What to Know Before Hiring a Web Designer
(And How to Get the Most From the Process)
Hiring a web designer sounds simple… until it’s not. Between budgets, platforms, timelines, and figuring out what you even need, the process can feel overwhelming fast.
The truth is, a solid website is more than good visuals. It’s a tool that should work hard for your business, not just look the part. Here’s what we believe you should know before jumping into any website project.
1. Be Clear About Your Goals, Not Just Features
Instead of asking “Can you build a site with a blog, a store, and a cool animation?” try asking “Here’s what I want the site to do for me. How would you approach that?”
Your job isn’t to know the tech. Your job is to be real about what the site needs to do, we’ll handle the how.
2. Make Sure You Can Actually Talk to the Person Doing the Work
There’s nothing worse than sharing your vision with someone, only to realize they’re just passing your message along. If you can’t speak directly with the person implementing the work, you’re not really building anything together.
At minimum, there should be a clean feedback loop, not just a project manager and a mystery dev in the background.
3. Set Expectations Around Edits, Feedback, and Style
Web design is subjective. What looks clean to one person might feel empty to another.
That’s why we often start with style discussions or sample layouts before jumping into development. If something doesn’t feel right, cool, we’ll adjust it. That’s part of the process. But be sure your designer makes room for feedback and revisions without nickel-and-diming you to death.
4. Know the Platform You’re Building On
We often recommend WordPress because it balances flexibility, portability, and editor-friendliness.
If you ever need to hand off your site to someone else, platforms like WordPress or Webflow make it easier.
Templates can help you start fast, but custom code wins when you’re scaling, integrating, or trying something unique.
5. You Should Own Your Website — Period
No games. You paid for it, it’s yours.
Make sure you’ll get full access to your site, hosting, and domain. You should be able to switch providers if something doesn’t feel right without being locked in.
And basic edits (like changing text, uploading a blog post, or swapping a photo) shouldn’t require a developer.
6. Ask How the Site Will Grow With You
You may not need fancy automations now, but will your site support it later?
Will your site structure support SEO? Will your booking system grow as your schedule does?
If your site doesn’t leave room for growth, you’ll outgrow it fast.
7. Avoid Vague Promises
If someone says “We’ll make something amazing for you”, ask how.
How will it help me get leads? How will people use it?
A good designer will talk about goals, users, and function, not just “making it pop.”
8. Extra Services Matter, but Only If They Serve Your Goal
Some agencies do SEO. Some offer branding. Some don’t do any of that.
But ask this: Do I really need that from them? Or is it better to keep design focused and layer that stuff later?
You want aligned services, not just extras that pad the bill.
Bonus Tip: Spit It Back. Then Build.
Here’s how we work:
We listen, ask questions, and spit it back to you to make sure we’re clear on what matters.
Then we build it with you, not for you, not around you, with you.
Because the best projects don’t just look good, they make sense. They’re functional. They last.
If you’re thinking about building or refreshing your site and want to talk it through, start a project here. No pressure. Just clarity.
We’re not the only ones who think this way. Smashing Magazine shares some solid tips too, but keep in mind, no one knows your goals like you do