Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Website Designer

You know you need a new website. You’ve probably known for a while.

Your current site has gotten you to where you are today, but it won’t help you get to where you need to go next. Your website isn’t working for you, and you’re ready to make a change. Maybe you’ve even started asking for referrals, researching designers, looking at portfolios, and reaching out to have a few initial conversations.

But you haven’t moved forward. Something’s holding you back.

It’s not procrastination. It’s probably not that you don’t have the budget or that the time isn’t right.

If you’re like most business owners I speak with, legitimate concerns emerged — questions without easy answers. The stakes feel high because they are — this can be a significant investment of money, time, and energy for your organization.

The questions that actually matter when choosing a website designer

Here’s what I’ve learned after years of working with mission-driven organizations and professional service firms: The concerns that keep you from moving forward aren’t signs you’re not ready. They are signs you’re taking this seriously. And those questions you have? They’re the right questions to be asking.

So, let’s address them head-on.

Here are six of the most common questions and concerns I hear from organizations like yours — and more importantly, what you should look for in a website partner to address each one.

How do I know this website will work and drive the results I need?

This is probably the biggest concern keeping you from moving forward.

A beautiful website that doesn’t generate leads or convert visitors or move the needle for your business—that’s a real concern. You’ve probably seen it happen to other organizations, and maybe you’re worried about it happening to you.

The organizations I work with consistently generate more qualified leads from their existing traffic by the end of the project. Not because of revolutionary techniques, but because we make strategic choices aligned with their actual business goals.

The difference? Whether strategy comes first.

My strategic approach and what it means for you

Before we talk about what your site looks like, we spend significant time — about half of the discovery process — understanding your business beyond “we need more leads.”

Here’s what this looks like in practice: Last year, I helped a consulting firm increase qualified leads by 40% by restructuring their services page around client outcomes instead of their process. I guided a nonprofit through messaging that improved their donor conversion rate by redesigning their giving page around impact stories. And I built workflow systems that now save my clients hours each week on content updates and maintenance.

These results happen because strategy comes first.

Here’s what that sounds like:

• What are the real goals driving this project, and what would make it a success?
• Who are you trying to reach, and what challenges are they facing?
• How does your business generate revenue or support?
• What’s the path from visitor to client or donor?
• What change do your clients experience when they work with you?

A consultancy offering high-touch services needs different conversion paths than someone selling online courses. A nonprofit building monthly donor relationships needs an entirely different approach than one pursuing foundation grants. When design comes first, decisions can end up being arbitrary and best guesses. When strategy comes first, every decision, including design, has a reason. 

When you’re evaluating potential web designers, here’s what to pay attention to:

• Listen to the questions they ask. Are they curious about your business model, your ideal clients, what success actually looks like for you? Or are they primarily asking about aesthetic preferences and what you like about other websites?
• Ask about the process before design starts. If they struggle to answer or can’t walk you through a detailed process, that tells you defining a strategy isn’t really part of their work. Which is why so many website projects fail — starting without a strategy means decisions are made arbitrarily.
• Notice whether they help you clarify what success means. Do they push you to get specific about your goals? Do they help you think through what realistic, meaningful results look like for your organization? Or do they just accept “we want more traffic” and move on?

Results aren’t guaranteed, but they’re not mysterious either. You can spot this difference in the first conversation.

Will you still be available after my website goes live?

When a business owner asks a question like this, I know there’s a good chance the’ve worked with contractors before.

Maybe you’ve experienced it yourself: your previous designer or agency finished the project and moved on. A few weeks later, you needed help with something — a bug, an update that broke something, a new feature — and you couldn’t get a response. Or they were just too busy with other projects to help.

This is about more than technical support. When hiring a web designer and inviting in a website redesign or a brand new website, you’re making a significant investment. It’s normal to want to know whether the professional you hire will be there to support you long-term. If you want someone to be able to call or turn to when you have questions or need help, you’re looking for a website design partner not a vendor. 

My partnership approach and what it means for you

Most designers structure projects as transactions: build the site, launch it, collect final payment, move on to the next client. But that’s not how I work. I built my business around long-term relationships.

Launch day isn’t the finish line—it’s the starting line. Your website is a tool for your business, and like any tool, you need to know how to use it, maintain it, and evolve it as your needs change.

