How to choose a web designer: 9 questions before you sign

A portfolio shows what the result looks like. It doesn't show whether the person is workable, whether the site still works a year later, or whether anyone thought about what actually brings in customers. These are the questions we recommend asking any web designer or studio — including us.

1. Can I see three finished projects that are still live?

Not Dribbble shots — live links. Open them on your phone. Check the speed. If a designer only shows concept visuals, projects either never shipped or the client replaced them.

2. What happens to the SEO foundation?

Ask specifically: will every page have a unique title and description, will there be structured data, a sitemap, hreflang (if bilingual), and how fast does the site load on mobile? If the answer is 'SEO is a separate service later', the technical foundation probably won't be laid at all.

3. What is the site built on, and what happens if we part ways?

The platform decides your freedom. Ask who owns the code and content, how to migrate it, and whether you can edit copy yourself without a developer.

4. How will we measure whether the design worked?

Good answer: 'before we start, we agree on 2–3 metrics — enquiries, bounce rate, time on page.' Bad answer: 'it'll look modern.'

5. Who writes the copy?

This is the single most common cause of delay. Agree in writing: who writes, who approves, and the date content lands with the studio.

6. How many revisions are included?

'Unlimited revisions' in practice means an unlimited timeline. A healthy structure is two to three revision rounds per phase with a clear sign-off point.

7. What's the process and timeline per phase?

Expect phases: research and structure, design, build, content and QA, launch. If the quote just says 'design and development — 4 weeks', nobody has thought about where time actually goes.

8. What happens after launch?

Ask how long bugs are fixed free, who handles security updates, and what later changes cost. A website is a system, not a poster.

9. How is payment structured?

The norm is a 40–50% deposit with the balance at launch, split across phases on larger projects. Full prepayment and full postpayment fail equally often, just for different parties.

Red flags

A price quoted without questions about scope. A promise of 'number one on Google' (nobody can guarantee it). No contract or scope document. A portfolio with no live links. An inability to explain why a design decision was made.

How to compare two quotes

Don't line up the totals alone. Compare unique layout count, the included SEO foundation, revision rounds, phase-level timeline, and post-launch support. That's usually where the twofold price difference is explained — and where you learn whether it's justified.

Next step

If you're about to choose, browse web design examples, read how we work on the studio page, and check the price bands to calibrate your budget.