You've decided it's time for a new website. Good. Now you need to find someone to build it.
Here's the problem: every web design agency looks the same from the outside. Nice portfolio. Glowing testimonials. A homepage full of words like "results-driven" and "tailored solutions." Choosing between them without asking the right questions is how small business owners end up locked into bad contracts, or stuck with a site that looks great but doesn't bring in a single enquiry.
These 12 questions cut through the noise. Ask them before you sign anything.
The 12 Questions to Ask Custom Website Design Agencies
1. Can I see recent work for businesses like mine?
Don't just look at their portfolio page. Ask for recent examples, ideally from the past 12 months, from businesses that are similar to yours in size, industry, or audience. A portfolio full of enterprise brands doesn't tell you much about how they handle a trades business or a health practice with a $5,000 budget.
What you're listening for: specific examples they can talk about, not just screenshots they can point at.
2. What's included in your price, and what isn't?
Web design pricing in Australia varies enormously. A quote of $3,000 might mean a fully built, SEO-ready site. Or it might mean a template with stock photos, no copywriting, and a hosting fee that kicks in after 30 days.
Ask for a line-by-line breakdown. Confirm whether copywriting, photography, SEO setup, domain, hosting, and the first round of edits are included. Get it in writing before you agree to anything.
3. Who actually does the work?
Some agencies sell the work and outsource the build. That's not automatically a problem, but you deserve to know. If your project is being handed to a freelancer overseas, ask who manages that relationship and what quality control looks like.
You want to know: who is building your site, who do you call when something's wrong, and are they the same person?
4. What's your process from start to launch?
A good agency can walk you through each phase without hesitation: discovery, sitemap, design, content, build, review, launch. If the answer is vague or sounds like it changes with every project, that's a flag.
Ask specifically: how many rounds of revisions are included, and what happens if you need changes after launch?
5. How long will it take?
Get a realistic timeline in writing. Timelines vary depending on scope, but a standard small business website should take six to ten weeks from briefing to launch. If they're promising two weeks for a full custom build, or they can't give you a timeline at all, keep looking.
Ask what could delay the project, and what your obligations are for keeping it on track.
6. Do you handle SEO, or is that separate?
A beautiful website that nobody finds is just an expensive brochure. Ask whether basic SEO is built into the project: page titles, meta descriptions, heading structure, site speed, mobile optimisation. These aren't extras. They should be standard.
If they offer SEO as an add-on package, ask what's actually included in the base build. You might be paying for a site that starts invisible.
7. Will I be able to edit the site myself?
You should own your website and be able to update it. Ask what platform they build on, whether you'll have admin access, and how steep the learning curve is. WordPress, for example, gives you full control. Some agency-owned platforms lock you in by design.
Ask: "If I decided to move to a different agency in two years, could I take my site with me?"
8. What does ongoing support look like?
The launch isn't the end of the relationship. Plugins need updating. Content needs changing. Things break. Ask whether they offer a support or maintenance plan, what it covers, and what happens if something goes wrong outside business hours.
No support plan at all is a red flag. A support plan that locks you into a contract for "full management" of a site you never see again is also a red flag.
9. Can I speak to a past client?
Testimonials on a website are curated. A direct conversation with a past client isn't. Ask for one or two references you can contact. Any agency confident in their work will say yes without hesitation.
If they can't provide references, ask why.
10. How do you approach mobile design?
More than half of all web traffic in Australia comes from mobile devices. Ask how they handle mobile design. Are they building mobile-first, or desktop-first and hoping it scales down? Ask to see examples of their sites on a phone, not just a monitor.
This matters more than any visual design choice.
11. How will I know if the website is working?
A new website should do something. More enquiries, more bookings, more calls. Ask how they measure success and whether they set up Google Analytics or Search Console as part of the project. If they don't track performance, you have no way of knowing whether the investment paid off.
Ask: "What does a successful website look like for a business like mine, and how will we measure it?"
12. What happens if I'm not happy with the result?
Every agency says you'll love the outcome. Ask what the process is if you don't. How many design concepts will you see before the build starts? What's the revision policy? Is there a dispute process?
You're not being difficult by asking this. You're being a good client. Any agency that bristles at the question is telling you something.
The Thing Most People Skip
Most small business owners pick a web design agency the same way they pick a tradie: they go with the first one who seems competent and doesn't charge too much.
That works sometimes. But a website is not a fence repair. It's the first thing a potential customer sees. It either earns its keep or it doesn't. The questions above tell you whether the agency is building something that works, or just building something that looks the part.
Ask them before you sign. Not after.
HeyPressGo builds websites for Australian small businesses that are designed to bring in enquiries, not just look good. If you want a straight conversation about what your business needs, get in touch.
