How to Choose a Web Designer: 5 Mistakes to Avoid
(and how to get it right)
Hiring a web designer is one of the most important investments you'll make in your business. Get it right and you walk away with a website you're genuinely proud of — one that looks beautiful, works strategically, and brings in the kind of clients you actually want to work with.
Get it wrong and you're three months down the line, significantly out of pocket, and staring at a half-finished homepage wondering where it all went sideways.
The good news is that most of the things that go wrong when hiring a web designer are entirely avoidable. They come down to a handful of very common mistakes — and once you know what to look for, you can sidestep all of them.
Here's what to watch out for, and what to do instead.
Mistake 1: Choosing based on design alone
This is the most common one, and it's completely understandable. You land on a designer's website, fall a little bit in love with how everything looks, and think — yes, this is the one.
Visual appeal matters. Of course it does. But a portfolio that looks stunning is only part of the picture. The more important question is whether those beautiful websites actually performed for the businesses behind them. Did they convert visitors into enquiries? Were they built with a clear user journey in mind? Did they reflect not just the designer's aesthetic, but the client's actual goals?
Professional web design is not just an art form — it's a strategic discipline. The best designers think about your ideal client, your business objectives, and the journey a visitor needs to take from landing on your site to reaching out to you. That thinking is what separates a website that looks good from one that works.
When you're evaluating a designer, ask them about their process. How do they approach strategy? How do they think about user experience and conversion? How do they make sure the finished site actually supports your business goals? The answers will tell you a great deal about whether you're looking at someone who can deliver real results — or just a pretty portfolio.
Mistake 2: Skipping the research phase
Jumping into a project without properly investigating a designer's work and reputation is a risk that's very easy to avoid — and surprisingly often taken anyway.
Reading through a portfolio is essential, but it's only the start. Look at the actual websites they've built, not just screenshots. Click through them. How do they feel to navigate? Do they load quickly? Do they work on mobile? Is there a clear journey through the site, or does it feel a bit aimless?
Beyond the portfolio, look for testimonials and reviews — and pay attention to what people say about the experience, not just the end result. Did the process feel collaborative and well-managed? Did the designer communicate clearly and deliver on time? Was the handover smooth? These things matter just as much as the finished product.
If a designer has nothing to show you, no reviews to share, and no clear evidence of happy clients — that's worth taking seriously before you commit.
Mistake 3: Not being clear on what you actually need
Walking into a web design project without a clear sense of what you want is a recipe for a difficult process and a result that misses the mark. You don't need to have every answer — that's partly what the discovery process is for — but you do need to have thought through the basics.
Who is your website for? What do you want it to do? What pages does your business actually need? What's the one action you most want a visitor to take?
Clarity on these things makes everything easier — for you and for your designer. It means the project starts from a place of shared understanding rather than guesswork, and it significantly reduces the chances of ending up with something that looks nice but doesn't quite fit.
If you're not sure where to start, think about your ideal client and work backwards. What does she need to see, read, and feel in order to trust you enough to reach out? That's your website brief.
Mistake 4: Making price the deciding factor
Budget matters. Nobody is suggesting you ignore it. But choosing a web designer based primarily on who charges the least is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make — because cheap web design very rarely stays cheap.
The risks of going with the lowest price include projects that drag on without clear communication, deliverables that don't match what was discussed, websites that look dated or are technically unsound, and — worst case — having to start from scratch with someone else after the first attempt falls apart.
When you're thinking about the cost of a small business website, the more useful question is not "what's the cheapest option?" but "what's the value of getting this right?" A professionally designed, strategically built website that brings in consistent enquiries over the next three to five years pays for itself many times over. A cheap one that doesn't convert costs you far more than the money you saved.
Look for a designer whose pricing reflects a proper, considered process — one that includes strategy, design, revisions, technical setup, SEO foundations, and a thorough handover. That's what a professional web design investment looks like, and it's worth paying for.
Mistake 5: Ignoring how they communicate
This one is easy to overlook when you're dazzled by a beautiful portfolio — but it might be the most important factor of all.
Your web design project is a collaboration. It requires you to share information, give feedback, make decisions, and trust that someone else is handling the technical and creative heavy lifting on your behalf. All of that depends on communication being clear, consistent, and comfortable.
Pay attention to how a designer communicates from the very first interaction. Do they respond promptly and professionally? Do they ask good questions and actually listen to the answers? Do they explain things in plain English, or do they make you feel vaguely confused and a bit embarrassed for not knowing more? Do they give you a clear sense of how the project will be managed, or does it all feel a bit vague?
Red flags to take seriously: slow or inconsistent responses before the project has even started, vague answers to direct questions about process or pricing, and any sense that your concerns or questions are being dismissed rather than addressed.
The right designer makes you feel informed, supported, and genuinely excited about the project — not anxious, chased, or in the dark.
What to look for instead
Now that the mistakes are out of the way, here's what a genuinely great web designer brings to the table.
A clear, well-defined process that you can understand before you commit. You should know exactly what happens, when it happens, and what's expected of you at each stage.
A portfolio that demonstrates both design quality and strategic thinking — sites that look beautiful and clearly work for the businesses they represent.
Evidence of happy clients. Not just polished testimonials on a website, but the kind of specific, detailed feedback that tells you what the experience was actually like.
Transparent pricing and deliverables. No vague packages, no surprise extras, no "it depends" without a proper explanation of what it depends on.
A communication style that feels collaborative, respectful, and clear. Someone who treats you as an intelligent adult making an important business decision — because that's exactly what you are.
And beyond all of that — someone whose values and approach feel aligned with yours. You're going to be spending several weeks in close collaboration with this person. It helps enormously if you actually enjoy working with them.
The bottom line on how to choose a web designer
Choosing the right web designer for your small business is not just about finding someone who can make things look good. It's about finding someone who understands your business, thinks strategically about your website, communicates well throughout the process, and delivers something that genuinely works.
Do your research. Ask the right questions. Trust your instincts when something feels off. And don't let price be the thing that makes the decision for you.
The right investment in the right designer can genuinely transform what your website does for your business. It's worth taking the time to get it right.
If you're currently in the process of figuring out who that designer might be — I'd love to have a conversation. At MSE Digital Designs, I build strategic Squarespace websites for service-based women in business, and I'm very happy to answer every single one of the questions on this list.
Book your free discovery call and let's talk about whether we're a good fit.
