How to Hire a Web Designer: What to Look For
Hiring the wrong web designer will cost you time, money, and months of lost business. Hiring the right one will generate leads for years.
The difference between good and bad isn't usually obvious upfront. A bad designer will show you a beautiful portfolio and seem credible. Then you'll launch and nothing will happen.
This guide is about spotting the difference before you sign the contract and hand over your deposit.
What to Look For in a Web Designer
**1. They ask questions about your business first**
A good designer spends meaningful time understanding your business before showing designs. They ask who your ideal clients are, what problems they have, how people currently find you, and what success looks like for your site.
A bad designer skips this entirely and jumps straight to showing designs. Designs without strategy are just decoration, not conversion.
**2. They have proven client results, not just portfolio work**
Everyone has a beautiful portfolio. That's the minimum. But can they show you lead generation results? Ask to speak to previous clients directly. Ask: did this website actually generate leads for you?
The best designers can point to specific examples: a real estate client generating 15+ qualified leads per week, or a boat tour company that went from invisible to attracting consistent US leads. Real results from real clients. [Search Consultant Exchange]
**3. They understand SEO as structural, not an add-on**
SEO is not something you add after launch. It's built in from the beginning through strategy decisions. Keywords should influence content strategy. Site structure should be planned for search visibility. Schema markup should be standard.
If they say "SEO can be added later," they don't understand modern web design fundamentals. This is a red flag. Squarespace SEO
**4. They understand conversion design**
A beautiful site that doesn't convert is just expensive decoration.
Good designers think about where visitors should click, the clearest path from landing page to contact, where people get confused, and how to move someone from curious to ready to buy. This is conversion design. Both beauty and conversion matter. Conversion matters more.
**5. They recommend the right platform**
A designer who pushes custom code on every project is thinking about their hourly rate, not what's best for you.
A good designer recommends Squarespace for service businesses because it's fast, reliable, has built-in SEO tools, and requires low maintenance. They explain tradeoffs honestly. They don't oversell complexity you don't need.
**6. They give clear timelines and deliverables**
"A few weeks" is not a timeline. "8-12 weeks, designs by week 3, launch by week 12" is clear and specific. Clear timelines and deliverables protect both of you.
Red Flags to Avoid
**"I'll design custom code for you" on a small budget.** Custom code is expensive and high-maintenance. You'll pay thousands to host it and more to maintain it over time. [Clutch]
**Portfolio work but no client results.** Portfolio sites are cherry-picked. Results are honest. Ask for both.
**They won't explain their process.** If they can't articulate how they approach design and strategy, you're getting mystery work.
**Focus on how it looks, not how it works.** A site that looks good but doesn't convert or rank is expensive decoration.
**They promise "guaranteed results."** Google changes algorithms constantly. No one guarantees rankings or leads. Anyone claiming they do is lying.
**Full payment upfront.** Standard is 50% deposit, 50% on launch. Anything else is sketchy.
The Hiring Process
**Step 1: Define what you actually need**
Not what you want. What you actually need. Do you need e-commerce? A blog? Multiple locations? Complex forms?
Write this down clearly. This is your brief.
**Step 2: Get 3-5 proposals**
Contact designers. Share your brief. Ask them what they'd charge and how they'd approach it.
Compare price, process, timeline, what's included, and what support comes after launch.
**Step 3: Interview your top 2**
Ask the questions above. Listen to how they respond. Do they ask about your business? Do they understand conversion? Do they have client results?
You're working with this person for 8-12 weeks. They should communicate clearly and make you feel like they understand your business.
**Step 4: Check references**
Call their previous clients. Ask: did they deliver on time? Did they listen? Did the site work? Would you hire them again?
This is the most honest feedback you'll get.
**Step 5: Make a decision**
Choose based on:
1. Do you trust them?
2. Do they have proven results?
3. Is their price reasonable for what you're getting?
4. Can they explain their process clearly?
Price matters, but shouldn't be the deciding factor. The cheapest designer is often the most expensive long-term.
What to Expect After Launch
Good designers don't disappear on launch day. They provide 30 days of support and revisions, training so you can update your own content, monitoring, and recommendations for next steps.
If they vanish, you've hired the wrong person.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Freelancers are faster and cheaper. Agencies have backup and more experience. For quality and accountability, agencies usually win. For speed and budget, good freelancers can work.
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GBP 2,000-7,000 for a solid mid-market build. Freelancers charge less, high-end agencies charge more. Rock-bottom prices usually mean problems.
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8-12 weeks for quality work including strategy, design, development, testing. Faster usually means less strategy. Slower usually means inefficiency.
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This is why process matters. Good designers start with strategy and sketches, not polished mockups. You should be involved early. Early issues are cheap to fix.
Hiring the right web designer is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your business. Take time to hire well.
Ready to hire someone who gets it? book a free call and let's talk about building a website that actually works for your business.
