Web Designer or Web Developer:
Web Designer or Web Developer:
Who should I hire to build my website?
Who should I hire to build my website?
If you're a small business owner or an entrepreneur, building a website can feel like a puzzling, time-consuming task. You know you need a great website to grow your business, but when you start googling, you see titles like Web Designer, Web Strategist, and Web Developer, and everyone seems to do a little bit of everything.
What do these titles mean? Are they the same thing? And most importantly, who should you hire to build your website?
Don't worry! In today’s topic, we’re going to break this down so simply that even a 12-year-old could understand it. By the end of this post, you will know exactly who you need for your specific project.
Web Designer
What we call “The Artist”. They care about how the website looks and how it feels to browse through it. They think visually by considering the colour, layout, typography (fonts), photos, and the overall feel of your online identity. They focus on the "front end" of the website, the place your customers actually see and click on. But in layman's term, what exactly do they do?
Visual hierarchy: Guides the visitor's eye to the most important information first
Visual design and brand consistency: They choose the colours, fonts, and images so your website matches your brand's identity and stays consistent and engaging digitally.
User Experience (UX): They make sure the website is easy to navigate. If a customer wants to buy a product or schedule for your services, the designer ensures the "Buy Now" or “Book Now” button is easy to find.
What they’re not responsible for?
Custom code the website from scratch.
Web Design Strategist
Now, what is a Web Design Strategist (sometimes called a Strategic Designer) then?
In most instances, a web design strategist also does everything a web designer does, plus they question everything. They bring together the branding, marketing psychology, conversion thinking, and design to build a website that looks good AND works for your business. They study your customers to understand what they want and need. They figure out how the website can help your business grow (like getting more email subscribers, attracting the right leads, or selling more products).
Web Developer
A web developer is the builder. They write the custom code like this <head>Hello World</head><body>This is my website </body> that makes your website function. They collaborate with web designers and turn their designs into a real, working website using code (like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, Python and PHP) to bring the designer's vision to life on the screen. They build the hidden parts of the website, like the servers and databases that store your customers' information.
A web developer cares about how the website works behind the scenes. They make sure the website loads quickly, doesn't crash, and can securely handle things like credit card payments.
How do I know who exactly to hire?
My advice is that it all depends on what you need for your business. Most small businesses/entrepreneurs will meet a Web Designer or a Web Developer at their networking events. So…
Hire a Web Designer/ Web Design Strategist if..
You need a web visual refresh, or someone to fix your website to make it look more polished, instead of DIY looking
You need a simple, beautiful website and nothing complicated
You are using website builders like WordPress, Framer, Squarespace or Wix, and you just need someone to make it look professional and eye-catching
You want a website (new or redesign) but aren't sure exactly what it should look like, what your website should say or how it will help your business grow
You've had a website for a while but it's not generating leads, enquiries, or sales, and you're not sure why
Hire a Web Developer if..
You need a website with special, complicated features that a drag-and-drop platform can't handle (such as custom booking systems, membership portals, custom databases, API integrations, online stores)
You're building something complex, such as an e-commerce store with specific requirements, a web app, or a platform
You insist on a custom-code website because you have a very specific design direction.
Before you hire, what do you need your website to do? If your answer is
Look professional and attract clients → web design/web design strategist (that’s me, Kimberly!)
Function in a very specific technical way → web developer
Both → you might need a small team, or a strategist who has a developer in their network
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the terminology and jargon, book a call and chat with me. I will do my best to help you! I’m Kimberly, I call myself a web design strategist nowadays because I’m very passionate about helping businesses get the most out of their website. I create websites for clients using the best website builders out there. One that fits your business, makes it easy for you to use.
Thanks for reading!
Sources you can read from:
Web Designer vs. Web Developer: How the Jobs Differ
Web Developer vs. Designer: What You Need to Know
If you're a small business owner or an entrepreneur, building a website can feel like a puzzling, time-consuming task. You know you need a great website to grow your business, but when you start googling, you see titles like Web Designer, Web Strategist, and Web Developer, and everyone seems to do a little bit of everything.
What do these titles mean? Are they the same thing? And most importantly, who should you hire to build your website?
Don't worry! In today’s topic, we’re going to break this down so simply that even a 12-year-old could understand it. By the end of this post, you will know exactly who you need for your specific project.
Web Designer
What we call “The Artist”. They care about how the website looks and how it feels to browse through it. They think visually by considering the colour, layout, typography (fonts), photos, and the overall feel of your online identity. They focus on the "front end" of the website, the place your customers actually see and click on. But in layman's term, what exactly do they do?
Visual hierarchy: Guides the visitor's eye to the most important information first
Visual design and brand consistency: They choose the colours, fonts, and images so your website matches your brand's identity and stays consistent and engaging digitally.
User Experience (UX): They make sure the website is easy to navigate. If a customer wants to buy a product or schedule for your services, the designer ensures the "Buy Now" or “Book Now” button is easy to find.
What they’re not responsible for?
Custom code the website from scratch.
Web Design Strategist
Now, what is a Web Design Strategist (sometimes called a Strategic Designer) then?
In most instances, a web design strategist also does everything a web designer does, plus they question everything. They bring together the branding, marketing psychology, conversion thinking, and design to build a website that looks good AND works for your business. They study your customers to understand what they want and need. They figure out how the website can help your business grow (like getting more email subscribers, attracting the right leads, or selling more products).
Web Developer
A web developer is the builder. They write the custom code like this <head>Hello World</head><body>This is my website </body> that makes your website function. They collaborate with web designers and turn their designs into a real, working website using code (like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, Python and PHP) to bring the designer's vision to life on the screen. They build the hidden parts of the website, like the servers and databases that store your customers' information.
