What Questions Should I Ask a Web Designer Before Hiring Them?

If you’ve started searching for a web designer, you’ve probably noticed something: everyone says they build beautiful, custom, user-friendly websites. Which is great — but it doesn’t exactly help you figure out who to trust, or what makes one agency different from the next.

That’s why asking the right questions up front is so important. Not just the obvious “how much does it cost?” — but the kind of questions that uncover how they work, how they think, and how well they actually understand what your business needs.

A good starting point? Ask how they approach strategy. A solid web design partner won’t just jump into mockups or color palettes. They’ll want to understand your goals, your audience, and what you’re hoping to achieve with the site — not just what you want it to look like. If they’re asking you meaningful questions right off the bat, that’s usually a good sign.

It’s also worth asking what platform they build on, and whether you’ll be able to manage the site yourself once it’s live. Some business owners want full control, others prefer hands-off support — but you should know how flexible the setup is, and whether you’re locked into a complicated system you’ll need a developer to maintain forever.

Another one to bring up? How they handle SEO and performance. Even if you’re not launching a massive e-commerce site, you’ll want to make sure it loads fast, shows up in Google, and plays nice with mobile devices. A good designer will already have these things baked into their process — you shouldn’t have to fight for them as add-ons.

And speaking of process: ask what it looks like to work with them, start to finish. What happens after you sign on? How do they handle revisions? What’s expected from you, and what do they take care of? Transparency here is key — you’re looking for someone who communicates clearly, sets realistic timelines, and makes you feel like a collaborator, not just a client in a queue.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for examples of real work — and even better, ask to hear about the results. What kind of growth or engagement have their sites brought in for past clients? You’re not just hiring someone to make things look nice. You’re investing in something that should help your business grow.

At Oski Marketing, we love when people come to us with these kinds of questions. It means they care about the long-term value of their website — not just checking a box or chasing a trend. And we’re always happy to have that conversation, because we’re not just here to build pretty sites. We’re here to build smart ones that actually work.