How to choose a web designer when you're a small business

You don't need a complicated checklist.

Just ask some straightforward questions.

This is worth asking. If you're dealing with a small web designer, you may be speaking directly to the person doing the work. With a larger agency, the person you first speak to might be a salesperson or account manager, while someone else builds the website.

Neither is automatically better. Just make sure you know who you're actually working with.

If someone starts talking about fonts, animations and technical features before they've asked what your business actually does, I'd be a little cautious. The website should fit your business, not the other way around.

You don't need everything. You just need to know what you're paying for.

There's nothing wrong with ongoing costs if they're providing something useful. Just make sure you understand them before you start.

And ask what happens if you decide to move to another web designer. You should be able to leave if you need to. Your website shouldn't become a hostage situation.

You shouldn't feel stupid because you don't know what DNS, SSL, hosting or a CMS means. Your web designer might need to understand those things, but you don't. A good designer should be able to explain what's important to you in normal English.

If you don't understand something, ask. If they can't explain it simply, that's their problem — not yours.

This is probably the biggest question. If you ask for a simple website and someone immediately recommends a huge, expensive system with lots of features you don't need, ask why. There might be a perfectly good reason, but they should be able to explain it.

Sometimes the right answer really is a more expensive solution. Sometimes it isn't. The right technology is the one that solves your problem without creating unnecessary ones.

A website isn't just decoration. It's there to help the business.

There's no right or wrong answer, but you need to know what you're getting (or what you're getting into).

This one is harder to measure, but it's important. You're trusting someone with a very visible part of your business, so you should feel comfortable saying: "I don't understand that", "I don't think I need that," or "can we do it more simply?"

And you should get a sensible answer. If you feel pressured into buying things you don't understand, walk away.

Let's be honest, price matters - especially when you're running a small business. But cheapest isn't always best. Neither is most expensive.

The right solution is the one that gives you what your business actually needs without paying for things you don't.

Before you say yes to a web designer, it's worth having a quick chat about what you're actually getting. Ask them what they think you need, what's included in the price and whether there are any ongoing costs once the website is live.

It's also worth finding out who owns the website and domain, whether you'll be able to make changes yourself, and what happens if you decide to move on later. And, perhaps most importantly, make sure you know who you'll be dealing with if something goes wrong.

A good web designer should be able to explain all of this in plain English. If you're getting vague answers or finding yourself more confused than when you started, don't be afraid to keep looking.

Every business is different, so I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to websites. Sometimes a Google Sites website is all you need. Sometimes WordPress is a better fit. For some businesses, a simple one-page website will do the job perfectly well. And sometimes there's a good reason to build something more involved.

I'll recommend what I genuinely think is right for your business — not the option with the biggest price tag.

And if I think there's a simpler or cheaper way to get the result you want, I'll tell you. Even if that means you don't need me.

No hard sell. No confusing sales pitch. Just straightforward advice.