects will depend based on their complexity and the scope of work. It will also vary depending on the deadlines you set, the workload of specialists that build websites, and if you require any additional support down the line.

Generally, simple WordPress websites with basic features and a smaller amount of landing pages may take several weeks to complete. While more complex websites, like an e-commerce website with a lot of custom features, can take up to several months.

For a business headquartered in the United Kingdom, there are many major benefits of partnering with web design companies in the UK. Luckily, there are thousands of potential candidates that could make a good partner for your brand, so choosing the right one won’t become an obstructing issue.

So, what exactly is beneficial about collaborating with a website design provider from the United Kingdom?

Let’s go over a few key advantages of choosing a UK-based company that specializes in website design.

#1 Understanding of the local market

Collaborating with a company from the United Kingdom is going to eliminate the issue of a design provider not understanding the market they are making a web design for. UK companies have experience and expertise in cultural settings and customer preferences, making it easier to cater to a particular market.

Local web design providers will also have a more in-depth understanding of the imagery and language that tends to appeal more to the target audience. This will increase the chances of the product being successful and competitive in the field.

#2 Time zones and face-to-face communication

One major problem businesses come across when collaborating with website design providers from different countries is the differences in time zones. When design and development specialists are not available to answer questions or queries from the client, it can significantly obstruct and delay the operations.

Companies that provide local website design and development services typically do not run into such an issue.

Another big advantage of working with a United Kingdom-based design agency is the ability to have face-to-face meetings. Although the ability to arrange video conferences and meet-ups has become normalized over the recent years, and their efficiency proves to be as effective, some clients still prefer real-time communication.

If natural communication is important for you and you don’t mind making travel arrangements to meet the team in person, then it’s best to select a company from the UK. That way, you can ensure smoother communication when it comes to conceptualizing, brainstorming ideas, and receiving feedback.

Additionally, local collaboration can make for more accessible ongoing support and maintenance in case you run into any issues after the launch. Having a provider in your time zone will ensure a faster problem resolution.

#3 Compliance with the local regulations

One often overlooked advantage of partnering with web development companies in the UK is their ability to meet local legal requirements and regulations. A UK-based web design provider has a more cohesive grasp of safety policies and data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Being more well-versed in how to adhere to legal regulations, a local company will give guidance when it comes to data security, enabling you to sell products or conduct operations with a peaceful mind.

Overall, choosing web design services in the UK can present you with more possibilities and positive impacts on your brand and reputation.