When outsourcing design, you may be worried about whether you can trust a designer. Many people don’t know how to find a graphic designer in the Philippines who matches their company’s concerns and challenges.
In this article, we will introduce ways to find a graphic designer for hire in the Philippines and explain things to be aware of when requesting a designer.
The type of designer you hire will vary depending on the type of design you want, such as a website or promotional materials. There are five main types of designers. We will introduce the areas each designer is responsible for.
Types of designer for hire in the Philippines:
- Web designer
- UI/UX designer
- Graphic designer
- Illustrator
- Editorial designer
1. Web Designer
Web designers design websites, such as corporate official websites, e-commerce sites, and landing pages. They plan and propose designs that combine aesthetics, visibility, and functionality while incorporating the client’s requests and images. They create websites using programming languages such as HTML and CSS. In many cases, engineers are in charge of the actual coding that implements the functions, but in recent years, many web designers have been able to handle this role throughout the process.
In addition to skills related to design itself, we also have the listening skills to understand the client’s intentions and the marketing skills to deliver products and services to the desired target users.
2. UI/UX Designer
UX is an abbreviation for “User Experience,” which refers to the experience users have with a product or service. UX designers create designs that provide users with positive experiences, such as “fun” and “comfortable,” and get them interested in the product or service.
Although UI and UX each play different roles, users may abandon the site before the UX is provided if the UI is poorly designed. Therefore, it is important to design a good UI before providing a good UX, so they must be considered together.
3. Graphic Designer
Unlike web designers, graphic designers create tangible objects such as magazine and book covers, product packaging, posters, and signs.
Graphic designers have a glamorous image because they are often in charge of designs related to advertising and promotion. Still, there are many steps involved, from planning to production, and the design is completed through a series of tedious tasks.
A specific example of this is the verification process. Generally, the design itself is created using a computer, but the image changes when it is completed as a product, and the design may not convey the intended message.
To eliminate any discrepancies with the actual product, we create prototypes multiple times and carry out extensive verification testing, assuming the various situations and locations in which the product will be used.
4. Illustrator
An illustrator creates illustrations for use in paper media, on the web, etc. They consider the style and composition of the illustration based on the client’s image and requests and convey the information and appeal of the product in an easy-to-understand way.
Illustrators can create a catchier and softer impression than images, so they are active in various fields. Another advantage is that it is less expensive than using models or celebrities.
The main jobs include creating illustrations for advertising and promotion such as posters, pamphlets, and product packages, as well as creating illustrations and diagrams for magazines, books, and websites. Some illustrators can also create characters for anime and games, and official mascots for companies.
5. Editorial Designer
Editorial designers create designs for printed materials such as magazines, books, and catalogs. Following the wishes and instructions of the publishing company’s editors and art directors, their job is to create a balanced layout of titles, headings, body text, photos, illustrations, etc., and adjust the font and size of the text to create a design that is easy to read while still catching the reader’s eye. They can be considered UI/UX designers for printed materials.
Once the design structure has been decided, we place orders with photographers, illustrators, DTP operators, etc. to gather the materials needed for production, such as text and images. We reconstruct the design based on the materials and create prototypes, and after repeated careful verification and confirmation while taking into account the client’s wishes, we complete the printed matter.
6 Ways to Find a Graphic Designer for Hire in the Philippines
1. Use of a graphic design company in the Philippines
Design production companies produce designs in a wide range of areas, including web, graphics, and video, at the request of companies and individuals.
Advantage
The biggest advantage of using a graphic design company in the Philippines is that you can expect high-level skills and solid results from a company that specializes in design. They are a group of professional designers with a wealth of knowledge and experience. In many cases, they also have engineers and illustrators on staff, so you can request everything from a single source without splitting up the work.
Disadvantage
However, the disadvantage is that it is often more expensive than other methods. Also, some design production companies have a clear design style that they are good at, so depending on the company you hire, you may not realize the design you want as you imagined.
2. Use Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing is a general term for web services that connect companies and individuals who want to outsource work with creators. In addition to posting job descriptions that specify detailed conditions and requests and waiting for applications, you can search for and scout creators who meet your conditions.
Advantage
The advantage of crowdsourcing is that you can easily order designs that are not worth outsourcing to a production company but whose quality cannot be guaranteed if produced in-house. Since the people employed are basically freelance creators, depending on the negotiations, they may be able to flexibly respond to urgent projects.
Disadvantage
The disadvantage is the uncertainty of the creator’s identity. When creating a design, you may have to share confidential company information. Ask a creator who has registered their phone number with Crowdsourcing or submitted identification, and have them sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before sharing information.
3. Use of recruitment services
A recruitment service is a “paid employment agency” authorized by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare that receives job requests from companies and introduces personnel who meet the recruitment requirements for a fee.
Advantage
The advantage of recruitment services is that the company providing the service selects and introduces people who meet the application requirements, so the selection process can begin after the first screening has been completed.
Some recruitment services set certain screening criteria at the time of registration and only employ high-level creators. Another advantage is that, unlike crowdsourcing, an intermediary company is involved, so the creator’s identity is guaranteed.
