Most small-business owners hire a web designer only once every few years, so it is hard to know what to ask. It is easy to choose on price or a nice portfolio alone.
This guide gives you twelve plain questions. You do not need to know the technical parts. You only need to listen for clear, specific answers. For price questions, read our guide to what a small-business website costs.
The short answer: hire the designer who shows you live sites like yours, explains who writes the words, puts every account in your name, sets pages up for Google and AI tools, and tells you exactly what happens after launch.
What should you ask about their past work?
Ask to see real, live websites, not only pictures. Screenshots show design. Live sites show whether the work still loads, reads well and brings enquiries.
1. Can I see three live sites you built for businesses like mine?
Open each one on your phone. Check that the menu works, the text is easy to read and the phone number can be tapped. A site for a plumber or a physio has different needs from a site for a fashion brand, so look for similar businesses.
If you can, ask one of those owners a simple question: "Would you hire them again?"
2. Who will actually build my site?
Some designers pass the work to another person or company. That is not always bad. But you should know who does the work, who answers your emails and who fixes problems later.
3. What will you need from me, and by when?
A good designer gives you a short list: logo, photos, service details, prices, opening hours and contact details. They also give dates. Missing content is one of the most common reasons a website project runs late.
Who writes the words on your website?
Ask this early, because the words matter more than the design. Customers, Google and AI assistants all decide what you do from the text on each page.
4. Who writes the text on each page, and can I check it?
Some designers only add the text you send. Others write it for you, sometimes with help from AI tools. Either way, you should approve every page before it goes live.
Look for one page per main service. Each page should say what you do, where you work, who it is for and how to get in touch. If a designer plans one page that lists every service, ask why. Our guide to using AI to write your website explains what to check in an AI-written draft.
How will people find the new website?
A beautiful site that nobody finds will not bring enquiries. Ask how each page will be set up for search engines and AI assistants, in plain words.
5. How will you set up each page for Google?
Listen for specific steps: a clear title and description on every page, one main heading, a sitemap (a list of your pages for search engines), and connecting the site to Google Search Console, Google's free tool for site owners.
Be careful with anyone who promises a number one ranking. Google says clearly that no one can guarantee a top position.
6. Will AI assistants such as ChatGPT be able to read my site?
More people now ask AI assistants for recommendations. Those tools read plain text best. Ask whether your key facts will be written as text, not hidden inside images. Ask whether the site will include structured data, a small piece of code that labels facts such as your business name, area and opening hours.
Also ask whether the site will block AI crawlers by default. Some setups do this by accident. Our guide to AI crawlers explains what to look for. Making a site clear for search engines and AI tools together is what we call xEO.
7. How fast will the site load on a phone?
Most small-business visitors arrive on a phone. Google mainly uses the mobile version of a site when it decides what to show in search. Ask the designer to test one of their live sites with Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool while you watch.
8. Can everyone use the site, including people with a disability?
An accessible site works for people who use screen readers, zoom in, or cannot use a mouse. Ask whether the designer follows WCAG, the international accessibility guidelines from the W3C. Simple signs are clear contrast, readable text sizes and images with descriptions.
Who will own the website when it is finished?
You should. Every account connected to your website should be in your business name, with your own login. This is the question small businesses most often forget.
9. Who will own the domain name, hosting and other accounts?
Ask for a written list of every account: domain name, hosting, Google Search Console, Google Analytics and your Google Business Profile. Each one should be registered to you. The designer can have their own access as a helper.
ICANN, the body that oversees domain names, explains that the registrant is the person who holds the rights to a domain. Make sure that person is you.
10. Can I make small changes myself?
Prices, opening hours and photos change often. Ask the designer to show you how to change one line of text. If every small change needs a paid request, ask how fast they respond and what it costs.
What happens after the website goes live?
A website needs care after launch. Ask what support is included, for how long, and what happens if you part ways.
11. What support, updates and backups are included after launch?
Ask who keeps the software up to date, how often the site is backed up, and who fixes it if it breaks. Ask for a response time in writing, such as "within two working days".
12. If we stop working together, what can I take with me?
A fair answer is: your domain, your words, your photos and a copy of the site where possible. Some platforms do not let you move a design to another host. That can be fine, but you should know before you sign, not after.
Which answers are red flags?
The clearest red flags are guarantees, secrecy and lock-in. If you hear any of these, ask for more detail or keep looking.
- "We guarantee page one on Google." Nobody can promise this.
- "We register the domain for you, in our name." Ask for it in yours.
- "You don't need to see the logins." You do, even if you never use them.
- No live examples, only mock-ups or templates.
- No written scope, so you cannot tell what is included.
How do you compare two web designer quotes?
Put the twelve questions in a table and score each answer: clear, unclear or missing. Then compare prices. The cheapest quote with three missing answers is often the most expensive choice over three years.
Our small-business website checklist can help you review the finished site before you pay the final invoice.
Do you need a web designer at all?
Not always. If you need online bookings, a large shop or a unique brand look, a custom designer can be worth it. If you run a service business with a few main services, a simple done-for-you website is often enough.
Green Kauri's website plan costs USD 99 a year. You answer a few simple questions, and we create a mobile-friendly site. The domain is yours, and search and AI optimisation are built in. If you already have a website and want it to be found, our xEO optimisation service can improve it without a full redesign.
Which official sources support this guidance?
- Google Search Central: do you need an SEO? — Google's warning that no one can guarantee a number one ranking, and useful questions to ask anyone you hire.
- Google Search Central: mobile-first indexing — Google mainly uses the mobile version of a site for indexing and ranking.
- Google Search Central: SEO starter guide — page titles, descriptions and the other basics a designer should set up.
- W3C: WCAG overview — the international guidelines for accessible websites.
- ICANN: information for domain name registrants — the rights of the person who registers a domain name.
Web designer FAQs
What is the most important question to ask a web designer?
Ask who will own the domain name, hosting and other accounts. Everything else can be fixed later, but a domain registered in someone else's name can be hard to recover. Ask for a written list of every account, registered to your business, with your own login for each one.
Should a web designer write the content for my website?
They can, but you should approve every page. You know your services, prices, area and customers best. A good designer either writes from a clear list of your facts or edits text you provide. Check that each main service has its own page with clear, specific words.
Can a web designer guarantee a first-page Google ranking?
No. Google says no one can guarantee a number one ranking. A good designer can set up clear page titles, one page per service, a sitemap and Search Console. These basics help Google understand your site, but rankings also depend on competition and on what searchers need.
What are the red flags when hiring a web designer?
Watch for ranking guarantees, a domain registered in the designer's name, refusal to share logins, no live examples and no written scope of work. Any one of these is a reason to ask more questions. Two or more is usually a reason to keep looking for another designer.
Do I need a web designer for a small-business website?
Not always. A custom designer makes sense for online shops, bookings or a unique brand. Many service businesses only need a few clear pages. A simple done-for-you plan, such as Green Kauri's USD 99-a-year website, can give you a mobile-friendly site with search and AI optimisation included.
Once your new website starts bringing enquiries, a quick first reply matters. Green Kauri can build a custom AI agent that gives every new enquiry a fast, useful response while you are busy with work.