Hiring a web design agency is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your business. Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your company—and getting it wrong can be costly, both financially and in terms of lost opportunities.
But here's the problem: most business owners don't know what questions to ask during the hiring process. They focus on price and timelines but miss the critical details that determine whether a project succeeds or fails.
We've worked with hundreds of small business owners who've shared their horror stories: designers who disappeared mid-project, websites they don't own, beautiful designs that don't generate leads, and surprise costs that doubled their budget.
This guide will help you avoid those pitfalls. We've broken down 15 essential questions into four categories, with sample answers and red flags to watch for. By the end, you'll know exactly how to evaluate any web design agency and make a confident decision.
Why Asking the Right Questions Matters
Before we dive into the questions, let's be clear about why this matters.
A good web design agency should be a partner, not just a vendor. They should understand your business goals, communicate clearly, deliver on time, and create a website that actually works for your business—not just one that looks pretty.
The difference between a good and bad web design experience often comes down to asking the right questions upfront. These questions help you:
- Understand what you're really getting for your investment
- Spot red flags before you sign a contract
- Set clear expectations for the project
- Avoid costly misunderstandings down the road
- Find a partner who genuinely cares about your success
Now let's get into the questions.
Portfolio & Experience Questions (1-4)
1. Can you show me examples similar to my project?
Why this matters: Every agency has a portfolio, but the question is whether they've done work like yours. A portfolio full of e-commerce sites doesn't mean they can build a great service business website.
What a good answer sounds like: "Absolutely. Here are three examples of websites we've built for [your industry]. Let me walk you through the challenges each client faced and how we addressed them."
Red flags to watch for:
- Only showing generic templates or stock examples
- Portfolio that doesn't match your industry or project type
- Refusing to share specific examples or case studies
- All examples look identical (template factory)
2. What experience do you have in my industry?
Why this matters: Industry experience means the agency already understands your customers, your competitors, and what works. They won't waste time learning basics you could have taught a more experienced agency.
What a good answer sounds like: "We've worked with [number] businesses in [your industry]. We know that your customers typically look for [specific features/information], and we've learned that [specific strategy] tends to work well for generating leads in your space."
Red flags to watch for:
- "We can work with any industry" (generic answer)
- No specific examples or insights about your industry
- Can't name competitors or industry trends
- Claiming expertise in 50+ industries (impossible)
Reality check: Industry experience is helpful but not always required. A skilled agency can research your market. What matters more is that they ask questions about your industry and demonstrate curiosity.
3. Who will actually be working on my project?
Why this matters: Many agencies have a great salesperson who wins the project, but then hands it off to a junior designer or outsourced contractor. You need to know who's actually doing the work.
What a good answer sounds like: "You'll be working primarily with [name], our [title], who has [experience]. I'll be involved in strategy and reviews, and [other team member] will handle development. You'll meet the full team before we start."
Red flags to watch for:
- Vague answers about "our team"
- Refusal to introduce you to actual team members
- Solo freelancer claiming to handle design, development, content, SEO, and marketing alone
- Obvious outsourcing to unknown third parties
Pro tip: Ask to meet the team before signing. If they won't introduce you to the people doing the work, that's a major red flag.
4. How long have you been in business?
Why this matters: Longevity isn't everything, but it does indicate stability. A brand-new agency isn't necessarily bad, but you should know what you're getting into.
What a good answer sounds like: "We've been in business for [X years]. Here's a bit about our background and why we started the agency." Or, if they're newer: "We're a newer agency, but our founders have [X years] of experience at [previous companies]. Here are some projects we worked on previously."
Red flags to watch for:
- Being evasive about the question
- No business website or online presence
- Can't provide references from past clients
- Claiming decades of experience but all portfolio work is recent
Process & Communication Questions (5-8)
5. What does your design process look like?
Why this matters: A professional agency follows a structured process. If they can't explain how they work, that's a sign they're making it up as they go.
What a good answer sounds like: "Our process has [number] stages: Discovery, where we learn about your business; Strategy, where we plan the site structure; Design, where we create mockups; Development, where we build it; and Launch, where we test and go live. Here's roughly how long each phase takes and what you can expect."
Red flags to watch for:
- No clear process or vague answers
- "We'll just start designing and see what you like"
- Skipping discovery or strategy phases
- No mention of revisions or approval stages
- Starting design before understanding your business
What you're listening for: They should mention discovery/research, design mockups, your feedback and approvals, development, testing, and launch. The specific names don't matter, but the structure does.
