How to choose a web designer

How to choose a web designer comes down to three checks: can they show results for businesses like yours, do they understand that a website has to bring customers, and will the contract protect you if something goes wrong. Price matters, but it is the fourth question, not the first.

Most regrets I hear from business owners follow the same pattern: a nice-looking site that brings no enquiries, a designer who disappeared after launch, or a site the owner does not actually own. All three can be avoided with an hour of questions before signing. Here is the list I would use if I were hiring someone myself.

Start with what you need, not who is available

Before you contact anyone, write down in a few lines what the website must do. More calls for one service? Online booking? A French version? Leads for ads you plan to run? A short website brief makes every conversation faster and every quote comparable.

Then decide what kind of help you need:

I am in the third group: I build the site and can run the ads and SEO that bring traffic to it, and some work like branding I deliver with trusted partners. That is not the right fit for everyone, and that is fine.

Twelve questions to ask every web designer

Ask the same questions to each candidate and write down the answers.

1. Can you show sites you built for businesses similar to mine? Look at live sites, not screenshots. Open them on your phone.
2. What happened after those sites launched? More enquiries, better rankings, anything measurable? An honest "no numbers yet" is better than vague claims.
3. Who writes the copy? If the answer is "you do", budget your own time or a copywriter.
4. How do you plan the structure? A good answer mentions customers, searches and services, not only colours and fonts.
5. What platform will you use, and why? Builder, WordPress or custom code. Each has trade-offs; the answer should be about your needs.
6. Will the site, domain and hosting be in my name? The only acceptable answer is yes.
7. What tracking will be set up? GA4, Tag Manager, form and call conversions. Without it you cannot judge the result.
8. How many revision rounds are included? And what counts as a revision versus a new request.
9. What are the deadlines, and are they in the contract?
10. How is payment split? Paying everything upfront removes your leverage.
11. Who will I talk to during the project? The person doing the work, or a go-between?
12. What happens after launch? Training, support, and the cost of changes.

Red flags in portfolios and quotes

Some warning signs show up early:

• Only mock-ups, no live sites. Designs look perfect on a slide; live sites show whether the work survives real content and real phones.
• Every site in the portfolio looks the same. Usually one template with different logos.
• A price without a scope. "$2,500 for a website" with no list of pages, copy, tracking or revisions.
• "We'll handle the domain for you." Fine, as long as it is registered in your name.
• Pressure to sign quickly. A deadline-based sales push is a bad sign for how the project will be managed.
• Promises of first place on Google. Nobody can promise rankings honestly.

What to get in writing

Whoever you choose, the agreement should list:

• Pages and features included, and what is not included.
• Who provides copy and photos, and by when.
• Deadlines for each stage, and what happens if they slip.
• Number of revision rounds.
• Payment schedule tied to stages.
• Ownership of the domain, code, content and all accounts.
• What support you get after launch and how changes are priced.

In my own agreements, deadlines are written down, late-delivery penalties can be included, payment goes 30/40/30, and everything is registered to the client. More on that on how I work.

Local or remote?

Many owners assume a web designer must be in the same city. For most projects it matters less than you think. What matters is that you can reach the person easily, that they reply quickly and that they understand your market. I work remotely with businesses across Canada, with calls on Zoom at a time that suits your time zone, and I reply within one business day. You can see Canadian projects such as Boreal Kitchens & Cabinetry in Edmonton and Sunline Cleaning in Winnipeg.

What does matter is local knowledge: French requirements for Quebec, accessibility rules for larger Ontario organizations, how customers in your area search. Ask about those directly. If you need a French version, ask who will write it: I work in English only, so with me that part would come from your own team or translator.

Signs of a good working relationship

The first few emails tell you a lot. A designer worth hiring replies when they said they would, answers the question you asked, and is not afraid to disagree with you politely. If you suggest something that will hurt enquiries, such as hiding prices or adding a long intro video, a good designer explains why and offers an alternative. One who agrees with everything is either not thinking about your results or not planning to be around when the results come in.

Making the final decision

Narrow it down to two candidates and compare:

• Who understood your business best on the call?
• Whose questions made you think about your customers?
• Whose contract protects you better?
• Whose past work brings results for businesses like yours?

Price comes next. If the cheaper option misses copy, tracking or ownership, it is not cheaper; you will pay for those things later. If you want to see how my scope and prices compare, they are all on the website pricing page, and the first 30-minute consultation is free.