12 Questions to Ask a Web Designer Before Hiring (2024)
Every small business needs a website. There are thousands of website designers and website agencies to choose from. While this gives small business owners many options to pick from, it can make the process feel overwhelming. Therefore, it is critical to choose someone who offers a free discovery call or consultation so you can use the questions to ask a web designer in this article to find a good fit for yourself and your business.
I have had many clients come to me over the years who didn’t know what questions to ask a website developer. They had previously struggled with other designers and agencies. Some didn’t listen to their needs. Some charged extraneous amounts per month for basic maintenance. Some held their assets hostage, and they couldn’t switch providers. If you are looking for a small business website designer, it is critical that you ask your web designer questions before you hire them.
Key Takeaways - What you need to understand when talking to a website designer for hire:
The importance of understanding website ownership and who controls the domain
Selecting someone who uses a platform that meets business needs (Squarespace, WordPress, etc.)
Making sure they have transparent communication on pricing and hidden fees
Understanding their monthly fees and ongoing costs for maintaining the site (upfront)
The designer's SEO strategy and how it aligns with business goals
Support you’ll be provided with after the website launches (training, updates, etc.)
Whether you're looking for control over your site’s content, transparency on pricing, or ongoing SEO support, this guide helps you navigate the process of selecting a web designer who meets your unique business needs.
Table of Contents
12 Important Questions To Ask a Web Designer Before Hiring Them in 2024
1) What platform do you build on?
This is a technical web design question that will likely get you a technical answer, but it is important to know what platform your website designer will be using, even if you aren’t exactly sure what that means.
If you are a small business owner, I recommend choosing a professional Squarespace website designer. Squarespace is a versatile platform that is requires zero monthly maintenance and will be easy for you to maintain.
2) Can I edit my own website, and will I retain full ownership?
When you prepare your questions to ask when hiring a web designer, ask if you will be able to edit your website after it launches and what kind of access you will have. This will ensure you can make timely edits, have control over your website, and don’t have to pay extra money for updates.
Some platforms have a higher learning curve. WordPress is going to have a much higher learning curve then a platform such as Squarespace.
Also, ask your website designer what kind of education, resources, and tutorials they offer. While some platforms, such as Squarespace, are easy to edit, it is still a new platform for you. Make sure you are working with someone who can provide you free educational resources and a tutorial of your new website.
Additionally, confirm that you will have full ownership over all of your accounts, including your hosting, domain, Google Analytics, Search Console, and any other accounts they set up for you.
3) Ask about communication expectations.
Find out how quickly you can expect to hear back from your website designer. How quickly do they respond to your initial contact? How quickly do they get back to you when scheduling a free call?
Some designers aren’t good communicators, and it can take days to hear back from them. If you want to work with someone who responds quickly, be sure to ask them about what you can expect up front.
4) Ask about how they can help you with your business and website goals.
On of the biggest issues I see is that website designers don’t listen to small business owner’s needs. Every business is unique. Therefore, every website package should be unique.
Many designers will try and fit your needs into one of their pre-set packages. I recommend looking for someone who will design a custom package around you and your business needs. Packages are a great starting point, but they are just that—a starting point!
5) Is there a monthly maintenance fee?
Some website designers charge hundreds, if not thousands, per year just to maintain your website. On platforms, such as WordPress, it is critical to update plugins, themes, and WordPress software. Without these regular updates, your website could get hacked or stop working properly. Therefore, these costly updates are required.
However, in 2024, we now have robust website building platforms that don’t require monthly maintenance. For example, on Squarespace, you don’t need to update software or do any monthly security maintenance. Your monthly maintenance fee should be $0.
Most small business owners don’t need the functionality of WordPress. Look for a professional, experienced Squarespace website designer who can build you a business website without any maintenance fees.
6) What kind of support do you offer after we launch?
Once your website launches, you may have follow up questions, see that something doesn’t look quite right, or need additional support.
Look for a web designer that will offer at least 30 days of support after you launch to correct anything that doesn’t look quite right. If you want more support after launch, find out what your website designer charges for additional support. Monthly maintenance packages very from designer to designer, so find out what you get for the monthly fee and compare it with other designers to make sure it’s a good fit for your business and budget.
7) What is the design and launch process like?
It can be helpful to know what the design process is going to look like. How much time is your designer going to spend getting to know you? How many meetings will you have?
You want to work with a designer that will spend some time with you upfront getting to know your business goals, website goals, etc. You also want a designer that will spend additional time with you during the editing process to have a clear channel of communication.
