How to find the right Web Designer for your business

7 Steps to Avoid Regret

Finding the right web designer can feel like dating in your 40s: loads of choice, plenty of red flags, lots of stretched truths and everyone's "passionate about design."

So how do you know who’s legit, who’s just winging it, and who will actually create a website that helps your business grow?

Here are our seven steps to help you choose a web designer who gets your vision, your business goals, and most importantly doesn’t leave you with a half-baked site and a head full of regrets – like that bad date you once had…

Step 1. Get clear on what you actually need

Before you go swiping right on designers, work out what your site needs to do.

Are you:

• Selling products online?

• Taking bookings or enquiries?

• Showcasing a portfolio or past work?

• Trying to build an email list?

The clearer you are about your goals, the easier it is to find someone who specialises in that kind of site.

Step 2. Ask for recommendations

Before you get lost down a Google rabbit hole, ask around. Friends, colleagues, your networking group, that business buddy on Instagram who’s always raving about their web designer - see who they used, and if they’d recommend them.

You’ll get honest feedback too. Like: "She was amazing, but booked up for months," or "Great design but no support after launch." Real talk you won’t get from a polished testimonial.

Step 3. Stalk their portfolio…

…in a non-creepy way of course!

Any decent designer will have a portfolio or case studies (or both) on their website. Have a good nosey at their previous work:

• Do you like their designs?

• Do their sites feel functional and easy to use?

• Have they worked with businesses like yours?

A designer's portfolio is their dating profile. If you don’t love their style or if everything looks the same you’re not going to be happy.

Oh, and if they don't have examples of their previous work at all, take that as a giant red flag!

Look for variety, attention to detail, testimonials from clients and go and see the site in real life. Sites should feel well thought-out and not just pretty.

Step 4. Cheapest is rarely best

We know budgets are a thing. But that "too good to be true" quote for a custom site at £250? It's probably just a reskinned template with little thought added at all, or has been outsourced to India.

Cheap web design often means cutting corners: no strategy, no testing, no long-term thinking. And six months later, you're paying someone else to fix it.

Unfortunately, this is one thing we see all the time. Bargain-basement websites often come with hidden costs like any update costing hundreds, or being tied into a contract you can't get out of. That doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune, but you do need to understand what you’re paying for.

Think of it like this: You’re not just paying for a few web pages. You’re paying for a designer’s experience, process, strategy, and support. That stuff saves you money (and migraines) in the long run.

And remember:

Step 5. Ask about their process

A good designer has a clear process. They won’t just start designing on day one. They'll want to understand your business, your goals, your audience, and how your site fits into the bigger picture.

Ask questions like:

• What’s your process from start to finish?

• Will I get help with copy, images, or branding?

• How do you handle revisions and feedback?

If they can’t explain their process, or just throw around technobabble, that’s a huge red flag.

Step 6. Trust your gut

This one sounds woo-woo, but it matters almost more than anything else.

You’ll be working closely with your designer - possibly for months. You need someone who communicates well, listens to your ideas, and makes you feel confident (not clueless).

Red flags to watch for here include:

• Slow replies or confusing emails

• Tech-splaining or patronising behaviour

• Overpromising with no clear plan

• Ignoring your questions

Trust your gut. If you feel brushed off or bulldozed early on, it won’t magically get better once the invoice is paid. It's important that you get on with your designer and not everyone is going to float your boat - and that's OK too.

Step 7. Read the fine print

Yes, it’s boring. But before you sign anything, read the proposal or contract properly.

Make sure you understand:

• What's included (and what’s not)

• Payment terms and timelines

• Who owns the site and content

• If access to the site is included so you can make changes yourself

• What happens after launch (support, maintenance, training, etc.)

AND if you don’t understand something, JUST ASK. A good designer will explain it without being a condescending wanker. At the end of the day, your website is a huge investment and you have every right to interrogate web designers like you would a new love interest.

If they're not happy to answer then that's your final red flag and it's time to walk away and find someone who is.

A shiny new website should make you feel proud, excited, and in control of your business’s online presence. But getting there means finding the right designer - not just the cheapest, fastest, or flashiest one.

Trust your gut. Ask questions. And remember: good design is about results, not just looks.

If you're on the hunt for a designer who gets small businesses, speaks your language, and builds websites that actually work, give us a shout. If we're not the right fit for you we will let you know and also have a great network of amazing designers who may be perfect!