Here’s what that looks like:

• Education is part of the process. After launch, there’s a six-month offboarding sequence where you’ll receive ongoing resources, guidance, and tips on making the most of your site. Not because I’m trying to hand everything off to you, but because you should feel capable and confident working with your own website.
• Support is ongoing. When something breaks or you have questions, you have someone to turn to. No hunting for a new contractor every time you need help. No waiting days for a response. You know who to call and you can feel confident I’ll be available.
• The relationship continues beyond the initial project. I stay in touch with clients after their sites go live — checking in, answering questions, helping them think through what’s next. Some of my clients have been working with me for more than five years, not because they’re locked in, but because the relationship continues to be valuable.

When you’re evaluating potential website designers, ask questions that go beyond the project itself:

• Ask what happens after launch. Beyond technical support, how do they help you use what you’ve built? What does the relationship look like in month three, month six, year two?
• Ask about education and training. Will you understand how your website works? Will they teach you, or just hand you documentation?
• Ask about ongoing maintenance and future work. Do they offer maintenance plans? If you need help with changes or new features later, can you come back to them, or will you be starting from scratch with someone new?
• Ask about their long-term client relationships. Do they have clients who’ve stayed with them for years? That tells you something about whether they’re built for ongoing partnership or just one-time projects.

Your website is an asset you build and continue to improve, and a tool that should grow alongside your business. The right website designer understands this and has built their approach around being a long-term partner.

Why do website prices vary so much? They’re all over the place!

If you’ve spent any time researching website design services, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: prices are all over the place. $5,000 here, $20,000 there, sometimes prices go even higher. And it’s not always clear why, especially when the sites seem so similar.

You’re not looking for the cheapest option — you just want to understand what you’re paying for and why. It’s important to make sure the investment makes sense and that you’re not paying for what you don’t need. But until you know what actually drives those price differences, it’s hard to evaluate what you’re being quoted.

What actually drives the price differences

Website projects vary widely in scope and complexity, and clients vary in the amount of technical hand-holding they need. This is what drives the price variations you see.

Most people don’t realize that the biggest cost isn’t the website itself — it’s the cost in lost opportunities of a site that doesn’t convert. I’ve seen organizations spend $15,000 on a beautiful site that generates the same leads as their old $3,000 one. The upfront work in planning your website is what prevents that expensive mistake.

Think about it: if your current site converts 2% of visitors into leads, and strategic work helps the new site convert 4%, that difference pays for itself quickly. 

There are a few key factors that make a big difference:

• The amount of strategy work. Projects that start with discovery and strategic planning—understanding your business, your goals, your clients, and what success looks like—cost more than those that jump straight to design. That upfront strategic work ensures every decision serves your actual goals, not just design trends or guesswork.
• Design approach and scope. The number of custom page templates, the complexity of your content structure, and any additional brand assets all affect the investment. Custom design costs more than adapting a commercial theme, but it gives you the flexibility and uniqueness you need to stand out and grow — which is why I work exclusively in custom design.
• What needs to be built. Custom features, integrations with other systems, payment or membership functionality—the more custom development required, the higher the investment. These features often pay for themselves by generating sales, streamlining operations, or saving your team time.
• Content creation. Writing effective website content is more challenging than most people think. If you’re writing it yourself, it typically takes 2-3 times longer than expected, which delays the project. Bringing in a professional copywriter is a higher upfront investment, but one that keeps projects on track and often delivers the strongest return.
• Client relationship and decision-making. Organizations with multiple stakeholders, committee approval processes, or legal/compliance reviews require additional time and touchpoints. Some prefer frequent check-ins beyond what’s typically covered in a standard website project, while others want a hands-off approach where I handle more responsibilities. Both are possible, but ultimately affect the cost.

When you understand these factors, you can have much more informed conversations with potential partners about what you actually need and where your money is going.

My pricing approach and what it means for you

I always ask prospects about their budget early in our conversation. Most people hesitate to share it, and I understand why. But here’s what I need you to know:

I’m asking about your budget so I can present realistic solutions. When I know your range, I can show you what’s possible now and what might make sense to do later. Without that information, I’m guessing — and that often leads to proposals that either overshoot your budget or undershoot your needs.

My projects include all the elements that drive results: 

• The strategic discovery work
• Custom design built for your brand
• Professional development
• Hands-on training and support
• Ongoing support (I’ve broken down the costs of website maitnace if you’re interested)

For a marketing website, that typically starts around $7,500. More complex projects go up from there.

