What to Check Before Hiring a Web Design Agency

Put several website quotes side by side and the prices will vary widely. Most of the difference comes from what the quote does not say: who owns the code, who updates the content, how fast the site will load and who is responsible after launch. These questions help you compare quotes on the same terms.

1. Whose name are the domain, hosting and code in?

The domain should be registered to your company, and you should have access to the hosting account and the source code, so you can move the site if you ever change agencies. Ask for this in writing.

2. Who updates the content, and how?

Emailing the agency for every text change is slow and expensive. Ask whether there is a CMS where you can edit pages, services, case studies and blog posts, and whether someone will walk you through it.

3. Custom design or a template?

Templates are not wrong, but other companies use the same look and templates often load features you never use. If the quote says custom design, confirm that nothing gets built before you approve the home page design.

4. How will it work on phones?

Most visitors arrive on a phone. Mobile-friendly should not mean a shrunken desktop layout: menus, forms and buttons need to work with a thumb and text must be readable without zooming.

5. How will speed be measured?

“Fast” means nothing on its own. Ask to measure Google’s Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS) and Lighthouse together at handover, and keep in mind that lab results and real-user data can differ.

6. Is technical SEO included?

Page titles and descriptions, a sitemap, a correct heading structure, hreflang for multilingual sites, structured data and redirects from old URLs are all technical SEO. Nobody can guarantee Google rankings; be wary of any quote that does.

7. Forms and privacy

Personal data from contact and quote forms needs a privacy notice and consent (GDPR in the EU, KVKK in Turkey). Ask about spam protection and where messages are stored.

8. What happens after launch?

Security updates, backups, certificate renewals and small changes continue after launch. Find out in writing whether maintenance is included and, if not, what a monthly plan covers.

9. Is the quote itemised?

A quote that lists design, development, content entry, integrations and maintenance separately shows what you are paying for and avoids surprises later.

• Are the domain and code yours?
• Is there a CMS?
• Is design approved before any build starts?
• Are speed and SEO measured at handover?
• Is maintenance in the quote?

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