What to Ask a Web Designer Before Hiring

You're about to invest thousands of dollars and weeks of time into a website. Choosing the wrong designer doesn't just waste money—it sets your business back months.

After 10 years in web design and cleaning up hundreds of botched projects, I've identified the 10 questions that separate professionals from pretenders.

Ask these questions before signing anything.

1. "Can you show me 3-5 recent examples of similar projects?"

What you're looking for: Relevant experience

Don't just look at their portfolio—look for projects similar to yours. If you're a restaurant, did they build restaurant sites? If you're a contractor, have they worked with contractors?

Red flags:

• Portfolio is all mock-ups, no live sites
• Can't provide URLs to actual working websites
• All projects are years old
• No examples in your industry

Good answer: "Here are 3 contractor sites we built in the last 6 months. Let me show you how we solved [specific challenge relevant to your business]."

2. "What's your design process and timeline?"

What you're looking for: Organized, professional workflow

Professionals have a clear process. They can tell you exactly what happens in week 1, week 2, etc.

A good process includes:

• Discovery/strategy phase
• Design mockups with revision rounds
• Development and testing
• Client review and feedback
• Launch and post-launch support

Red flags:

• "We'll figure it out as we go"
• Can't give you a timeline
• Promises launch in 2 days (impossible for quality custom work)
• No mention of testing or QA

3. "Will my website be mobile-responsive and fast-loading?"

What you're looking for: Technical competence

In 2026, these aren't optional. Mobile traffic is 60%+ and Google penalizes slow sites.

Follow-up questions:

• "Can you show me mobile versions of your recent projects?"
• "What's the typical page load time for your sites?"
• "How do you optimize for mobile users?"

Red flags:

• "Sure" without elaborating how
• Shows you a desktop-only demo
• Doesn't mention page speed at all

Good answer: "Every site is mobile-first. We test on actual devices and optimize to load under 2 seconds. Our sites typically score 90+ on Google PageSpeed."

4. "How will my website be optimized for SEO?"

What you're looking for: SEO knowledge

A beautiful website that doesn't rank on Google is useless. Your designer should understand basic SEO.

Expect them to mention:

• Proper page titles and meta descriptions
• Header tag structure (H1, H2, H3)
• Image optimization (alt tags, compression)
• URL structure
• XML sitemap
• Schema markup
• Google Analytics and Search Console setup

Red flags:

• "SEO is extra" (basic SEO should be included)
• "SEO doesn't matter anymore"
• Can't explain what SEO actually means
• Promises "#1 on Google" (that's not how it works)

5. "Who will own the website and source code?"

What you're looking for: No lock-in

You should OWN your website and all its files. Some designers hold your site hostage, forcing you to keep paying them forever.

Red flags:

• "You can't have the source code"
• "The site only works on our hosting"
• "We own the design"
• Won't give you admin access

6. "What happens if I need changes after launch?"

What you're looking for: Ongoing support options

Websites aren't one-and-done. You'll need updates, fixes, or changes.

Good answers include:

• "30 days of post-launch support included"
• "We offer monthly maintenance packages"
• "You can make content changes yourself; we handle technical updates"
• "Hourly rate for future work is $X"

Red flags:

• "All changes cost $150/hour with no estimate"
• "Can't make changes—you're locked in"
• No mention of training you to make updates
• Disappears after launch

7. "Do you write the content or do I need to provide it?"

What you're looking for: Content clarity

Good website copy is HARD. Many designers expect YOU to write it, which most business owners can't do well.

Options:

• Designer writes it: Best option, usually costs more
• You provide it: Cheaper, but delays project if you struggle
• Hybrid: You provide rough notes, designer polishes it

Red flags:

• Assumes you'll provide perfect copy
• No discussion of content at all
• Uses Lorem Ipsum placeholder text at launch

8. "What platform/technology will you use and why?"

What you're looking for: Technical reasoning

There's no "best" platform, but there should be reasoning behind the choice.

Common platforms:

• WordPress: Flexible, lots of plugins, but can be slow/bloated
• Custom HTML/CSS: Fast, clean, but harder to update yourself
• Webflow: Visual builder, good balance of power and ease
• Shopify: Best for e-commerce
• Modern frameworks (React, Next.js): Very fast, developer-focused

Red flags:

• "We only use WordPress" without explaining why
• Pushes their preferred platform without considering your needs
• Can't explain trade-offs of different approaches

9. "Can I see your contract and payment terms?"

What you're looking for: Professional business practices

Legitimate designers use contracts. The contract should spell out:

• Scope of work (what's included)
• Timeline and milestones
• Payment schedule
• Revision policy
• Ownership and rights
• What happens if project is cancelled

Typical payment structure:

• 50% deposit upfront
• 50% on launch
• OR 33% / 33% / 33% at milestones

Red flags:

• No contract, just a handshake
• 100% payment upfront
• Vague scope ("we'll build a website")
• No revision policy

10. "Can I speak with 2-3 past clients?"

What you're looking for: Real client satisfaction

Anyone can cherry-pick portfolio pieces. References tell the real story.

Questions to ask references:

• "Did they deliver on time?"
• "How was communication?"
• "Were there surprise costs?"
• "How has the website performed?"
• "Would you hire them again?"

Red flags:

• Refuses to provide references
• Only provides written testimonials (could be fake)
• References are all 3+ years old

Bonus Red Flags to Watch For

Run away if a designer:

• Promises unrealistic results: "#1 on Google in 30 days!"
• Doesn't ask questions: Good designers ask LOTS of questions to understand your business
• Lowballs the competition: "I'll do it for half what they quoted" usually means half the quality
• Badmouths past clients: If they trash-talk others, they'll trash-talk you too
• Pushes upsells immediately: "You'll definitely need our $5,000 SEO package too"
• Won't give you a timeline: "It'll be done when it's done"
• Has terrible communication: Takes days to respond, misses meetings
• Their own website is awful: If they can't build a good site for themselves...

How to Evaluate Answers

Good designers:

• Answer confidently and specifically
• Explain technical concepts in plain English
• Ask YOU questions about your business
• Show you real examples
• Are transparent about costs and timelines
• Acknowledge limitations ("We don't do X, but I can refer you to...")

Bad designers:

• Give vague, generic answers
• Use jargon to confuse you
• Don't ask about your business
• Rush to close the deal
• Promise everything you want to hear

Your Interview Checklist

Print this list and take notes during your consultation:

Score:

• 8-10 yes: Strong candidate
• 5-7 yes: Proceed with caution
• 0-4 yes: Keep looking

Bottom Line

A good web designer will WELCOME these questions. They prove you're a serious, informed client.

If a designer gets defensive or can't answer these clearly, that's your sign to walk away.

Your website is too important to trust to amateurs. Ask the hard questions upfront.