how to hire a web designer
Practical steps, SEO criteria and the questions to ask so your next website drives traffic and sales
Hiring the right web designer matters. Choose poorly and you get a slow, unoptimised site that never ranks. Choose well and your website becomes your best marketing channel. This guide walks you through the process — from brief to launch — with checklists and sample questions you can use today.
Why hire a web designer — and when it matters
Many business owners try DIY site builders and quickly run into limits: slow performance, poor SEO, inconsistent design, and conversion problems. Hire a professional when your website must:
- Attract organic traffic: You need someone who understands on-page SEO, schema and content structure.
- Convert visitors to customers: The site should be designed for clear calls-to-action, trust signals and fast loading.
- Scale with marketing: Integrations (CRM, analytics, ads tracking) must be set up correctly.
Where to find qualified web designers
Fast options (for urgent launches)
If you need a fast, reliable small-business site with SEO included, look for managed subscription services that offer quick builds and ongoing updates.
- Managed website services (monthly plans)
- Local agencies with clear SEO packages
- Referrals from other small businesses
Broader search (for specialised needs)
For larger projects or custom features, use:
- Design marketplaces (Behance, Dribbble) — for portfolio review
- Freelancer platforms (Upwork, Freelancer) — but vet carefully
- Specialist WordPress / headless CMS agencies for custom requirements
Key questions to ask every candidate
About process & timeline
- What’s your typical timeline from brief to launch?
- Who will be my main contact and how do we request updates?
- How many review rounds are included?
About SEO & marketing
- Do you optimise page titles, meta descriptions, headings, alt text, and schema?
- Will you create a sitemap and submit to Google Search Console?
- Can you set up analytics and conversion tracking for ads?
About ownership & maintenance
- Who owns the code, design and the domain after launch?
- What’s included in support and updates — hourly, ad-hoc or unlimited?
- What security and backup processes do you provide?
SEO & technical checklist to demand in your brief
Performance
- Mobile-first design and responsive breakpoints
- PageSpeed targets: aim for 70+ mobile and 90+ desktop
- Image optimisation (modern formats, lazy-loading)
- Minified CSS/JS and efficient caching
On-page SEO
- Custom title tags and meta descriptions for each page
- Clear H1/H2 hierarchy and semantic markup
- Schema for local business, products or services
- XML sitemap and robots.txt managed
Security & reliability
- HTTPS / SSL included
- Regular backups and tested restore plan
- Regular software updates (CMS, plugins)
Measurement & marketing
- Google Analytics / GA4 configured with goals
- Conversion tracking for forms, calls and bookings
- UTM best practices for ad campaigns
- Integrations: CRM, email, or booking tools as required
How to evaluate a portfolio — what actually matters
Focus on outcomes, not just visuals. Use this checklist when you review live sites:
- Does the site load quickly on mobile?
- Is navigation clear and conversion-focused?
- Are heading structures and metadata visible in the page source?
- Is contact info and a clear CTA visible above the fold?
- Do pages have unique titles and meta descriptions?
- Any evidence of improved rankings or traffic? (Ask for before/after metrics)
Pricing models, red flags and contract points
Fixed-price build
One-off payment for a scoped project. Good for defined features but beware of scope creep.
Subscription / managed
Monthly fee that includes hosting, updates and support. Ideal for businesses that need ongoing changes.
Hourly / retainer
Pay for time used. Works for ongoing bespoke work but can be unpredictable.
Red flags to avoid
- No clear scope or timeline
- Refusal to sign a simple agreement
- Portfolio items that are just templates or not live
- No mention of SEO, analytics or backups
- Lock-in contracts with hidden exit fees
Step-by-step hiring process
- Prepare a clear brief — include goals, target customers, primary CTAs, competitor examples and required integrations (see sample brief below).
- Shortlist 3–5 candidates — prioritise those with relevant industry work and measurable results.
- Request proposals — ask for timeline, deliverables, SEO tasks, measurement plan and costs.
- Interview — run through your questions (process, SEO, analytics, ownership). Ask for live demos.
- Check references — speak to recent clients about communication, delivery and post-launch support.
- Agree scope, milestones and sign a simple contract — include acceptance criteria and what happens on dispute.
- Launch & measure — ensure tracking is in place before launch; compare traffic, load times and conversions pre/post.
Sample brief you can copy & paste
Project name: Website refresh for [Business Name]
Primary goal: Increase monthly enquiries by 30% via organic search and on-site conversions.
Target audience: Local homeowners aged 30–65 searching for [service].
Key pages: Home, Services (3), About, Contact, Testimonials, Blog (optional).
Must-haves: Mobile-first design, page speed 70+ mobile, GA4 + conversion tracking, local schema, contact form + click-to-call, CMS access for content updates.
Deliverables & timeline: Wireframes (3 days), Design comps (3 days), Build & QA (7–10 days), Launch with analytics baseline (2 days).
Budget & billing: Fixed price $X or $Y/month managed plan. Please detail what’s included (hosting, SSL, updates).
Acceptance criteria: Live site, passing accessibility basics, forms tested, PageSpeed reports attached, Google Search Console verified.
Frequently asked questions
How long does hiring and launch usually take?
Will the designer handle SEO?
Who owns the site?
What if I don’t like the first design?
Ready to hire the right designer?
Use the brief and checklists above when you shortlist candidates. If you want a fast, SEO-first website with ongoing updates, see how it works with managed services built for small businesses.
Tip: Start with a short test project or trial month to validate fit before committing long-term.
