How to choose a web designer (the questions that matter)

This one catches people out. Some agencies keep your site, your code, or even your domain hostage, so leaving means starting over. Ask plainly: when this is done, do I own the design, the code, and the domain outright? If the answer is anything but a clear yes, be careful.

A beautiful site that loads slowly or can't be found is a liability. Ask how they handle performance and whether technical SEO is built in or bolted on later. A serious builder will talk comfortably about load times, mobile, and how search engines read the site.

A site nobody can find, on a page nobody waits for, isn't marketing — it's décor.

Launch is the start, not the finish. Ask what support looks like afterward: who fixes things, who updates them, and how you reach a human. A designer who disappears at launch leaves you stranded the first time something breaks.

• ❧Will I own the design, code, and domain?
• ❧Is the site custom, or a template?
• ❧How fast will it load, and is it built mobile-first?
• ❧Is technical SEO included?
• ❧Who writes the content?
• ❧What does the process look like, and how long?
• ❧Will I see real designs before you build?
• ❧What happens if I want changes later?
• ❧Do you offer hosting and maintenance?
• ❧Can I talk to a past client?

Beyond the checklist: do they listen, explain things plainly, and give straight answers — even when the honest answer isn't the one that sells? The best working relationships are built on exactly that, and you can usually feel it in the first conversation.