Discover why asking key questions helps small business owners ensure their website is secure, SEO-friendly, and tailored for growth and user engagement.

10 Questions Every Small Business Owner Should Ask Their Web Designer

*and WHY

In 2024, a website can do far more than act as an online business card. This "10 Essential Questions to Ask Your Web Designer for Small Business Success" guide explores essential questions to ask a web designer, ensuring your website serves as a powerful tool for growth.

1. What Goals Will My Website Help Achieve?

Your website should be designed with clear objectives in mind. Whether you’re focused on lead generation, client engagement, or establishing authority, a website aligned with your business goals will be more effective than a simple online presence.

Pro Tip: Define three key goals before meeting with a designer. Ask yourself if you want to acquire clients, boost brand authority, or facilitate client communication.

Photo by Isaac Smith
Photo by Daniel Brady

2. How Will You Structure the Website to Support My Services?

A well-structured website improves SEO and user experience. Discussing site structure ensures clients can easily find the information they need.

Quick Tip: Structure your site to keep important information accessible, ensuring users can reach any major section within a few clicks.

3. How Will My Website Engage Clients on Mobile?

With more than half of web traffic coming from mobile devices, a mobile-friendly website is non-negotiable. Ensuring seamless accessibility across devices improves both user experience and search engine ranking.

Pro Tip: Ask your designer about optimizing for mobile to ensure your website is accessible and intuitive on any device.

Photo by Daniel Romero

4. How Will You Measure the Success of My Website?

Measuring a website’s success is essential to ensure it’s meeting your business goals. Your web designer should establish key performance indicators (KPIs) like traffic growth, conversion rates, and user engagement metrics.

Pro Tip: Discuss setting up analytics and reporting tools with your designer. Regularly reviewing these metrics will help you refine your strategy.

Photo by Imagine Buddy

5. What Security Measures Will Be in Place to Protect My Website?

In today’s digital environment, security is paramount. Your web designer should outline a robust plan to protect your site, including SSL certificates, secure hosting, regular updates, and protection against threats like malware and DDoS attacks.

Pro Tip: Ask about automatic backups and two-factor authentication (2FA) to enhance site security, preventing unauthorized access and data loss.

Photo by Markus Spiske

6. How Will My Website Be Optimized for Search Engines (SEO)?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for visibility. Discuss strategies like keyword research, on-page SEO elements (meta tags, headings), and a well-structured site. A well-optimized website can significantly improve traffic and attract the right audience.

Pro Tip: Ask about tools to monitor and improve SEO over time, such as Google Search Console or regular SEO audits, to stay competitive.

Photo by Erik Mclean

7. Will My Website Be Accessible and ADA Compliant?

Ensuring your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, is essential. ADA compliance includes alt text for images, keyboard navigation, and color contrast considerations, serving a broader audience and avoiding legal issues.

Pro Tip: Ask about regular accessibility audits to ensure ongoing compliance and a positive experience for all users, regardless of ability.

Ask us about our ADA-Compliant Web Design

8. How Will My Website Be Scalable as My Business Grows?

Your website should be designed to grow with your business. Scalability features allow you to add new pages, products, or functionalities as needed, ensuring your site evolves alongside your business.

Pro Tip: Discuss content management systems (CMS) with your designer. CMS platforms like WordPress offer modular functionality, making it easy to scale without overhauls.

website scalability to keep up with demand and changes

9. What Kind of Support and Maintenance Will Be Provided?

After your website launches, ongoing support and maintenance are essential to keep it secure, up-to-date, and running smoothly. Regular maintenance includes updates to software, plugins, security patches, and troubleshooting support.

Pro Tip: Confirm whether your designer offers ongoing maintenance packages or on-call support options to address issues as they arise.

wordpress maintenance and management services

10. What Features Will Enhance Client Engagement on My Website?

Engagement features like live chat, appointment booking, and interactive forms can make your website more valuable to clients. These tools encourage interaction and make it easier for potential clients to reach out, schedule services, or access resources directly from your site.

Pro Tip: Discuss engagement tools with your designer. Integrating tools like chatbots or booking software can improve user experience and boost conversions.

generate higher retention by employing video on your website

Ready to Elevate Your Online Presence?

Discover how a strategic, goal-driven website can transform your business. Contact us today for a free consultation!

Frequently Asked Questions

A scalable website design is one that can handle increased traffic and functionality as your business grows, without sacrificing performance or user experience.

Video captures attention more effectively than text or images, boosting engagement and conversion rates by delivering content in an interactive format.

To optimize for Black Friday, improve loading speed, highlight sale items, create urgency-driven CTAs, and ensure scalability to handle high traffic.

SEO schema markup is structured data that helps search engines understand your content better, boosting visibility in search results with enhanced snippets.

Responsive design adjusts for screen sizes, while scalable design grows to support increasing traffic and content as a business expands.

To improve scalability, optimize code, use caching, implement CDNs, and select cloud hosting solutions to handle demand efficiently.

A CTA banner encourages users to take action, like making a purchase, increasing engagement, and boosting conversion rates.
×