One of the most significant roadblocks to creating a new blog is the design work involved. A lot of people think they can’t set up a blog if they don’t know how to code or have a background in design. However, these days, that’s not always the case.
The good news is, there are a lot of tools you can use nowadays to create professional-looking sites and blogs. If you know what they are, it can be possible to forego having to hire a web designer. I say ‘possible’ because there are still a lot of ways in which working with a talented designer can benefit you.
In this article, we’re going to discuss if it’s possible to start a blog without any web design experience. We’ll talk about two situations where hiring a web designer may benefit you and then we’ll discuss costs. Let’s talk design!
Can You Start a Blog Without Any Web Design Experience?
Before we can get anywhere, we need to talk about the difference between what a web designer and a developer do. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Web developers: They’re the guys that create your website and implement all its functionality using code. If you’re using WordPress or another Content Management System (CMS) they might help you add custom features to it.
- Web designers: These guys ensure your website looks good. If they’re talented, they’ll also make sure their designs are easy to use for as many visitors as possible.
To put it another way, a designer won’t be able to help you build a website from scratch, in most cases. That’s where platforms such as WordPress come in since they enable you to create simple blogs quickly.
These days, you also have access to tools known as site builders. With a site builder, you can often build stylish websites using drag-and-drop functionality and pre-built modules. In other words, putting together a page becomes kind of like building something using Legos.
In practice, this means you may not need to work with a web designer or a developer to create a blog. However, as you can imagine, things get tricky the more ambitious your project becomes.
Keep in mind – a straightforward WordPress design can still make for a successful blog. Leaving Work Behind, for example, is as simple as they come and we do pretty okay for ourselves. However, creating a blog (even a simple one) from scratch involves a lot of steps. If you want a little help through that process, you should check out the Start a Blog guide, which covers all the basics.
2 Ways a Web Designer Can Help You Launch a Successful Blog
There are a lot more than two situations where web designers can help you. However, when you’re launching a new blog, you probably won’t want to spend too much money working with a web designer.
With that in mind, these are the two ways that hiring a web designer can help you the most when you’re working on a new blog.
1. Creating a Memorable Logo
A lot of your favorite websites probably have logos you can remember. In most cases, they’re part of all their branding and once you see the image, you associate it with them immediately.
At least, that’s the way it should work if you have a great logo. There are a lot of free graphic design tools you can use to help you put together something for free, but unless you have an eye for design, that’ll pale in comparison to what a web designer can do.
Aside from that, having a professional-looking logo in place when you launch your blog can make it look like you have your stuff figured out. In other words, it may get visitors to take you a bit more seriously, which is always a plus.
2. Designing a Website Layout That’s Attractive and Easy to Use
When you’re navigating a blog, you want to be able to find the content you want quickly and for the reading experience to be good. A good blog layout can help you meet both criteria and transform your website into something more people can enjoy.
The problem is, a lot of new WordPress users get stuck using themes that don’t provide a decent user experience. If you hire a web designer, they can help you revamp your blog’s style and create a better layout.
Keep in mind – as we mentioned earlier, web designers won’t do the actual implementation for you. For that, you’ll need to hire a developer or use a site builder tool that can help you bring their vision to life. It can be a lot of work, but a great layout can make your blog shine and you often won’t need to change it for years at a time.
How Much it Can Cost to Hire a Web Designer for Your Blog
There are a lot of platforms where you can hire people to do all kinds of job incredibly cheap. My advice is, stay away from those. Chances are you won’t find talented web designers willing to create an amazing logo for you for $5. If you do, it’ll probably be after you crash and burn going through a lot of attempts.
For logo design alone, in my experience, you should expect to pay at least $100-200 and that’s on the low end of things. For that money, you can expect a decent-looking logo, but you probably won’t get a lot of revisions if you’re not happy with the concept.
Generally speaking, hiring a top-notch web designer will cost you anywhere from $30-40 an hour. In my experience, you can usually get a flat rate for jobs such as logo design, particularly if that’s their expertise.
When it comes to more complex projects, such as designing a new layout for your website, things get trickier (and more expensive). What quote you get will depend on who you talk to and where you find them.
To make sure you hire the right web designer, I recommend checking their portfolio thoroughly and not being afraid to ask a lot of questions. Designing an entire website takes time, so you want to make sure you’re working with the right person!
Conclusion
These days, creating a good-looking blog is easier than ever, even if you don’t have much of a technical or design background. The thing is, there are still a lot of specialized tasks where hiring a professional makes the most sense. Logos are one such example. If you want a memorable one, you’ll probably need to hire a web designer to help you.
It can also be a great idea to have a web design professional help you improve your blog’s layout to make it as attractive and easy-to-use as possible. However, the decision is up to you (and your budget!).
Do you think it makes sense to hire a web designer when you’re starting a new blog? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
Image credit: Pixabay.