I work on fixed-fee contracts because I want you to know exactly what you’re committing to—no surprise invoices halfway through. Payments are structured across project phases to work better for most organizations’ cash flow. And if scope changes during the project, we talk through it together and document everything in writing before moving forward—no assumptions, no confusion.

When you’re evaluating potential website designers and discussing pricing:

• Be honest about your budget, including whether you have flexibility to invest more in areas that would accelerate results. If you don’t know what things cost, say that. A good partner will help you understand what’s realistic.
• Look for partners who help you prioritize. Not everything has to happen at once. A good designer helps you identify what’s essential now and what could come later.
• Understand the pricing structure and terms. Can payments be spread across phases? Does the fixed price include everything discussed? How are changes handled? You want a partner who’s clear upfront, so there are no surprises later.

Pricing differences exist because different businesses and organizations each have different needs and priorities. When you work with someone transparent about costs, you can make confident decisions about your investment.

What if I don’t see work like mine in your portfolio?

This concern makes complete sense. When you don’t see businesses like yours in a designer’s portfolio, it’s natural to wonder: “Will they really understand what we do and the challenges we face?”

You’re not just worried about aesthetics. You’re wondering if they’ll understand your business model, your clients, how you generate revenue or support — the things that make your organization work.

Personally, I enjoy working with clients in all different industries, outside my previous experience. When I worked with my first wealth management firm, I drew on insights from nonprofit fundraising—as it turns out there’s huge overlap in how you build trust and guide people through important decisions.

When you’re not locked into “how things are usually done” in one industry, there’s opportunity for fresh perspectives and new ideas. While every organization is unique, the core challenges most established businesses face are remarkably similar: attract your ideal audience, communicate what makes you different, and make it easy for them to take action.

These aren’t industry-specific problems. They’re business problems.

My design approach and what it means for you

I don’t specialize in one industry intentionally. Working across sectors gives me broader exposure to different challenges and solutions. When I work with a new client, I’m not bringing a cookie-cutter template from their industry — I’m bringing fresh thinking informed by solving similar problems in different ways.

The discovery work we talked about in the first section? That’s where I learn your business. I don’t need to have worked with ten other organizations exactly like yours. I need to understand your goals, your clients, your challenges, and what success looks like for you. Then I can solve those problems in ways that work specifically for your situation.

When you’re evaluating portfolios, here’s what to look for:

• Look for case studies that show problem-solving, not just designs. What challenges did the client have? What was the designer trying to solve? How did they approach it? You’re not looking for your industry — you’re looking for evidence they can think strategically about business problems.
• Pay attention to how business needs translate into design. Does the work show an understanding of user experience? Do calls to action make sense? Does the design support the business goals, or is it just aesthetically pleasing?
• Notice whether you like their aesthetic approach. Every designer has a style. Look at their body of work — does their design sensibility align with how you want to be represented? You don’t need to love every project, but you should see consistent quality and taste that resonates with you.
• Consider whether you see variety or repetition. If every site in a portfolio looks similar, that designer might have a formula they apply to everyone. Variety suggests they’re solving unique problems for each client, not stamping out variations on a theme.
• Ask about their process for learning your business. If they can’t articulate how they’ll understand your work without prior industry experience, that’s a red flag. But if they have a robust discovery process, industry experience becomes less critical.

Finding someone who’s worked exclusively in your industry might feel safer, but it’s not necessary. What matters is whether they can understand your specific challenges and solve them well. And sometimes, fresh eyes from someone who hasn’t spent years in your industry can bring insights that specialists miss.

How do I know the work will be done right?

Websites are complicated, with many moving parts. When you’re migrating to a new site, real risks are involved. You could lose search rankings built over years—and the traffic and leads that come with them. If things break at launch, you’re dealing with a public moment that could damage trust with the people you’re trying to reach.

Here’s what matters: finding a partner who has clear processes to prevent problems and the commitment to fix anything that does come up. Quality work isn’t magic — it’s systematic testing and taking the work seriously.

My quality process and what it means for you

I know how much is riding on your website working. That’s why I have a tested workflow for every stage of building a website. I test throughout the entire website build, not just at the end. 

Before we start designing your website, I audit your current site — what’s working, what isn’t, what we need to preserve. During development, I go through every web page, every link, every form, every integration, and set up redirects so your old URLs don’t break. Finally, after launch, I test everything again.