A web developer cares about how the website works behind the scenes. They make sure the website loads quickly, doesn't crash, and can securely handle things like credit card payments.
How do I know who exactly to hire?
My advice is that it all depends on what you need for your business. Most small businesses/entrepreneurs will meet a Web Designer or a Web Developer at their networking events. So…
Hire a Web Designer/ Web Design Strategist if..
You need a web visual refresh, or someone to fix your website to make it look more polished, instead of DIY looking
You need a simple, beautiful website and nothing complicated
You are using website builders like WordPress, Framer, Squarespace or Wix, and you just need someone to make it look professional and eye-catching
You want a website (new or redesign) but aren't sure exactly what it should look like, what your website should say or how it will help your business grow
You've had a website for a while but it's not generating leads, enquiries, or sales, and you're not sure why
Hire a Web Developer if..
You need a website with special, complicated features that a drag-and-drop platform can't handle (such as custom booking systems, membership portals, custom databases, API integrations, online stores)
You're building something complex, such as an e-commerce store with specific requirements, a web app, or a platform
You insist on a custom-code website because you have a very specific design direction.
Before you hire, what do you need your website to do? If your answer is
Look professional and attract clients → web design/web design strategist (that’s me, Kimberly!)
Function in a very specific technical way → web developer
Both → you might need a small team, or a strategist who has a developer in their network
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the terminology and jargon, book a call and chat with me. I will do my best to help you! I’m Kimberly, I call myself a web design strategist nowadays because I’m very passionate about helping businesses get the most out of their website. I create websites for clients using the best website builders out there. One that fits your business, makes it easy for you to use.
Thanks for reading!
Sources you can read from:
Web Designer vs. Web Developer: How the Jobs Differ
Web Developer vs. Designer: What You Need to Know
If you're a small business owner or an entrepreneur, building a website can feel like a puzzling, time-consuming task. You know you need a great website to grow your business, but when you start googling, you see titles like Web Designer, Web Strategist, and Web Developer, and everyone seems to do a little bit of everything.
What do these titles mean? Are they the same thing? And most importantly, who should you hire to build your website?
Don't worry! In today’s topic, we’re going to break this down so simply that even a 12-year-old could understand it. By the end of this post, you will know exactly who you need for your specific project.
Web Designer
What we call “The Artist”. They care about how the website looks and how it feels to browse through it. They think visually by considering the colour, layout, typography (fonts), photos, and the overall feel of your online identity. They focus on the "front end" of the website, the place your customers actually see and click on. But in layman's term, what exactly do they do?
Visual hierarchy: Guides the visitor's eye to the most important information first
Visual design and brand consistency: They choose the colours, fonts, and images so your website matches your brand's identity and stays consistent and engaging digitally.
User Experience (UX): They make sure the website is easy to navigate. If a customer wants to buy a product or schedule for your services, the designer ensures the "Buy Now" or “Book Now” button is easy to find.
What they’re not responsible for?
Custom code the website from scratch.
Web Design Strategist
Now, what is a Web Design Strategist (sometimes called a Strategic Designer) then?
In most instances, a web design strategist also does everything a web designer does, plus they question everything. They bring together the branding, marketing psychology, conversion thinking, and design to build a website that looks good AND works for your business. They study your customers to understand what they want and need. They figure out how the website can help your business grow (like getting more email subscribers, attracting the right leads, or selling more products).
Web Developer
A web developer is the builder. They write the custom code like this <head>Hello World</head>
<body>This is my website </body> that makes your website function. They collaborate with web designers and turn their designs into a real, working website using code (like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, Python and PHP) to bring the designer's vision to life on the screen. They build the hidden parts of the website, like the servers and databases that store your customers' information.
A web developer cares about how the website works behind the scenes. They make sure the website loads quickly, doesn't crash, and can securely handle things like credit card payments.
How do I know who exactly to hire?
My advice is that it all depends on what you need for your business. Most small businesses/entrepreneurs will meet a Web Designer or a Web Developer at their networking events. So…
Hire a Web Designer/ Web Design Strategist if..
You need a web visual refresh, or someone to fix your website to make it look more polished, instead of DIY looking
You need a simple, beautiful website and nothing complicated
You are using website builders like WordPress, Framer, Squarespace or Wix, and you just need someone to make it look professional and eye-catching
You want a website (new or redesign) but aren't sure exactly what it should look like, what your website should say or how it will help your business grow
You've had a website for a while but it's not generating leads, enquiries, or sales, and you're not sure why
Hire a Web Developer if..
You need a website with special, complicated features that a drag-and-drop platform can't handle (such as custom booking systems, membership portals, custom databases, API integrations, online stores)
You're building something complex, such as an e-commerce store with specific requirements, a web app, or a platform
You insist on a custom-code website because you have a very specific design direction.
Before you hire, what do you need your website to do? If your answer is
Look professional and attract clients → web design/web design strategist (that’s me, Kimberly!)
Function in a very specific technical way → web developer
Both → you might need a small team, or a strategist who has a developer in their network
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the terminology and jargon, book a call and chat with me. I will do my best to help you! I’m Kimberly, I call myself a web design strategist nowadays because I’m very passionate about helping businesses get the most out of their website. I create websites for clients using the best website builders out there. One that fits your business, makes it easy for you to use.
Thanks for reading!
Sources you can read from:
Web Designer vs. Web Developer: How the Jobs Differ
Web Developer vs. Designer: What You Need to Know