How do I choose a web design company?
Pick a company that shows recent work for businesses like yours, explains things in plain words, registers your domain and accounts in your name, and is clear about who looks after the site after launch. Walk away from guaranteed rankings, vague ownership and contracts that make it hard to leave with your site.
Download the hiring checklist (PDF)6 pages, 437 KB, free to print. What's inside
The short version
- Judge recent, live work for businesses like yours, on your phone.
- Make sure the domain, hosting and accounts will be in your name.
- Ask who looks after the site after launch, and how fast they reply.
- Get a written scope that says what’s included.
- Avoid guaranteed rankings, pressure to sign today, and sites you can’t take with you.
How do I compare companies?
- Look at their real work. Open three of their recent sites on your phone. Are they quick, easy to use and up to date? A portfolio of screenshots tells you less than live sites.
- Talk to a current client if you can. Ask how changes and problems get handled, not just how the launch went.
- Ask about ownership. The domain, hosting account, Google Business Profile and analytics should all belong to you. See who should own your domain and which logins you should have.
- Ask what’s included: writing, photos, search basics, redirects from the old site, accessibility, training.
- Ask about after launch. Who does updates, backups and security? How do you request a change, and how do you approve it? Read what website maintenance includes.
- Ask how you leave. Can you take your site, files and accounts if you part ways?
For a longer list with what good answers sound like, read our article on questions to ask a web company.
Why does the choice matter so much?
A website isn’t finished at launch. It needs updates, fixes and changes for years. Picking well means fewer surprises, and if things go wrong, you still control your domain, email and site.
What are the red flags?
- Guaranteed rankings or “page one on Google.” Google’s own guide to hiring an SEO says no one can guarantee a top ranking.
- The company registers your domain in its own name.
- Long contracts with big exit fees, or a site built on a tool only they can use.
- No clear answer about updates, backups and security.
- A quote that’s vague about what’s included, so the price grows once work starts.
- Pressure to decide today.
What are the good signs?
- Plain explanations and a written scope.
- They ask about your customers and goals before colors and fonts.
- They test on phones and talk about speed and accessibility unprompted.
- They show you changes before they go live.
What if you already picked badly?
Get your logins first: registrar, hosting, website admin and Google accounts. Once you hold those, moving to someone else is a project, not a crisis. Our answer on moving a website to a new host explains what’s involved.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
Prices vary widely with the size and scope of the site. Our answer on what a small business website costs explains what drives the range. Allow time to meet two or three companies and compare written quotes side by side.
How does E-3 handle this?
Larry Davis has built sites for small businesses since 1999. At E-3, people make the changes, and updates and bigger changes are tested on a staging copy first. AI-assisted edits that a person checks and you approve are on the way, but not live yet. Your domain and accounts stay in your name. Read how we work or call 814-399-4655 to talk it through.
Related questions
Common questions
- Should I choose the cheapest quote?
- Compare what's included, not only the total: content, photos, redirects from the old site, accessibility, training and support after launch. A low quote that leaves these out can cost more later.
- Freelancer or agency?
- Either can work. What matters is skill, clear communication and what happens when your main contact is away. Ask who covers support then.
- Is it a red flag if they use AI?
- Not by itself. Ask what the AI does, who checks its work, and whether you approve changes before they go live.
Rather talk it through?
Call our team, or send a note and we’ll reply within one business day. No pressure and no jargon.