Before you hire a web design agency, ask them twelve things: how they work, who does the work, what it costs, how long it takes, how much of your time it needs, who writes the words, what they build on, whether the site is yours to move, how they handle speed, accessibility and search, what happens after launch, and how you'll know it's working. A good agency answers every one plainly. Here are the questions, with my own answers.
1. What's your process, and where does strategy come in?
A process that starts with the design skips the part that decides whether the site works.
My answer: I use a method I call the Strategy-First Build. We talk through the strategy first, in a human-led discovery session. Then I apply what I've learned from more than 20 years of working with websites. AI tools come in only once the strategy is locked, to help with the development.
2. Who will I actually be working with?
At some agencies, the person who sells you the project isn't the person who builds it.
My answer: you'll work with me, start to finish.
3. Can I see work like mine, and what did it change for that client?
A portfolio shows taste. Ask what each site changed for the business behind it.
My answer: CA Family Properties went from no website to a professional home for their portfolio, with a form that makes it easy to invite founder Cliff Avril to speak at events. Studio89 came to me with just an idea, not even a domain, and left with a brand identity and a site that brought an increase in views and in people interested in working with them. Osmosis Media has been an ongoing partnership: we've evolved the site as the business has grown. See the case studies.
4. How much will it cost, and what's included?
A price only means something next to what it covers.
My answer: a Website Strategy Session is $750 for 90 minutes, including the recording, your written roadmap and the strategy summary. Custom builds start at $5,000. The final number depends on scope, and we set it together so you know exactly what you're paying for and why. Care Plans start at $150 a month.
5. How long will it take?
Ask when the clock starts, not just how long it runs.
My answer: about 4 to 6 weeks for a five-page site, once we have all the content: the text, images and videos.
6. What do you need from me, and how much of my time?
Your time is part of the cost, so find out how much of it the project needs.
My answer: my goal is to get your ideas for the website and your business objectives out of your head and onto paper. So we meet for a 90-minute discovery session, then once a week on Zoom for 30 minutes, for project updates, until the site is finished.
7. Who writes the words on the site?
The words are what visitors read and what search engines index, so decide early who writes them.
My answer: we talk about it. If you'd like to write the content yourself, that's great, and I'll work with you on it. Or I write it for you, based on the strategy we create together.
8. Will the site be mine to move or change later?
You shouldn't need permission to change your own website.
My answer: yes. The site is yours to move or change whenever you want.
9. What do you build it on, and can I update it myself?
The right platform depends on who will be making the changes after launch.
My answer: WordPress, if you'll want to edit pages yourself later. You can make changes in a web browser. If you don't plan to edit pages yourself, I can build a static website instead, and a developer makes the updates.
10. How do you handle speed, accessibility and search?
A site that's slow, hard to use or hard to find loses people before they read a word.
My answer: every build is made to be fast, accessible and easy to find in search. I measure speed with Google PageSpeed Insights, build to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and use Google Search Console, Google Analytics and Yoast so search engines can find your site.
11. What happens after launch?
A website isn't finished at launch. Somebody has to look after it.
My answer: that's up to you. Every site I build can go onto a Care Plan after launch, and it's optional. On a plan, I keep monitoring your website and we keep growing it, depending on the plan you choose. Plans run from $150 to $850 a month, and you hear back from me by the next business day.
12. How will we know if the site is working?
Agree on what you'll measure before the site goes live.
My answer: for the most part, the website just runs quietly in the background. On a Care Plan, each month I send you a report with your Google Analytics numbers, such as how many people visited, and any pages or software I updated.
One red flag to watch for
Ask where your business email will live. Use a reputable company to host your business email address, and don't host it on the same web server as your website.
Email deliverability can be tricky on shared web hosting. It also depends on the reputation of the server's IP address: if that IP gets tarnished, so does your email deliverability. Companies dedicated to email hosting have better deliverability, and if anything ever happens to your web server, your email isn't affected.
The questions go both ways
A good agency asks you questions too, before it designs anything. Here are the 8 questions a web design agency should ask you.
If you'd like to ask me these twelve yourself, book a free 15-minute Fit Call.