Selecting a Graphic Designer

The Development Process
Developing a banner ad involves three basic steps:

• Designing the concept layout (what it will look like).
• Creating the copy (text message) that will appear on the ad.
• Building the ad so it’s ready for placement on Web sites.

You may have already prepared the concept layout, copy, or Web-ready graphics prior to hiring the designer. If so, you will save the designer steps in the process, cutting the development time. You should expect the designer you choose to adjust fees accordingly.

Level of Service
Some designers develop ads by simply inserting the appropriate elements – typically, your desired text, font, and color scheme - into pre-designed templates. These designers will have little or no interaction with you during the process.

Others focus on customized service and set up meetings along the way to review progress and request your input. They are more likely to take into consideration your target audience, the sites on which you will be advertising, and other factors that may affect the success of your ads. The high-end designers may also provide consulting services to help you integrate your banner campaign with your overall marketing strategy. Expect to pay a minimum of $50 for each customized ad, depending on the level of service.

In addition to creating your banner ads, some designers can help you place them on Web sites and track their results for an extra fee.

Experience and Talent
The longer a designer has been in business, the larger their portfolio and customer list will be. But keep in mind that banner advertising is a very new market. A designer with more than a couple years experience may be considered a veteran.

More important than number of years in business is the quality of the designer’s work. Review samples of banners we have designed. This will give you an idea of our talent and how well our style is suited for your business.

A final word on selecting a designer – as you fill out the Quote Request, you’ll see links on the form. You can click on the links for explanations of terms or samples of different banner types and sizes. If you’d like to review the definition of any of the terms we've used, take a look at the glossary.