When you are looking for someone to build your business website, you will probably ask about the price, how long it will take and maybe look at some websites they have already built.
But there are a few other questions I think are much more important.
I have seen businesses pay for a new website and only later realize they were expected to write all the content themselves. Others don’t know who owns their domain or where their website is hosted. And very often, “SEO included” can mean completely different things depending on who is building the website.
A business website is more than its design. It needs to explain what you do, help the right people find you, make it easy for potential customers to take the next step and continue working long after launch.
So if you’re hiring a web designer or web design agency, here are 10 questions you should ask before making your decision.
1. Will My Website Be Custom-Built, or Are You Using a Template?
Ask this directly.
There is nothing wrong with a template if that is what you want and what you are paying for. But there is a big difference between custom web design and putting your logo, colors and text into an existing template.
Your website should fit your business — not the other way around.
The design and structure should consider your services, customers, locations and what you actually want visitors to do when they arrive on the website.
If one of your main goals is generating inquiries, for example, that should influence the page structure and calls to action from the beginning. If you have several services or locations, the website may need a completely different structure.
Ask your web designer how much of the website is actually being created specifically for your business and what “custom design” means in their proposal.
2. Do I Have to Provide All the Text for My Website, or Will You Write It for Me?
This is something many business owners don’t think to ask.
Who is actually writing the Home page? The service pages? The About page? Are you expected to send finished text to the designer, or is website copywriting part of the project?
And if the designer writes it, find out how they get the information from you.
Good website content needs more than a short description of your company. It should clearly explain your services, answer the questions potential customers have and give them a reason to choose your business.
It also needs to work together with the website structure and search strategy.
You shouldn’t have to sit in front of an empty Word document trying to figure out what to write about your own business just because you hired someone to build a website.
3. When You Say SEO Is Included, What Exactly Does That Mean?
Don’t just ask, “Do you do SEO?”
Ask what they actually do.
Will they research what people search for? Will they optimize your page titles, descriptions, headings and URLs? Will your pages be structured around the services and locations that are important to your business? Will Google Search Console and Google Analytics be connected?
And today there is another question worth asking:
Do they understand AEO and GEO?
Search has changed significantly. Potential customers aren’t only finding businesses through a traditional list of Google results anymore. They are also asking questions through AI-powered search and answer platforms.
That means your website needs clear information about who you are, what you do, where you work and the questions your customers are actually asking.
SEO, AEO and GEO should therefore be considered when the website structure and content are being created — not added as an afterthought once the design is finished.
Basic on-page SEO should be part of the conversation when a new business website is being built.
“SEO included” sounds good on a proposal.
You need to know what is actually included.
4. Who Owns My Domain, Website, Hosting and Accounts?
Please ask this one.
You should know where your domain is registered, where your website is hosted and who has access to everything.
If an agency creates accounts for you, ask whether those accounts belong to you and whether you will have access to them.
If you’re paying for your website through a monthly plan, also ask how ownership works. Does the website eventually become yours? Is there a buyout option? What happens if you decide to stop the service?
Different web design companies use different business models. What’s important is that you understand yours before signing the agreement.
You don’t want to start looking for passwords and account information two years later when you decide to change something or work with someone else.
5. What Happens After the Website Goes Live?
Websites need maintenance.
Plugins and software need updates. Things can stop working. Your business changes. You may want to change a service, add a team member, replace photos or create another page.
Who takes care of that?
Ask what ongoing website maintenance includes, how much it costs and who you contact when you need a change.
You should also know who handles backups, software updates, security and technical problems.
Some web design companies build the website and hand it over after launch. Others provide ongoing website management.
Neither model is necessarily wrong. But you should know which one you’re buying.
At Donau Marketing, for example, ongoing hosting, maintenance and support can be part of our website plans, because many of our clients don’t want website management to become another task on their list.
6. Will the Website Be Built and Tested for Mobile Devices?
Don’t assume this just because the website “looks responsive.”
