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Don’t Hire A Website Designer Without Asking These Questions First

Don't Hire A Website Designer Without Asking These Questions First

You’re about to take the plunge into the world of website design. Whether you’re launching your business or giving your current site a much-needed facelift, choosing the right designer or agency can be the difference between a digital masterpiece and a total disaster. Asking the right questions will ensure you find the perfect partner to turn your website dreams into reality.

Here’s a fun, easy-to-follow guide to ensure you ask all the right questions before hiring a website designer or agency.

1. "What’s your vibe?"

Translation: "What’s Your Design Style?"

Before you hire someone, you need to know if you vibe together. Asking about their design style is the perfect way to figure out if their aesthetic aligns with what you have in mind for your brand.
 

Why ask this?
You don’t want your sleek, minimalist fashion brand’s website looking like a retro ‘80s game arcade (unless that’s what you’re going for!). Designers often have a specific style they gravitate toward, so make sure it matches what you want to achieve.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Can you show me examples of sites you’ve designed that are similar to what I want?”
  • “How do you approach creating a unique design while sticking to brand guidelines?”

2. "How do you handle the nitty-gritty?"

Translation: "What’s Your Process?"

Everyone’s got a process, right? Whether it’s how you start your morning (coffee first!) or how a website designer gets from concept to launch, their process matters.
Site Moxy Design process
 

Why ask this?
Understanding the steps a designer takes will help you figure out how they manage their projects. Are they a ‘here’s-the-plan-from-start-to-finish’ kind of person? Or more of a ‘let’s-see-where-inspiration-takes-us’ type?

Follow-up questions:

  • How do you involve clients in the process? Will I be updated regularly?”
  • “What’s your typical timeline from concept to completion?”

3. "Can you make my site work everywhere?"

Translation: "Will My Site Be Mobile-Friendly?"

This is about making sure your website looks great and functions smoothly on all devices—especially phones. Spoiler alert: it definitely should!

Why ask this?

If a website isn’t optimized for mobile use in 2024, it might as well be sent back to the dark ages. Over 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so your site better be as slick on a phone as it is on a desktop.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Can I see some examples of mobile-friendly sites you’ve built?”
  • “How do you ensure the design works across different screen sizes?”

4. "What’s the secret sauce?"

Translation: "What Platform Do You Build On?"

Is your designer a WordPress wizard or a Shopify savant? Maybe they swear by Squarespace or go nuts for Webflow. Knowing what platform they’ll build your site on can help you understand what you’re signing up for long-term.

Why ask this?

Each platform comes with its pros and cons, and your designer’s choice will affect how easy it is for you to manage the site after launch. Plus, some designers specialize in certain platforms, so knowing this upfront will help you gauge whether they’re the right fit.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Why do you prefer working with this platform?”
  • “How easy will it be for me to update and manage content myself?”
WHICH WEBSITE BUILDER IS RIGHT FOR YOU

5. "Do you speak SEO?"

Translation: "How Will You Help with Search Engine Optimization?"

You’ve got the most stunning website, but if nobody can find it, what’s the point? You need to know if your designer is equipped to give you a site that’ll rank well on Google and other search engines.

Why ask this?

SEO is vital for any business that wants to be found online. Your website designer should have a solid understanding of SEO best practices to make sure your site isn’t floating around in the void of the internet.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Do you include on-page SEO as part of your services?”
  • “Can you optimize my site for specific keywords, or will I need to hire a separate SEO expert?”
WHICH WEBSITE BUILDER IS RIGHT FOR YOU

6. "What happens if the wheels fall off?"

Translation: "Do You Offer Ongoing Support?"

Websites aren’t one-and-done deals. They need ongoing care and feeding, just like a pet (except they don’t pee on the carpet). You need to know if your designer will be there for you after launch.

Why ask this?

Things break, tech changes, and you’ll need updates eventually. Understanding what kind of support your designer offers post-launch will save you from future headaches.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Do you offer maintenance packages, or will I be on my own after the site goes live?”
  • “How quickly can I expect a response if something goes wrong?”

7. "Can I see your report card?"

Translation: "What’s Your Track Record?"

You’ve got a business to run, so your website designer sticking to deadlines is a big deal. Knowing how reliable they are when it comes to project timelines is key.

Why ask this?

Designers are artists, but deadlines aren’t just a suggestion. Understanding how well they adhere to schedules will help ensure your website launches on time.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Can I see testimonials or reviews from past clients?”
  • “How do you handle delays or unexpected challenges?”

8. "Will you love my brand as much as I do?"

Translation: "How Do You Ensure My Brand Stands Out?"

Your website needs to represent everything that makes your brand unique. Will your designer take the time to understand your business, your audience, and your goals?

Why ask this?

A cookie-cutter approach isn’t going to cut it. You need a designer who’s willing to go deep and get to know what makes your brand special.

Follow-up questions:

  • “How do you approach branding in your design?”
  • “How will you make sure my website stands out from the competition?”

9. "What’s this gonna cost me?"

Translation: "How Do You Price Your Services?"

Time to talk money! It’s important to understand how much you’ll be investing and what’s included in that price.

Why ask this?

You don’t want to get halfway through the project only to realize you’re being charged for every little tweak. Get clear on pricing upfront to avoid any surprises.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Is this a fixed price or will it change based on revisions?”
  • “What exactly is included in your pricing—design, development, content uploads, etc.?”
Free Download! The Ultimate Website Launch Planner

Download this free workbook with everything you need to start your web design journey, whether you’re building It yourself or hiring a professional!

An overhead view of Ultimate Website Planner Mockup- A free download from Site Moxy

10. "Can we be friends?"

Translation: "Do We Actually Like Each Other?"