6. How will we communicate during the project?
Why this matters: Poor communication is the #1 reason web design projects go off the rails. You need to know how often you'll hear from them and through what channels.
What a good answer sounds like: "We'll have weekly check-in calls every [day] at [time]. You can reach us via email anytime, and we respond within [timeframe]. We use [project management tool] so you can see progress and leave feedback. We'll share mockups via [tool/platform]."
Red flags to watch for:
- "Just text me whenever"
- No mention of regular check-ins
- Expecting you to figure out complicated project management software
- Only available during limited hours
- Going days without responding during discovery questions
7. What happens if I don't like the design?
Why this matters: You need to know the revision process before you start. How many revisions are included? What happens if you fundamentally disagree about direction?
What a good answer sounds like: "We include [X] rounds of revisions. In the first round, we typically make adjustments to layout, colors, and content placement based on your feedback. If after good-faith revisions we're still not aligned, we have a [clear next step—refund policy, mediation process, etc.]."
Red flags to watch for:
- "That never happens" (it definitely happens)
- Unlimited revisions with no structure (sounds good but means endless project)
- "You'll love it, trust us"
- No clear revision policy
- Extra fees for any change after the first draft
Pro tip: Two to three rounds of revisions is standard. More than that and projects drag on forever.
8. What's your typical timeline?
Why this matters: You need realistic expectations. Rushed projects result in poor quality. Projects without deadlines drag on forever.
What a good answer sounds like: "For a website like yours, the typical timeline is [X] weeks from contract to launch. That breaks down to roughly [timeframe] for each phase. The biggest factor that impacts timeline is getting feedback and content from you quickly."
Red flags to watch for:
- "We can have it done next week" (for a custom site)
- No clear timeline
- Timeline that seems impossibly fast
- Not mentioning that YOUR delays will impact the timeline
- No buffer time for revisions or unexpected issues
Reality check: A quality custom small business website typically takes 4-8 weeks. Simple sites might be faster. Complex sites take longer. Be skeptical of promises under 3 weeks or over 6 months.
Technical & Ownership Questions (9-12)
9. Will I own my website when it's done?
Why this matters: Some agencies maintain ownership of your site and essentially hold it hostage. You need to own your domain, hosting account, and all the files.
What a good answer sounds like: "Yes, you'll own everything. We'll register the domain in your name (or transfer it if you already have one), set up hosting under your account, and give you full access to all files and credentials when the project is complete."
Red flags to watch for:
- "We'll host it for you" (without giving you access)
- Avoiding the ownership question
- Domain registered in their name
- Charging monthly fees with no clear way to leave
- "You can't move the site because it's built on our proprietary system"
This is critical: You should own your domain, your hosting account, and have access to all website files and code. If they won't give you this, walk away.
10. What platform will you build on?
Why this matters: The platform determines how easy your site is to update, whether you can switch agencies later, and how much you'll pay for maintenance.
What a good answer sounds like: "We recommend [WordPress/Webflow/Shopify/etc.] because [specific reasons related to your needs]. It's widely supported, you can hire other developers if needed, and it handles [your specific requirements] well."
Red flags to watch for:
- Proprietary or uncommon platforms you can't move away from
- "We use our own custom system" (unless there's a very good reason)
- Platform that doesn't match your needs (e.g., Wix for a complex business)
- Can't explain why they chose that platform
Common platforms and when they make sense:
- WordPress: Most flexible, great for custom sites, blogs, and business websites
- Shopify: Best for e-commerce
- Webflow: Good for design-focused sites, visual editing
- Squarespace/Wix: Fine for very simple sites but limited for growth
For more on platform choices, check out our guide on Wix vs Squarespace vs Custom Development.
11. Is SEO included in your process?
Why this matters: A beautiful website that no one can find is useless. Basic SEO should be part of any professional web design process.
What a good answer sounds like: "Yes, we build SEO best practices into every site. That includes proper page structure, meta tags, mobile optimization, fast loading speeds, and search engine indexing. We'll also help with basic keyword research for your main pages. For ongoing SEO work, that's a separate service."
Red flags to watch for:
- "SEO is extra" for basic technical SEO
- "We guarantee #1 rankings" (no one can guarantee this)
- No mention of page speed, mobile optimization, or technical SEO
- Confusing one-time technical SEO with ongoing SEO services (both are valuable but different)
What to expect: Technical SEO (site structure, speed, mobile-friendliness) should be included. Ongoing SEO services (content, link building, local optimization) are typically separate. Learn more in our Local SEO Guide.
