Here is a guide to helping you find the best blog designer for your personality, as well as some tips from a graphic designer's mouth on how to be the best client. I have a point to this post at the very bottom. I promise.
Not every graphic designer will be right for you. My favorite thing about my designs, as well as the majority of the other blog designers out there, is that you can tell it came from me without even needing to see a "blog design by" stamp.
I love that blog world is so big that there is not a feeling of competition between designers. We all have different styles, and there seems to be plenty of design work to go around. Some of my favorite bloggers and closest friends in blog land, have their own blog design studios, all different from mine. There are so many choices for you out there, how do you decide?
Designers don't price their work just willy nilly. There is a method to their madness. Do I think you will get a better product from a blog designer who charges $200 as compared to my designs which only cost $50? I do and I don't. They have been doing this longer than I have. They know tips and coding that I couldn't even imagine existed. And I bet they are fast. That doesn't mean their end product necessarily looks better than mine, but it will have more bells and whistles.
The reason I am priced where I am, is not because I don't think my work is worthy of $200, but because I'm as slow as molasses. I work two full time jobs. I have my regular 8-5, then I also do freelance marketing for a chain of salons back in Tennessee. I'm busy. But graphic design is my outlet and I love love love it. I price myself at $50 hoping that people see the value that they are getting in a completely custom design, and don't mind the wait.
How many edits do you get with your design? If you are the pickiest person in the world, and you know you are, don't choose a designer who limits your edits. If you are easy going and want to let the expert do the work, and you trust them to provide you with something beautiful, don't pay attention to the number of edits you receive.
The coolest thing about blog designers is that we are all bloggers too. Do you love someone's blog? Do you read it every day, comment and even say to yourself, "Man, if we ever met, we would totally be besties!" Then you find out they do blog design, and you love their designs?! No brainer, pick them!!
Don't pick a blog designer you have nothing in common with! And for the record, I can design blogs that don't have glitter on them, I just prefer not to. :) If you are a glitter whore lover in design and in life, pick me! If you want something clean and or elegant, I may not be the girl for you.
Make sure your personality aligns with their personality.
And finally, how to be a pleasant client to work with...
1. Trust us: We have done this a few times. Put your faith in us that we won't screw you over. Our name is on this blog design too, ya know!
2. Be as specific as possible with your feedback: When we send designs, we are nervous. We spend a lot of time brainstorming, creating, adjusting, switching fonts and sometimes even moving things up, down, left, right and back again to where it started. The last thing we want to hear is... I don't like it or Not bad. What specifically do you not like? What specifically do you like? Do you like one font in particular? Do you like this color, do you like that pattern?
We are all taking shots in the dark coming up with designs for you. We don't know you. Heck, I don't even know my closest friend's design preferences! If you hate it that's fine, but tell us why you hate it. The more specific you are, the faster the design finishes and the closer your blog design matches your personality.
And remember that time I said I had a point.... Here it is! I'm launching my new blog design site today! I already had a Social and Chic page, but it wouldn't support the new passionfruit design services html, so I knew I wanted to switch. I asked my go to blog expert to look it over for me, because I knew she would not only be honest, but be knowledgable on what other bloggers would want to see.
I'm sure you already know who I'm talking about... Helene... duh. I simply asked her to look my new site over, and this is the response I got...
"On first glance: it looks inviting, simple and I love the colors and design. The blue is perfection. Kinda reminds me of the beach.
Really diving into it: I think social media buttons at the bottom should be slightly bigger so people can really look at them. I also love the now serving free wine (yesterday) I think that should be a little (just slightly larger). I also think your tabs at the top (the font) should be a little thicker font so it's easier to read. just slightly.
Services page looks freaking amazing. So does portfolio.I love that you use passionfruit for people to buy it, makes it super easy! I like the contact form but maybe throw an email on there to contact you (unless you don't want people to contact you that way) bc sometimes people are weird about forms! and then your blog- duh totes amaze.
I was an honest as possible and I don't know much about design so if you hate what I say no hard feelings!"
This is how every blog designer wishes their clients were. This feedback was specific, fixable, helpful and most importantly made me feel confident in my new blog design site! I took Helene's advice on each item she listed, plus it inspired me to make a few other graphic changes on the site. Yes, I'm obviously one lucky duck to have such a blogging expert to look my design site over, aren't I? And thanks to her feedback, I feel confident to show of my new Social and Chic page with you guys!
Click the icon below, go check it out, let me know what you think!! But remember, be specific!
(hah, jk, lol, lylas)