This might seem like an odd question, but hear me out. You’re going to be working closely with this person (or agency) for weeks, maybe even months. You should get along!

Why ask this?

Building a website requires a lot of communication. If you feel a good rapport and enjoy working with your designer, the process will be smoother, more fun, and way more productive.

Follow-up questions:

  • “How do you prefer to communicate—email, Zoom, texting?”
  • “What’s your availability like if I have questions during the project?”

11. "Will you teach me your wizardry?"

Translation: "Will You Train Me to Use the Site?"

Once the site is live, you don’t want to feel like you’re decoding hieroglyphics just to update a blog post. Make sure your designer is willing to show you the ropes.

Why ask this?

You’ll need to know how to manage your site after launch. Whether it’s uploading content, changing images, or tweaking the text, your designer should provide some form of training.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Will I get a training session or guide on how to manage the site?”
  • “Do you offer video tutorials or written documentation?”

12. "How do you make the web sparkle?"

Translation: "What’s Your Approach to User Experience?"

User experience (UX) is everything when it comes to a website that actually works. Does your designer think about how people will navigate your site, or are they only focused on making it look pretty?

Why ask this?

A gorgeous website is only half the battle. You need one that’s intuitive, easy to use, and delivers a seamless experience for your visitors.

Follow-up questions:

  • “How do you make sure my site is easy to use?”
  • “Do you conduct any user testing before the site goes live?”

13. "How do you keep me safe?"

Translation: "How Do You Handle Site Security?"

Security might not be the most glamorous topic, but it’s super important. If your site gets hacked or crashes, you’ll want to know your designer has your back.

Why ask this?

Website security is a big deal, especially if you’re handling customer data or payments. Make sure your designer is well-versed in keeping your site safe from hackers, glitches, and the usual internet chaos.

Follow-up questions:

  • “Will my site have SSL encryption?”
  • “Do you offer backups in case something goes wrong?”
  • “How will you protect my site from being hacked?”

14. "Can you make my website lightening fast?"

Translation: "How Will You Ensure My Site Loads Quickly?"

Nobody likes waiting for a slow website to load—ain’t nobody got time for that. A site that takes too long to load is like showing up late to your own party. Not cool.

Why ask this?

A slow website drives visitors away, and Google doesn’t like them either. You want to make sure your designer knows how to optimize the site for speed. Otherwise, you could be losing traffic faster than you can say “refresh.”

Follow-up questions:

  • “What steps do you take to ensure fast load times?”
  • “How do you optimize images and other large files?”
  • “Can you integrate lazy loading or other performance boosters?”

15. "Can I see your toolkit?"

Translation: "What Technology and Tools Do You Use?"

Behind every great website is an even greater toolkit. This is where you find out what kind of magic wands (a.k.a. software, apps, and tools) your designer uses to bring your vision to life.

Why ask this?

Knowing what software or tools they use can give you insight into how advanced their skills are, and if they’ll be able to meet your specific needs—like integrating a CRM, eCommerce solution, or other third-party platforms.

Follow-up questions:

  • “What design and development tools do you use?”
  • “Can you integrate [specific tools you need]?”
  • “How will these tools affect the overall performance of my website?”

16. "What's the endgame?"

Translation: "How Do You Measure Success?"

It’s not enough just to have a pretty website. You want results—more traffic, more leads, more sales, more something! Make sure your designer understands what “success” means for you and how they plan to help you achieve it.

Why ask this?

You want a website that works. Whether that means increasing conversion rates, improving user experience, or boosting your search engine ranking, you need to make sure your designer is on the same page as you.

Follow-up questions:

  • “What metrics do you use to measure the success of a website?”
  • “How will you track the site’s performance after launch?”
  • “Do you offer any analytics integration or reporting?”

17. "Can you future-proof my site?"

Translation: "Will My Website Be Scalable?"

Think ahead! Your website should be able to grow as your business grows. Will your designer build a site that’s flexible and scalable so it can handle more traffic, new features, and future updates?

Why ask this?

Your business will evolve, and your website needs to keep up. Asking your designer about scalability ensures that your site won’t crumble under the weight of your future success.

Follow-up questions:

  • “How will you make sure my site can grow with my business?”
  • “Will it be easy to add new features or sections down the road?”
  • “How will the platform you use handle high traffic or content expansion?”

18. "What’s your refund policy?"

Translation: "What Happens If I’m Not Satisfied?"

It’s not a fun thing to think about, but what if you’re not happy with the final product? Does the designer offer revisions? Will you get your money back if things don’t work out? Better to ask now than find out the hard way later.

Why ask this?

Just in case things don’t go as planned, you want to know how the designer handles client dissatisfaction. Do they offer a certain number of revisions? Are refunds a possibility? Having this information in advance can save you from a lot of stress.

Follow-up questions:

  • “How many rounds of revisions do you include in your package?”
  • “What happens if I’m not satisfied with the design?”
  • “Do you offer any kind of guarantee?”

The Wrap Up

By now, you should have a solid list of questions to interview your potential website designer or agency with. Each question helps you understand not only the technical aspects of their work but also how well you’ll collaborate with them on your website journey.

Hiring a web designer is like dating: You want to make sure they’re creative, dependable, have great communication skills, and (most importantly) are excited to work with you and your vision. The right designer will be your partner in crime, helping to turn your dream website into a stunning reality. So, don’t be afraid to ask away, and choose the designer who can build a site that you not only love, but will convert visitors into customers!

If you need help along the way, you know where to find me. 😉

Site Moxy Web Design Services
Free Download! The Ultimate Website Launch Planner

Download this free workbook with everything you need to start your web design journey, whether you’re building It yourself or hiring a professional!

An overhead view of Ultimate Website Planner Mockup- A free download from Site Moxy

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