Questions to ask a web designer before you commit

Describe the current problem before discussing the design. Perhaps customers miss an important service, the site attracts enquiries from the wrong area or every content change requires a support request.

Ask the designer how they would investigate it and what they need from you. A proposed redesign should connect to the problem. The website diagnosis guide helps prepare those details if you are unsure where the site is falling short.

Ask for a page list and feature list. Then check content writing, image selection, forms, bookings, review rounds and launch work. The word “SEO” needs an explanation too: is it initial page setup, ongoing search work or both?

The website cost guide shows why the monthly figure alone is not a complete comparison. Request the build fee, monthly fee and separately quoted items in writing. Check GST treatment and third-party fees rather than assuming every quote uses the same basis.

Find out whether you supply finished text, rough notes or business information for the designer to develop. Ask who checks service claims, locations, qualifications and pricing before launch.

For AI-assisted work, ask where the tools fit and how the drafts are reviewed. AI-powered web design still needs accurate business information and a useful page structure. No writing tool can verify a service promise that only your business can confirm.

Ask for a demonstration of the editing tasks you expect to do. Updating opening hours is different from adding a complex new page. Confirm any access limits and whether training is included.

If you prefer a managed site, ask how you request changes and what the plan covers. The maintenance responsibility guide helps assign content checks as well as hosting tasks. A website editor is only useful if someone has time to use it.

Ask who checks mobile layouts, links, redirects and enquiries. For an existing website, find out how the old URLs will be handled. The redesign plan explains why that mapping belongs in the brief, while the launch checklist lists checks you can review together.

After launch, establish how you report a problem and who handles it. Avoid vague assumptions such as “support is included” without identifying the type of support and its scope.

Confirm the domain account, editing access, supplied images and content, and any transfer or cancellation arrangements. Different platforms have different export options. Ask for the practical steps if you later change providers.

Keep the answers with your project records. The Duda platform guide shows why having an editor and having a portable copy of a site are separate questions.