Your website is the digital heartbeat of your business. Whether you’re a real estate agent, small business owner, or startup founder, choosing the right web designer isn’t just a creative decision—it’s a business-critical one.

The wrong hire can leave you over budget, off-brand, or worse… in the dark without access or control of your own website.

Here’s why it’s so important to choose your web designer wisely—and 5 things to check before signing any contract.

💡 Your Business Is in Their Hands

A good web designer isn’t just building a website—they’re building your credibility, your visibility, and your future customer experience.

When you choose the wrong designer:

• You risk outdated design that makes you look unprofessional

• Your site may not show up in search engines

• You might get locked out of your own content or lose key assets

• You could spend thousands fixing poor work

🛠️ 5 Things to Check Before Hiring a Web Designer

1. Look at Their Own Website

If their site looks like it hasn’t been updated since 2010, run. Their own site is their calling card.

✅ Is it modern and mobile-friendly?
✅ Do images load fast?
✅ Is the layout clean and easy to navigate?

If they can’t do it for themselves, they won’t do it for you.

2. Check for Updated Copyright Info

A professional web designer keeps their site maintained—and that includes the little details like a current copyright year in the footer.

📅 Still says 2020? That may mean they’re inactive, careless, or have left clients hanging.

3. Review Their Portfolio

Ask for recent examples of their work. Look for:

• A range of industries and styles

• Functionality (forms, buttons, CTAs that actually work)

• User-friendly navigation

• Clean code and responsive design

If all they show are screenshots or demo templates, they may not have real-world client work under their belt.

4. Ask Who Owns the Site & Hosting

Make sure you retain full access and ownership of your domain, hosting, and website.

❌ Too many small business owners are left in the dark when a designer disappears or controls their site login.

Get it in writing: You should own the site and be able to access it anytime—no middleman required.

5. Ask About SEO and Mobile Optimization

Great design is meaningless if no one finds your site—or if it looks broken on a phone.

📱 Ask:

• “Do you design mobile-first?”

• “Do you include basic SEO setup like meta tags, alt text, and sitemaps?”

• “Do you optimize images and speed?”

If they say SEO is “extra,” they may not understand what today’s websites need to perform.

🧭 Final Thoughts

Hiring a web designer isn’t just about looks—it’s about trust, communication, and long-term strategy. You need someone who understands your goals, respects your budget, and builds a site that works just as hard as you do.

At TrailSites.com, we believe in transparency, performance, and giving our clients control of their digital future.