10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Grand Rapids Web Designer

Grand Rapids has no shortage of web designers: big agencies downtown, freelancers, national companies with a Grand Rapids page, and everyone's nephew who "does websites". They all promise a great-looking site. The difference shows up later, in whether the site brings in customers, whether anyone can find it, and what happens when you need a change.

I've built more than 200 websites since 2016, and a lot of my clients came to me after a bad experience somewhere else. These are the questions I'd ask before hiring anyone, including me.

1. Who will actually build my website?

At many agencies, the person who sells you the project isn't the person who builds it. Your project gets passed to a project manager, then a designer, then maybe a developer overseas. Details get lost at every handoff. Ask who will design it, who will build it, and who you'll talk to when something needs to change.

2. Can I see sites you've built for businesses like mine?

A portfolio of pretty restaurant sites doesn't tell you much if you're a contractor or a medical practice. Ask for examples in your industry or close to it, and then visit them on your phone. How fast do they load? Is it obvious what the business does and how to contact them?

3. Will my website be built to show up on Google?

A beautiful website on page four of Google gets the same number of customers as no website. Ask whether every page gets a real title and description, whether the site is fast on phones, whether it uses structured data, and how they handle the cities you serve. If the answer is "we can add SEO later for an extra fee", that's a red flag. The foundation should be built in.

4. Who owns the website and the domain?

Your domain name should be registered in your name, and you should own your content and design. Some companies keep the domain in their account or build on a system only they can use, which makes leaving expensive. Ask plainly: if we stop working together, what do I keep?

5. What happens after launch?

Your hours change, you add a service, you hire someone. Who makes those updates, and how fast? Some designers disappear after launch. Others charge for every small change and take weeks. Make sure the answer fits how often your business actually changes.

6. How long will it take, and what do you need from me?

Most small business websites take between three weeks and three months. The biggest cause of delay is almost always waiting on content: text, photos, and decisions. A good designer will tell you exactly what they need from you and when, and will offer to help write or gather what you don't have.

7. Will I see the design before I commit?

It's hard to judge a website from a proposal. Ask whether you'll see a design of your homepage before you sign on for the whole project. I offer a free mockup for exactly this reason: you should see where your site is headed before you pay anything.

8. Is it a template or a custom design?

Templates aren't automatically bad, but your website should be built around how your customers decide: what they need to see first, what makes them trust you, and where the contact button belongs. Ask how the design will be shaped around your business, not just your logo and colors.

9. If I already have a website, how will you protect my rankings?

A redesign done carelessly can wipe out years of Google rankings overnight. Ask how they'll handle your existing pages. The right answer includes keeping or redirecting every URL, carrying over the content that ranks, and checking Search Console after launch. See how I handle redesigns.

10. Is the quote fixed, and what's included?

Hourly billing on an open-ended project is how a "small website" turns into a surprise invoice. Ask for a fixed quote that spells out what's included: number of pages, features, SEO setup, revisions, and what happens after launch.

The short version

You want one clear person responsible for your site, real examples of their work, a site built to be found on Google, full ownership, help after launch, and a fixed price you understand before work starts.

If you'd like to see how I'd answer all ten, take a look at Grand Rapids web design, browse my work, or request a free mockup of your new homepage.