These communications can be over Zoom, phone, or in-person, but you’ll want to work with someone that communicates through more channels then just text or email.
8) What does hosting and domain cost?
Every website has a hosting and domain fee. In 2024, hosting costs average around $15-$50/month. Domain fees are typically around $20/year. For example, here is Squarespace’s hosting fees.
Domain and hosting fees are in addition to any maintenance fees your website developer might want to charge. You need to be prepared to pay for domain and hosting, but you don’t necessarily need to pay extra fees for maintenance and edits if you go with a website designer that uses a platform such as Squarespace.
9) Who will build my website?
If you are speaking with a bigger agency, you might end up working with one of their staff designers and not the owner.
Ask about who is going to be designing your website and who will be your main line of communication. Make sure you are comfortable with that arrangement. If you want to work directly with a business owner, work with a freelancer or single-owner agency that offers website design for small business.
10) What are some current design trends, and do you recommend them?
This is a good way to get to know your website designer’s style and learn more about what your options are.
You can also ask to see their portfolio. A professional, experienced website designer should have a professional website (themselves) with a portfolio of at least half a dozen examples, or more.
Browse their portfolio and see what you think of their style and the types of small businesses they have worked with. You can also ask them about these previous projects in your call to learn more about how much those sites cost, what the process was like, and if something like that would be a good fit for you.
Ask to see portfolio examples!
Here is an example of a client website from my online portfolio.
11. What is included in the scope of the work?
I once saw a website agency quote $50,000 for a website and then charge $80,000 by the time it was all done. The worst part was, they handed us (the staff) a homepage and blank wireframe! I couldn’t believe it! We received a short “tutorial” session and were instructed to finish the remaining pages ourselves.
When you are asking your prospective web designer questions, ask about what is included for the price and make sure you receive it in writing.
Maybe that experience just left a bad taste in my mouth, but I don’t believe in these sorts of scammy practices. When a client reaches out to me, we have a nice talk about their website needs and budget preferences. I always send a full quote and Statement of Work outlining all of the final deliverables prior to beginning services. The price is never more then quoted for the final deliverables, even if I go over on my estimated time. If a client needs something later on “outside the scope of work”, we will of course discuss it.
If you don’t want any surprise charges, ask about this up front!
12) What SEO strategies do you use and what is included?
Your website is an investment. Therefore, you want to make sure it’s going to show up in search results! When you are gathering questions to ask when hiring a web designer, make sure to ask if your website will be optimized for SEO (search engine optimization). Not all website designers have experience with SEO. At minimum, you’ll want to make sure your web developer is following best practices such as using the right keywords in titles and headings, properly formatting URLs, and making sure your images have alt text.
If you are serious about showing up on Google, also ask your website designer about ongoing SEO support. SEO is a long-term marketing strategy. Building a website that is SEO optimized will help you get indexed and rank on Google, however increasing your revenue from SEO strategies requires long-term support. If you can work with a website designer that specializes in web development and SEO, you’ll be able to continue a long-term relationship that will help you build your business and increase your revenue.
Next Steps
You now have the best questions to ask a website designer! If you aren’t sure where to start, start with me.
I build websites for small business owners. As the owner of Websites by Khara, I specialize in Squarespace website design and SEO for small business. I believe in everything on this list and am here to support you in your website journey.
Contact me to schedule a free consultation and ask me these very questions! I would love to learn more about your website needs and find out if I’d be a good fit for your next website project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to talk to a web designer?
Just talk to your prospective web designer like anyone else. A professional website designer will know what questions to ask you. If possible, come prepared with some concise information about your business, your value proposition, and the marketing needs you are hoping to accomplish with your website project.
What is the average cost to hire a web designer?
A professional web developer and website designer that understands good UX, SEO, and conversions, will charge around $2,000-$5,000 for a 4-12 page professional small business website. While you can hire a website designer off of popular freelancer websites for under $1,000, be careful. These designers use templates and don’t follow best practices. It can be a starting place, but you’ll need to redo your website as soon as you want to grow your business.
How do I choose a good web designer?
You can choose a good web designer by starting with a free call or consultation and using the questions about web design from this article. Look for someone who has clear and responsive communication, someone with a portfolio of at least 6 professional website examples, and someone who is willing to listen to your business needs and build you a website that will help you grow your business.
What questions to ask before making a design?
Before you speak with someone about making a design, it is a good idea to ask the designer what they need. Each website designer has their own process. Some require more information upfront then others. If possible, be prepared to send company stock images, copy for your website, and information about your business and marketing goals.