12. How do you handle mobile responsiveness?
Why this matters: Over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site doesn't work perfectly on phones and tablets, you're losing customers.
What a good answer sounds like: "Every site we build is mobile-responsive by default. We design for mobile first, then adapt for larger screens. You'll see mobile designs during the mockup phase, and we test on actual devices before launch."
Red flags to watch for:
- "Mobile is extra"
- Not mentioning mobile at all
- "We'll make it work on mobile" (vague)
- Only testing on desktop during demos
This should be standard: Any agency building websites in 2026 should include mobile responsiveness as a default part of every project.
Pricing & Contract Questions (13-15)
13. What's included in your quote?
Why this matters: A $5,000 quote might sound great until you find out that content, stock photos, forms, and SEO are all extra. You need to know exactly what's included and what costs extra.
What a good answer sounds like: "Our quote includes [specific deliverables]: [X] page designs, custom graphics, content editing, contact forms, mobile optimization, basic SEO setup, [X] rounds of revisions, and launch support. Here's what's not included: [specific exclusions like photography, copywriting, ongoing maintenance]."
Red flags to watch for:
- Vague pricing with no itemization
- "Everything you need" (too general)
- Most basic features listed as add-ons
- Surprise costs that pop up mid-project
- No written quote or proposal
Get it in writing: The quote should be itemized and clear. If something's not listed, ask specifically if it's included.
For context on typical website costs, see our article on How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026?
14. What are your payment terms?
Why this matters: Payment terms tell you about cash flow expectations and also protect both sides if something goes wrong.
What a good answer sounds like: "We typically structure payment as [deposit amount] upfront to start the project, [percentage] at the design approval stage, and the final [percentage] before launch. We accept [payment methods]."
Red flags to watch for:
- 100% payment upfront (huge red flag)
- No payment structure (everything due at end)
- Cash only
- Unusual payment platforms
- Pressure to pay immediately without time to review contract
Standard structure: Most agencies charge 30-50% upfront, 25-50% at a milestone (usually design approval), and the remainder before or at launch.
15. What happens after launch?
Why this matters: Launching a website isn't the end. You need to know about training, support, maintenance, and what happens if something breaks.
What a good answer sounds like: "After launch, we provide [X days/weeks] of post-launch support for any bugs or issues. We'll train you on how to update content. We offer optional monthly maintenance packages for [cost], which includes updates, backups, security monitoring, and support. Or you can manage it yourself."
Red flags to watch for:
- "Our job is done at launch"
- No training on how to use your site
- Forcing you into expensive maintenance contracts
- No bug fix guarantee for the first few weeks
- Not explaining what happens if something breaks
What's reasonable: Most agencies include 30 days of post-launch support for bugs and technical issues. Ongoing maintenance and content updates are usually a separate package (and worth considering).
Bonus: Questions to Ask Yourself Before the Meeting
Before you talk to agencies, get clear on your own priorities:
- What's the main goal of this website? (Generate leads, sell products, build credibility, etc.)
- What's my realistic budget? (Be honest about the total amount you can invest)
- Do I have time to provide content and feedback? (Agencies need your input)
- What's my actual timeline? (When do you really need this done?)
- Am I prepared to be involved in the process? (Your website can't be great without your input)
These questions help you communicate clearly with agencies and evaluate whether they're a good fit.
Ready to Find Your Web Design Partner?
The agencies that answer these questions clearly, confidently, and honestly are the ones worth working with. The ones who dodge questions, give vague answers, or get defensive? Move on.
Remember: a good web design agency should make you feel informed and confident, not confused or pressured.
At MooseBase, we believe in transparent communication from the first conversation. We're happy to answer any of these questions and many more. Whether you work with us or another agency, asking the right questions ensures you'll get a website that actually works for your business.
Want to go deeper? Check out our guide on Red Flags When Hiring a Web Designer to learn what warning signs to watch for during the hiring process.
Want a simple checklist to bring to agency meetings? We've created a one-page evaluation tool that includes:
- All 15 questions in a convenient format
- Space to take notes on each agency's answers
- Red flag indicators for quick comparison
- Scoring system to compare multiple agencies
[Note: Lead magnet to be added in Phase 2 based on article performance]
Next Steps:
- Learn what should be included in your web design contract
- Compare agency vs freelancer options
- Prepare for your first meeting with a web designer
- Browse our portfolio of small business websites
- Get a free consultation to discuss your project