Look past the screenshot
A portfolio image shows visual taste, not whether the website loads quickly, works on mobile, explains the client's services or generates useful enquiries. Open live projects where possible. Check navigation, content depth, forms, mobile behaviour and whether different projects genuinely solve different problems.
Ask how the designer discovers requirements
A credible process should uncover audience, business goals, required functionality, content responsibilities, competitors, existing analytics and technical constraints. If the process jumps directly from deposit to choosing colours, important decisions are probably being deferred until they are expensive to change.
Clarify exactly what the proposal includes
Compare deliverables rather than headline prices. Ask about page count, copywriting, image sourcing, responsive testing, forms, analytics, redirects, basic technical SEO, schema where appropriate, accessibility work, launch support and revision limits. Two quotes can describe very different amounts of work.
Confirm ownership and access in writing
The business should understand who owns the domain, website files, custom code, licensed assets and content. It should also know which subscriptions continue after launch. Avoid arrangements where basic access depends indefinitely on one supplier unless that managed-service model is deliberate and clearly documented.
Evaluate SEO claims carefully
No designer can guarantee a particular organic ranking. A designer can build a crawlable structure, use descriptive titles and headings, improve performance, preserve redirects during a redesign and make content easier to understand. Treat guaranteed rankings or large packages of artificial backlinks as warning signs.
Ask what happens after launch
Websites need updates, backups, security maintenance and occasional content changes. Ask whether support is included, billed hourly or handled through a maintenance plan. More important, confirm that another qualified developer could take over if necessary.
Compare proposals with the same questions
Create a comparison sheet before reviewing quotes. Record whether each proposal includes discovery, information architecture, design, copywriting, development, mobile testing, accessibility review, technical SEO, redirects, analytics, training, hosting and post-launch support. A higher quote may simply include work that a cheaper proposal leaves to the client.
Ask to see a project that resembles yours
A restaurant, law firm, ecommerce store and transportation company have different website problems. Ask the designer to explain one relevant project: what the client's problem was, what changed and which constraints shaped the result. That explanation is often more useful than a gallery of attractive homepage screenshots.
Red flags worth investigating
Ask more questions when a supplier cannot explain ownership, promises guaranteed rankings, proposes large numbers of nearly identical SEO pages, avoids giving the client account access or cannot describe maintenance after launch. A warning sign is not automatic proof of poor work, but it should be resolved before signing.
A quick proposal comparison
| Area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Scope | Pages, templates, functionality, integrations and content responsibilities are named. |
| Quality assurance | Mobile, forms, browsers, accessibility and technical checks are included. |
| SEO migration | Titles, redirects, canonicals and existing valuable URLs are addressed when relevant. |
| Ownership | Domain, hosting, files, accounts, licences and post-launch access are clear. |
| Support | Training, maintenance, response expectations and ongoing costs are documented. |
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose a freelancer or an agency?
Either can be appropriate. Compare the people actually doing the work, relevant skills, continuity, scope and support rather than assuming team size predicts quality.
Should a web designer provide hosting?
They can, but you should understand who owns the account, what the hosting includes and how the site can be moved if the relationship changes.
Can a web designer guarantee Google rankings?
No supplier controls Google's rankings. A designer can build strong technical and content foundations, but guaranteed organic positions should be treated cautiously.