Does anything ever slip through the cracks? Yes, I’m human. But I’ve built these processes specifically to minimize problems and catch issues before they become issues.

That’s why I also include a 30-day warranty on every website I build. If something breaks that was part of the project, I fix it. You have better things to focus on after your website launch than the technical details. Minor hiccups are normal — what matters is that you have someone who’ll take care of them quickly.

When you’re evaluating potential web design partners:

• Ask about their quality assurance process. How do they test their work? What happens before website launch? If they can’t articulate a clear process, that’s a real concern.
• Ask how they handle the transition from your current website to the new one. How do they preserve what’s working? How do they handle redirects and SEO? Do they have a plan for making sure your website traffic and rankings aren’t disrupted?
• Ask what happens if something goes wrong. Is there a warranty period? How do they handle bugs or issues that come up after launch? You want to know they’ll be there to fix problems, not disappear.
• Bring up your specific concerns. If you’re worried about SEO, or an integration, or anything technical — say so. A good partner will explain how they’ll handle those risks. If they brush off your concerns or can’t give you clear answers, that’s your signal to move on.

Technical competence is hard to evaluate from a web designer’s portfolio alone. But you can evaluate it in conversation. Designers with clear processes and thoughtful answers to your questions and concerns are partners you can trust to do the work right.

Will you have time for my website project, or will I get stuck in a queue?

This concern usually comes from experience with agencies or other vendors who are juggling dozens of projects at once. You reach out, excited to get started, only to learn there’s a three-month wait. Or worse, you start the project with one person, but get passed around to different staff members as the work progresses. Maybe your designer is splitting attention between you and five other clients.

You want to know that when you’re ready to move forward, your website will get the focus and attention it deserves — and that you’ll actually be working with the person you hired.

How I manage my capacity and what it means for you

I work with a limited number of clients at any given time. Not to be exclusive, but because I’ve learned that managing fewer projects serves everyone better.

When I take on your website, you and your site get my full attention during your scheduled work time. I’m not juggling a dozen other websites while trying to focus on yours. And you’re working with one person throughout the entire project — me. This means:

• Your website build stays on schedule. No unnecessary delays because I’m overwhelmed or stretched too thin. If something does come up, it’s communicated quickly.
• You get thoughtful design and development work. When I’m designing your site, writing code, or solving a problem, I’m thinking about your specific goals, not rushing through the work to get to the next client.
• Communication stays clear. You’re not competing with a dozen other clients (and their unexpected fires) for my attention when you have questions or need feedback.

The trade-off? I can be booked out in advance. But I’ve built my process to minimize wait times—there are things we can start working on right away while you’re waiting for your official project start date. This means even if I’m not immediately available, you’re not sitting idle for weeks or months.

When you’re evaluating potential web design partners:

• Ask about their current workload. How many website projects are they handling simultaneously? If it’s more than 3-4, that’s worth discussing.
• Ask who will actually be doing the work. Will you be working with the web designer you’re talking to, or will your project get handed off to other junior staff?
• Ask about timelines. Are delays common? How do they handle scheduling conflicts?
• Ask what happens if they get behind. Do other clients’ projects get pushed back, or do they work longer hours to catch up?

Quality work takes time and focus. A designer who’s constantly rushing between projects can’t give you either.

You’re ready to move forward

You now have something most people don’t when they start looking for a website designer: clarity on the questions that matter most.

My hope is that…

• You can spot the difference between strategy-first work and surface-level design. 
• The questions to ask about partnership, pricing, and process are clear. 
• Evaluating portfolios for problem-solving rather than industry match now makes sense.

These aren’t just things to think about — they’re tools you can use in every conversation you have with potential partners for any type of service you need, not just web design. 

My goal isn’t just to work with you — it’s to help you find the right partner, whoever that turns out to be. Because when you work with someone who’s the right fit, you get a website that makes your job easier, serves your mission, and helps you grow.

I’ve created a free email series that goes deeper into the practical side of hiring a website partner. You’ll get specific questions to ask, how to prepare for meetings, what to look for in proposals, and the step-by-step process for evaluating your options. Sign up and I’ll send you the first email today.

Ready to talk about your website? I’d love to hear what you’re working on and answer any questions you have. Whether we end up working together or not, I can help you think through your specific situation and point you in the right direction. Schedule a free consultation, and let’s figure out what makes sense for you.

Your website is too important to get wrong. But with the right questions and the right partner, you can feel confident about the investment you’re making.