Questions to ask a web designer before you hire anyone

Here’s the problem with hiring a web designer. Most people don’t know what questions to ask which means they end up comparing apples to tomatoes. And tomatoes are the most confusing fruit ever. (Yes, fruit. Look it up.)

The web design industry is full of wildly different offerings, pricing structures, platforms, and levels of ongoing support. Two quotes that look similar on the surface might be completely different products. Knowing the right questions to ask a web designer puts you in the driver’s seat so you can make a genuinely informed decision rather than guessing which one is the right fit.

Questions to ask a web designer before you commit

What platform will you build it on?

WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, Joomla: these are not interchangeable. Each has different strengths, different ongoing costs, and different levels of flexibility. Understanding what platform your site is being built on matters for everything that comes after launch, including who can maintain it and what it will cost to make changes.

What are the ongoing monthly and yearly costs?

Be sure the quote you get is giving you the full picture. Domain registration, hosting, platform fees, maintenance plans, plugin licences all have costs. You should know what they are.

What do you hand over at the end?

This one is critical. When the project is done, do you get all the logins? Access to your domain? Your hosting account? The ability to make changes without going back to the designer for every little tweak? A professional handoff should leave you in control of your own site.

What are their obligations after launch?

Some designers build and wave goodbye from a safe distance. Others offer ongoing maintenance, support, and a real person to call when something breaks. Knowing which kind you are hiring changes the long-term cost and stress level.

Where will the site be hosted?

Hosting affects speed, security, and uptime. Where your site lives matters. Ask who hosts it, what that includes, and what happens to your hosting if you ever part ways with the designer.

What do they do for Google visibility?

SEO is not automatic. Ask specifically what steps they take to set up your site for search engine visibility. If the answer is vague or non-existent, that is important to know upfront.

Do they explain their process clearly?

A good designer should be able to walk you through what happens from first conversation to launch, and be able to explain the decisions they make in plain language. If they cannot or will not, that’s a red flag.

Use these questions

Run these questions past anyone you are considering. The answers will tell you a lot, not just about what they offer, but about how they communicate and whether they are the right fit for how you like to work.

If you want to run these questions by us directly, our initial consultations are always free.