Web banners are important parts of branding. These can be advertisements or graphics for a website, and either way these need to be top-notch to get the intent across. So instead of trying to hack something together, people will go looking for a designer to make one for them.

Charge a minimum of an hourly rate for web banner designs. The per hour range for a graphic designer is $15-$150 USD, with an average of $31.25 USD so use this as a basis when determining the rate for any designs.

Art in any form is often undercharged, especially by newcomers to the field. The hope is that more clients will bite if the cost is low, on top of the stigma that art should be done out of passion which also drives the cost down. However, none of this is a good reason to not charge for skilled services. Keep reading for more details on how to appropriately charge for web banner designs and for a basis for other potential design services.

Average Pricing for Designers

Graphic design is a skilled profession and should be treated as such. Nobody can just do art out of the womb; it takes time and effort to build the ability to make something worth selling. It’s not something that just happens and is definitely not worth minimum wage.

Average Pricing for Graphic Designers

When in a firm or working for a business in general, there are typically three levels of pay scale, just like in most skilled professions. Designers are often given an annual salary based on these levels.

The annual salary (in USD) are as follows:

• Entry Level: $32,000
• Junior Level: $53,000
• Senior Level: $77,000

In the end, this equates to approximately $15-$150 USD per hour. This averages out at around $31.25 USD per hour, so use this as a basis when determining personal skill level and length of time for any service provided, including banner designs.

Average Banner Pricing

Banners can be useful in multiple places on a website alone, not even taking into account banner ads. These graphics are important branding points and need to look good no matter where they are. Therefore, they are going to take time to make in a way that they promote both the business and their goods and/or services.

Here are some average pricing models for banners:

• Hourly Rates: Approximately $50-$300 USD
• Fixed Rates: Anywhere from $10-$600 USD
• Contest Rates: Expect $49 to $199 USD in fees for the platform to get bids alone

New freelancers and Entry Level designers typically fall lower on the scale than those with a solid portfolio and years of experience. It won’t typically be possible to start at the highest end of the scale unless there are some solid networking opportunities and a very solid portfolio to start with.

Charge for Revisions

While it’s fine to do a free simple revision or so, never let a client get away with pressuring for many revisions without paying for them. It’s still work on the designer’s end, and therefore needs to be paid for. Some designers are willing to do a lowered fee for revisions, while others will still abide by their regular rates.

This ensures that clients will not nitpick for unnecessary reasons, help deter the most obnoxious clients, and ensure that the clients are as clear as possible from the get-go instead of expecting the designer will be able to read their minds. Find a rate that is comfortable when it comes to revisions and stick to it. Swaying on these costs will get around and cause more trouble down the line, especially if done too often.

Don’t Let Clients Run the Show

Typically, when clients start getting difficult is when it’s potentially time for revisions. Make it clear from the beginning what the revision policy is to help ensure clarity from all points. In the end, it is the designer doing the work. It’s not worth it if it’s all miserable and taking more effort than necessary.

Here are some ways to ensure that everything runs smoothly on both sides:

• Make an order form
• Have a detailed yet clear terms of service or policies section
• Discuss any questions immediately
• Consider offering in-progress works to limit needs for hefty revisions at the end
• Use templates, such as those on PlaceIt

Clients might be the ones with the money and the job itself, but do not let them try to run the show. If they start getting to the point where they are acting like they think they know everything and know better, don’t be afraid to cut off the deal. If money was already exchanged, refund it. If it hasn’t been, apologize and state that this partnership isn’t going to work out. Know where limits are and stick with them, but also be professional and polite when expressing any needs.

Conclusion

Web banners are important for branding and advertising, so they need to be designed by someone with the skills necessary to make them stand out amongst the crowd. Graphic design in general is a skill—even if it is an artistic endeavor—so it should be treated as such. It can be tempting to undercharge just to get clients, or to let clients get away with more than they deserve, but that is just going to cause a lot of headaches and misery.

Charge based on an hourly rate for how long it typically takes to make similar work. Additionally, be sure to charge for any significant revisions if not all revisions. It is still skilled work, so it should still be paid for appropriately. Remember that the average hourly rate for a graphic designer is from $15-150 USD, so be sure not to undercharge for services.