A website or web app is often one of the biggest investments a small business makes in a year. Yet many companies choose a development partner based on a quote and a nice-looking homepage. These twelve questions help you compare agencies on what actually matters.
Portfolio and proof
1. Can you show me live projects similar to mine?
Live URLs and apps beat screenshots. Click around: are pages fast, does the site work on your phone, do forms work? A good partner will happily walk you through what they built and why.
2. What was your role on each project?
Some agencies list work they only partly touched. Ask whether they designed it, built it, or only maintained it.
3. Can I speak to a previous client?
Not every client can act as a reference, but a partner with long relationships should be able to put you in touch with at least one.
People and process
4. Who will work on my project day to day?
You want direct access to the people building your product. Each extra layer between you and the developers slows answers down.
5. What does your process look like from first call to launch?
Listen for discovery, written scope, design sign-off, development in short cycles and a staged launch. If the answer is "you tell us what you want and we build it", expect surprises.
6. How will I see progress?
The best answer is a staging link you can open at any time, plus regular demos. Waiting until the end to see your product is the most common cause of disappointment.
Code, ownership and quality
7. Who owns the code, domain and hosting?
You should own all three. Insist that repositories, domain registrations and cloud accounts are in your name, with the agency added as collaborators.
8. Which technologies will you use, and why?
A good partner explains choices in business terms: React or Next.js for fast interfaces and SEO, Node.js for real-time features, a managed database for reliability. Be wary of obscure or proprietary platforms that lock you in.
9. How do you test and document the work?
Ask about code reviews, testing before releases and the documentation you will receive. Someone else should be able to pick up the project later.
SEO, speed and launch
10. How do you handle SEO and performance?
Technical SEO is far cheaper to build in than to bolt on. Look for clean URLs, structured data, sitemaps, fast loading and correct handling of redirects when replacing an old site.
Support after launch
11. What happens if something breaks after launch?
Expect a defined bug-fix period, then an optional maintenance plan covering security updates, monitoring and small improvements.
12. How quickly do you respond?
Agree response times in writing. For most businesses, a reply within one working day and faster handling of anything that takes the site down is reasonable.
Red flags to watch for
- A quote produced without any questions about your business.
- No live examples, or reluctance to let you speak to the developers.
- Code, hosting or domain kept in the agency's name.
- "Guaranteed number one on Google" promises.
- No written scope, or a scope that only lists page names.
Want to put these questions to us? Browse our live projects or book a free consultation.