So you're in the market for a web designer to build your website — or redesign the one you already have. You won't be short of options, and that's exactly why it pays to know a few things before you sign anything, so you end up in control of your own site.
Key takeaways
- Hosting is not free — it's the space your website lives on, and it's an ongoing cost you should understand up front.
- Your domain name should always be registered in your name and under your business ABN, never your designer's.
- Keep a copy of your admin login details, even on a managed plan, and make sure your site is backed up regularly.
- Be specific about what you want the site to do — the features you need drive the cost.
- A great-looking site still needs an SEO strategy behind it, or the traffic won't come.
Your website is going to be one of the most important tools you have for promoting your business and bringing in sales, so it's worth treating it as the business asset it is. That means understanding the process, and asking your designer plenty of questions — about mobile responsiveness, their previous work, the full cost including revisions, and the scope of the project. It also means asking about the less glamorous stuff: hosting, admin access and control of your website, especially if you're going onto a plan.
Over the years we've lost count of how many new clients have come to us after a rough experience with a previous designer — usually because nobody explained the following things to them. So let's fix that.
Hosting is not free
Here's the one that catches people out most often: you can have a beautiful website built, but it has to sit somewhere for people to find it on the internet. That "somewhere" is hosting, and it's an ongoing cost, not a one-off.
If you're not sure what the best hosting option is, ask your developer — most modern websites sit on a cPanel-style host or in the cloud. Personally I lean towards cPanel because it gives you complete control. If your designer sets the hosting up for you, make sure you have all the login details.
And if you're on a plan where hosting is bundled in, think ahead. When the plan comes to an end and you want to take the site over yourself, ask early: how does the website get moved to a new hosting account, and what options do you have? It's far better to know this before you make a decision than to discover a wall after the fact.
Your domain name matters — own it
Your website connects to your domain name — the two go together, and you can't be online without both. Make sure you have all the login details and certificates for your domain. Registering one yourself is actually pretty straightforward to do online.
Don't skip this: if a company is setting up the domain for you, make sure it's registered in your name and under your business ABN — not theirs. Otherwise they own the domain, and your entire online presence points to an address you don't control. That's the last thing you want.
Keep your admin access and backups
Every website has an administrator area where changes get made. Know your login details and keep a copy of them somewhere safe — even if you're sitting on a fully managed plan and your designer handles the updates. It simply means you're never locked out of your own website.
While you're at it, make sure the site is backed up regularly. If it's ever hacked or something goes wrong, a recent backup is the difference between a quick restore and a genuine headache.
Be clear about what you need
You also need to know exactly what you want your website to do, because that's what drives the cost. A site that sells services through a few simple pages will usually cost less than one selling products, which needs a shopping cart and payment handling.
So don't be shy — be specific and voice everything you need. The more openly you talk it through with your developer, the clearer you'll both be on what the website should do and what it'll cost to build. A good working relationship is built on that kind of honesty from day one.
A website is only the beginning
Finally, keep in mind that building the website is just the start. Without a proper search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy behind it, even the best-looking site can sit quietly on page three of Google where nobody sees it.
SEO is what earns your site good rankings and brings in natural traffic — which is exactly what you're after. So when you're planning your build, ask how it'll be set up to be found, not just how it'll look. The two go hand in hand.
Getting all of this straight before you commit doesn't just protect you — it makes for a much smoother project and a website that genuinely works for your business.
Getting your website developed FAQs
The questions worth asking before you hand your website project to anyone.
Yes. Hosting is the space your website lives on so people can find it online, and it's an ongoing cost — it isn't free. Some designers set it up for you and some bundle it into a monthly plan. Either way, make sure you know where your site is hosted and that you can get the login details if you ever need them.
Absolutely. If your designer registers the domain, make sure it's in your name and under your business ABN, not theirs. Your domain is the address all your marketing points to, and if someone else owns it, they control it. Keep your login details and any certificates in a safe place.
Admin access is how changes get made to your site. Even if you're on a plan and your designer handles updates, you should keep a copy of the login details and know how the site is backed up. It means you're never locked out of your own website, and you're covered if it's ever hacked.
Ask about responsiveness on mobile, their previous work, total cost including revisions, and the scope of the project. Just as importantly, ask who owns the hosting, the domain and the admin access, and how the site can be moved if you leave a plan later on.
