Choosing a web designer is one of the more significant business decisions a small business owner makes. Get it right and you have a website that generates enquiries for years. Get it wrong and you're rebuilding twelve months later.
Here's what to look for — and what to avoid.
What a Web Designer Actually Does
A web designer doesn't just make things look nice. A good designer combines visual design, user experience, copywriting guidance, and SEO into a site that is built to perform — not just to impress in a portfolio screenshot.
When evaluating designers, look for evidence of all of these, not just the visual design.
1. Look at Results, Not Just Design
Portfolio screenshots tell you whether someone can design something that looks good. They don't tell you whether that site ranks on Google, loads quickly, or converts visitors into enquiries.
When reviewing a portfolio, ask:
- Can I visit these websites right now? (If they're not live or links are broken, be cautious)
- Do they load quickly on mobile?
- Do they appear on Google for their target searches?
- Do they have clear calls to action and conversion paths?
A designer confident in their results will talk about performance, not just aesthetics.
2. Check Whether They Include SEO
Many designers build websites with no SEO at all — they design and code, hand the site over, and leave you to figure out Google rankings. This is one of the most common and expensive mistakes small businesses make.
At minimum, a good designer should:
- Carry out basic keyword research and optimise each page for target search terms
- Build technically clean pages that load quickly and are easily crawlable
- Set up Google Search Console and Google Analytics
- Implement proper meta titles, descriptions, and structured headings
If a designer doesn't mention SEO in their service description or proposal, ask explicitly what they include. If the answer is vague or minimal, factor in the cost of separate SEO work.
For more on this, see our comparison of local web designer vs Fiverr and why cheap builds often cost more in the long run.
3. Ask About Ongoing Support
Your website will need updates, content changes, and occasional technical fixes. It's also going to need ongoing SEO work if you want to maintain or improve rankings.
Ask any designer:
- What happens after the site launches?
- How do I get changes made?
- Do you offer a maintenance or support plan?
- Who owns the website and hosting?
A designer who offers ongoing support — rather than just delivering a finished product and moving on — is invested in your results, not just the delivery.
4. Check Local Knowledge (For Local Businesses)
If your business serves a local area, a designer who understands your market is significantly more valuable than a remote designer with no local context.
A designer based in or specialising in South Wales, for example, will understand:
- Which search terms local customers actually use
- The competitive landscape in your area
- How to position your business against local competitors in Google results
This knowledge can't be replaced by technical skill alone.
5. Be Wary of These Red Flags
Guaranteed number one on Google — No one can guarantee Google rankings. Any designer who promises specific rankings is either misleading you or selling low-quality tactics that can get your site penalised.
Very low upfront prices — A £300 website from an unknown source is almost always a template with no SEO and no real expertise behind it. See our post on is a cheap website worth it for the full picture.
No discovery process — A good designer wants to understand your business, your customers, and your goals before writing a single line of code. If someone quotes you within five minutes of first contact with no questions asked, they're building a generic template, not a tailored site.
Unclear contracts — Make sure you know who owns the domain, who owns the website files, and what happens if you want to move to a different designer in the future.
Only showing design, no performance data — Beautiful websites that don't rank and don't convert are expensive decorations. Ask for real-world results.
6. Questions to Ask Before You Commit
- Can I see three or four examples of websites you've built in the last twelve months that are live and ranking?
- What does your SEO process look like?
- What happens if I'm not happy with the design direction?
- How many revisions are included?
- What's your turnaround time?
- Who do I contact if something breaks after launch?
- Do you offer ongoing support, and what does that cost?
Choosing Well Is Worth It
A good web designer is an investment that pays for itself in the enquiries your website generates. A poor one is an expensive lesson.
If you're based in South Wales and want a straightforward conversation about what you need from a website and whether NC Digital is the right fit, get in touch. We build websites for local businesses that are built to rank and convert — not just to look good in a portfolio.