Disadvantage
On the other hand, a disadvantage is the introduction fee. There is no cost until a job is decided, but an introduction fee will be charged depending on the number of people you hire. The introduction fee is said to be about 30-40% of the theoretical annual salary of the person you introduce. If you hire a few people, the fee can be kept low, but if you want to hire multiple creators, this could be a disadvantage.
4. Using advertising agencies
An advertising agency is a company that carries out advertising activities on behalf of its clients. It advertises its clients’ products and services by placing advertisements on television, radio, magazines, web media, and other media and earns revenue through commission. When you hire an advertising agency, you can leave everything to them, from design production to advertising activities.
Advantage
A major advantage of using an advertising agency is that they have the unique know-how and knowledge to widely publicize your products and services. Because they handle projects from a wide variety of companies, they are familiar with the characteristics and needs of various industries, media trends, and the latest information, and can suggest the best method.
Disadvantage
One drawback is that the cost can be high since the design production fee and the advertising fee are required. If your company has a PR department, it is better to find a designer who can handle the design only.
5. Use your network
If you are hesitant to use a professional service straight away, one option is to ask around, such as friends and acquaintances. Even if you don’t know any designers, you may be able to get an introduction if you tell people around you that you’re looking for one.
If they are friends or acquaintances, you will know their personality and background, making it easy to make requests and start working smoothly. However, being friends or acquaintances can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, so be careful.
For example, if there is something you want them to correct, it would be good if you were in a relationship where you could point it out as many times as you like, but there are also cases where you feel sorry and can’t say anything.
Also, even if you know someone, starting work without exchanging written documents can lead to trouble. If you are requesting work, you need to be prepared to be somewhat businesslike.
6. Use of social media
You can also use social media to find designers who meet your criteria and post job openings. Many designers post about their past achievements and work know-how on social media. You can get a glimpse of their personality from what they post, so you can use this as a criterion to judge whether they can realize the design you want and whether they are trustworthy.
However, even if you narrow it down to designers, there are a huge number of social media accounts, so it isn’t easy to find a designer that meets your needs, and it is likely to take a long time to hire.
In cases where the account name and the creator name are different, it may be difficult to determine whether the designs presented as the person creates achievements. Consider hiring them more carefully than with other search methods.
What to keep in mind when looking for a graphic designer for hire in the Philippines
Even if you hire a designer in the Philippines, you may not get the design you want if you don’t prepare or check in advance. Here are five things you should keep in mind to avoid this.
1. Check your portfolio
Designers have different track records and skills. It depends on the type of designer, such as web or graphic design, and they also have their own specialty genres and styles. To avoid mismatches after the request, be sure to ask them to submit a portfolio in advance.
By looking at the portfolio, you can check whether they have experience with projects similar to the design you are looking for, and whether the portfolio itself is designed to be easy to understand and read. It is also a good idea to check whether the work was created with support from a design school or whether it was created independently as part of a job.
2. Be specific about the image of the design you want to request
If you leave everything to the designer, thinking that it will be fine if you hire a professional, you may end up with a design that is far from what you imagined. Even if the final product is of high quality, if the design does not reflect the client’s intentions or needs, there is no point in outsourcing.
To prevent misunderstandings and reduce the number of revisions, be sure to share even small details with your designer, such as the specific scenario in which you want to use the design, your intended target audience, and your company’s brand image.
When sharing, you can make sharing smoother by creating a rough draft of the design concept using a design tool, or if it is difficult to create a rough draft, preparing multiple reference designs.
3. Create a contract
As mentioned in the “Utilizing your network” section, even if you are working with friends or acquaintances, be sure to sign a contract. If you request work without signing a contract, you may not be able to clarify who is responsible if a problem occurs, and you may end up suffering damages.
No matter how close your relationship is, or if it is a one-time order, you should properly complete the contract to avoid any unexpected trouble. The contract should clearly state the rights and obligations of each party regarding the work process, deliverables, number of revisions allowed, etc.
4. Plan your schedule
When you need a design, place your order as early as possible and schedule your production with plenty of time. If you don’t have enough time before the deadline, you may be charged a rush fee. Also, even if you have a good idea, you may not be able to realize it because of a lack of time, or you may not be able to produce multiple design proposals, which will affect the quality of the final product.
Create a flexible schedule and present detailed dates for each step, such as submitting a rough draft by a certain date and completing the prototype on a certain date so that progress can be managed based on a common understanding between both parties.
5. Share the data you want to use in advance
If you have company logo, official mascots, images you want to use in your design, or other materials, share the data in advance. When doing so, be sure to share the original data with high resolution. If you want to use images other than those taken by your company, check whether you can use them.
This prevents the need for revisions if the images arranged by the designer do not match the image or if low-resolution data is shared.
Also, if you have any text such as a tagline you would like to use in the design, please share that in advance. If you request the designer to add text, there may be an additional fee.
If you are looking for a graphic designer for hire in the Philippines, Graphics PH has your back.