As someone who recently went through the process of getting a new website for my small business, I've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't. After three website makeovers and countless conversations with other business owners, I want to share some real insights that could save you time, money, and headaches when working with a website designer.

The Reality Check

When I first decided to hire a website designer, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I had a Pinterest board full of fancy websites with moving parts and cool effects. But here's what I learned the hard way: what looks impressive isn't always what works best for your customers.

My first website was beautiful but completely impractical. People couldn't find basic information like our business hours, and don't even get me started on how slowly it loaded. That's when I realized I needed to think more about what my customers needed rather than what looked cool to me.

Phone-Friendly Comes First

Here's something that surprised me: most people visit my bakery's website on their phones while they're on the go. They're looking for our menu, location, or trying to place a quick order. When I told this to my new website designer, they completely changed their approach.

My advice? Pull out your phone and look at your competitors' websites. Notice how frustrating it is when you have to zoom in to read text or when buttons are too small to tap. These are the things to discuss with your website designer before they start working on your site.

Speed Matters More Than Fancy Features

During my second website redesign, I insisted on having lots of high-quality photos of my cakes. While they looked amazing, the website became so slow that customers would give up before the pages loaded. My website designer suggested we use fewer, better-optimized images instead. Now the site loads quickly, and we still get to show off our best work.

Making Things Easy to Find

The biggest lesson I learned was about keeping things simple. On my first website, I tried to be creative with menu names and page organization. Instead of "Contact," we had "Let's Chat!" Cute, right? Wrong. People got confused and couldn't find basic information.

When working with my current website designer, we focused on making everything obvious. Now our contact information, menu, and ordering system are right where people expect them to be. Our customer complaints about the website dropped to zero, and online orders increased.

The Cost Reality

Let's talk about money. Website designers can charge anywhere from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars. My first designer was the cheapest I could find, and it showed. The second was expensive but didn't listen to what I needed. The third, who I still work with, charged a fair middle-ground price and took the time to understand my business.

Working Together Successfully

Here's what made my latest website project successful:

• I shared examples of websites I liked and explained specifically what I liked about them.
• I collected feedback from my customers about what they needed from our website.
• I trusted my website designer's advice about what would work best.
• We agreed on a clear timeline and budget upfront.

The Results That Matter

After getting it right with my current website designer, our online orders increased by 30%, and customers regularly tell us how easy our website is to use. No more complaints about slow loading times or confusion about how to find information.

Looking Back

If I could go back and tell myself one thing before starting this journey, it would be this: focus on what your customers need, not on what looks impressive. A good website designer will help you achieve both, but function should always come before flash.

What's Your Experience?

Have you worked with a website designer before? What worked well, and what would you do differently? Share your stories below – I'd love to hear about your experiences and what you've learned along the way.

P.S. If you're just starting your search for a website designer, remember that the cheapest option isn't always the most cost-effective, and the most expensive isn't necessarily the best. Look for someone who asks questions about your business and your customers' needs.