Open it on a phone.
Can you read everything comfortably? Are the buttons easy to click? Is the menu easy to use? Do the forms work? Does the most important information appear where you actually need it?
And can a potential customer quickly understand what the business does and how to contact you without searching through the entire website?
A large part of your website traffic may come from phones.
Mobile shouldn’t be an afterthought.
7. How Will We Know if the Website Is Working?
I don’t mean whether the website loads.
I mean: Are people finding it? What pages are they visiting? Are they calling you, filling out a form, booking an appointment or taking whatever action you want them to take?
Ask what tracking will be set up and whether you will have access to it.
Google Analytics can help you understand what visitors do on the website, while Google Search Console provides information about how your website appears and performs in Google Search.
But simply installing tracking isn’t enough.
Someone also needs to know what you’re trying to measure.
For one business, the most important action may be a phone call. For another, it’s an appointment booking, quote request, purchase or contact form submission.
Website analytics should connect back to the goals of the business.
A website should have a job.
You should be able to see whether it is doing that job.
8. Can I Make Changes Myself, and What if I Don’t Want To?
Some business owners want to be able to change text and photos themselves.
Others never want to touch the website.
Both are completely fine.
But ask before you sign.
Will you have access to make changes? Is the system something you can reasonably use? And if you would rather send an email and have someone take care of it for you, is that included or will you be charged every time?
Also consider what happens as your business grows.
Can new pages be added? Can your website connect with your CRM, booking system, email marketing platform or other tools later?
CRM and automation integrations can become important as a business starts using its website for more than simply displaying information.
Know how it works before you need it.
9. What Exactly Is Included in the Price?
This sounds obvious, but website proposals can be very difficult to compare.
One web design company may quote only design and development. Another price may also include content writing, SEO, hosting, website maintenance, forms, analytics or other services.
Ask what is included, what isn’t and which costs will continue after the website launches.
Are there separate hosting fees?
Are premium plugins or software licenses required?
Will you pay extra when you need a change?
Is SEO included only during the initial website build, or is there ongoing optimization?
Is copywriting included?
What happens if you need another page six months later?
When comparing web designers or web design agencies, don’t compare the final price alone.
Make sure you are comparing the same things.
10. How Will You Learn About My Business Before You Start?
This is probably my favorite question.
Before anyone starts designing your website, they should understand your business.
Experience in your industry can certainly be helpful, but every business is different. Your services, customers, market, priorities and goals may be very different from another company in the same industry.
A good web designer should take the time to learn about your specific business.
What do you sell?
Which services are most important?
Who are your customers?
Where are they located?
Why do customers choose you?
Who are your competitors?
And most importantly: what do you want the website to do?
If the first conversation is mainly about colors, fonts and what websites you like, I would ask more questions.
Design comes later.
First comes understanding your business.
Before You Choose Your Web Designer
You don’t need to know anything about web design to hire a good web designer.
You just need to ask the right questions.
And don’t be afraid to ask for explanations when something isn’t clear.
If someone tells you that SEO, hosting, optimization or maintenance is included, ask what that actually means.
You are not supposed to know all the terminology — the person selling you the service should be able to explain it.
You should know what you’re buying, what you’re responsible for, who owns what and what happens after your website launches.
And the web designer should be asking you plenty of questions, too.
Looking for a Web Designer in Charlotte, NC?
At Donau Marketing, our Charlotte-based team starts every website project with an onboarding meeting and a clear checklist.
We learn about your business, services, customers, competitors, locations and goals first.
Then our team takes it from there — from website strategy and professional copywriting to custom WordPress web design, SEO and AEO/GEO foundations, mobile optimization, analytics setup, hosting, maintenance and ongoing support.
We work with businesses in Charlotte, Fort Mill and throughout North and South Carolina, as well as businesses across the U.S.
Because our clients didn’t hire us to become web designers.
They hired us to build and manage their website.
Thinking about a new website — or wondering whether your current website is doing its job?