What to Look for When Choosing a Web Designer

Choosing a web designer is a bit like choosing a builder. There are brilliant ones, terrible ones, and a whole lot in between. The problem is, if you don't know what to look for, it's hard to tell which is which until it's too late.

I've been on both sides of this. I build websites for a living, but I've also hired other people for work on my own business. I know how confusing it can be when everyone's website says the same things and every quote looks completely different. So here's what I'd actually look for if I were hiring a web designer.

Look at Their Portfolio (Properly)

This sounds obvious, but most people give the portfolio a quick glance and move on. Don't do that. Actually click through to the live websites they've built. Open them on your phone. See how they load, how they feel to use, whether the design is actually any good.

Pay attention to variety. Are they building the same cookie-cutter site over and over, or does each project look like it was designed for that specific business? A good designer adapts their approach to suit the client. A lazy one uses the same template with different colours.

Also check if the sites in their portfolio are for businesses similar to yours. If they've built ten sites for restaurants but yours is a law firm, that's not necessarily a problem, but it's worth asking about. You can see the kind of work we do on our portfolio page if you want a benchmark.

Communication Matters More Than You Think

The best web designer in the world is useless if they can't communicate. This is a collaborative process. You need someone who listens to what you want, explains things in plain English, and keeps you in the loop throughout the project.

Red flags: they take days to reply to emails, they use so much jargon you can't follow what they're saying, they seem annoyed when you ask questions, or they push their own ideas without listening to yours.

Green flags: they ask lots of questions about your business before talking about design, they explain their process clearly, they set expectations about timelines, and they're responsive. You should feel like you're working with someone, not waiting on someone.

Do They Understand Your Business?

A web designer who dives straight into talking about fonts and colours without understanding your business is doing it backwards. Before any design work starts, they should be asking: who are your customers? What do you want the website to achieve? What makes you different from your competitors?

If they skip this step, they're guessing. And a website built on guesswork rarely performs well. It might look nice, but it won't be designed to convert visitors into customers because the designer never bothered to find out what that looks like for your business.

The designers who take time to understand your goals build better websites. It's that simple. You can learn a bit about how we approach things on our about page, but the real conversation happens when we sit down and talk about your specific situation.

Ask About Ongoing Support

Your website isn't a one-and-done project. Things need updating. Security patches need applying. Content needs refreshing. Something will inevitably need tweaking a few months after launch.

Before you sign anything, ask: what happens after the site goes live? Is there a support arrangement? How quickly do they respond if something breaks? Is there a monthly fee? What does it cover?

Some designers hand over the site and disappear. Others offer maintenance packages that keep everything running smoothly. Neither is inherently wrong, but you need to know which one you're getting. If you're not technical, having someone on call to handle updates and fixes is worth a lot.

Transparent Pricing Is Non-Negotiable

If a web designer won't give you a clear price, that's a warning sign. You should know what you're paying, what's included, and what would cost extra before any work begins. No surprises, no "oh, that feature wasn't in the original quote" halfway through.

Get everything in writing. A proper proposal or quote that breaks down what you're getting. If the quote is vague, ask for specifics. How many pages? How many rounds of revisions? Is hosting included? What about domain registration? Content writing? SEO setup?

A designer who's confident in their pricing will be happy to explain it. One who gets cagey or defensive when you ask for details is someone to avoid.

Local or Remote?

You can hire a web designer from anywhere in the world. There are talented people in every country. But there's something to be said for working with someone local, especially for a small business.

A local designer understands your market. They might know your area, your competitors, even your customers. Meeting face to face, if you want to, is easy. And there's an accountability that comes with working with someone in your community. They're not going to do a bad job and vanish because you might bump into them at Tesco.

That said, location isn't everything. A great designer two hundred miles away will produce better results than a mediocre one down the road. But if all other things are equal, local has real advantages.

The Quick Checklist

Before you commit to a web designer, run through these questions:

• Have you looked at their live portfolio sites on both desktop and mobile?
• Do they ask about your business goals before talking about design?
• Are they responsive and clear when you communicate?
• Have they given you a detailed, written quote?
• Do you know what happens after the site launches?
• Do they explain things in language you actually understand?
• Do you feel comfortable asking them questions?

If the answer to all of those is yes, you're probably in good hands. If a few of them are no, keep looking. The right web designer is out there, and the effort you put into choosing well pays off for years.