Choosing the wrong web designer is a costly mistake — you can easily spend $2,000–$5,000 on a website that doesn't rank, doesn't convert visitors, and needs to be rebuilt within two years. Choosing well means getting a digital asset that generates business for years. Here's how to evaluate your options carefully.
Start With Their Portfolio — But Look Critically
Most web designers show you their best work. Before drawing conclusions from a portfolio, test the actual sites:
- Open a few portfolio sites on your phone and check the mobile experience
- Run them through Google PageSpeed Insights — do they score above 80 on mobile?
- Search for the sites' target keywords on Google — do they actually rank?
A portfolio full of good-looking screenshots that score 35 on mobile PageSpeed is a portfolio of websites that won't perform for their owners. A portfolio of sites that both look great and score well on performance metrics is what you want.
Ask About Their SEO Approach
Any web designer building a site for a local business should be able to explain how they approach SEO — not in vague terms, but specifically:
- "How do you handle URL structures?"
- "What do you do for on-page SEO during the build?"
- "What hosting do you recommend and why?"
- "How do you make sure the site loads fast on mobile?"
If the answers are vague ("I make sure the site is SEO-friendly"), that's a red flag. Professionals have specific, concrete answers.
Understand What Happens After Launch
Many web designers disappear after the site goes live. Find out:
- What does support look like after launch?
- Who handles hosting and maintenance?
- What's the process if something breaks?
- Do you own the domain and hosting account, or is it in their account?
You should own your domain, your hosting account, and your website files — always. A designer who controls these on your behalf creates dependency that becomes a problem if the relationship ends.
Beware of the Extremes
Too cheap ($500–$1,000): Either you're getting a template with minimal customization and no SEO strategy, or you're getting someone offshore who won't be available when issues arise. The economics of quality web work don't allow for these price points.
Too much promise: Any designer who guarantees first-page Google rankings, claims "secret techniques," or promises results in 30 days is either lying or about to use tactics that will hurt you long-term.
Work With a Web Designer Who Understands Local Business
Contact Linear Web Solutions — we're a Southern Oregon web design agency that builds sites that rank, load fast, and convert visitors into leads.
