How to choose a web agency: 12 questions to ask before you sign

Choosing the right web agency matters more than it seems at first. A site will work for you, or against you, for years. A badly built project often costs twice: first to build it, then to rebuild it.

Below are 12 questions to ask any web agency, web development company or freelancer before you sign a contract. Their answers will tell you much more than a nice presentation.

Portfolio and experience

1. Can you show me real, live websites?

Screenshots and mockups aren't enough. Ask for links to live sites and open them on your phone yourself: how fast they load, how easy they are to use, whether the forms work. You can see our projects on the work page.

2. Have you done a project like ours?

An online store, a corporate site and a booking system each require different experience. A similar project doesn't mean the agency has to come from your industry, but it should know the type of task.

3. Can I contact one of your former clients?

A reliable agency isn't afraid of this question. One short call with a client will tell you whether they kept to deadlines and how they behaved when problems came up.

Process and team

4. Who will work on my project?

Find out who your contact person will be, who designs and who writes the code. In some cases one team talks to you during the sale, and completely different people do the work.

5. What is the work process?

A good agency has clear stages: research and structure, design, development, testing, launch. Ask them to explain what you approve at each stage and how many revisions you're entitled to.

6. How will I know where the project is?

A weekly status update, a shared workspace, a demo version: whatever the form, you should know what's happening and not have to wait months for an answer.

The technical side

7. Which platform will you build the site on, and why?

The answer should follow from your task, not from the agency's habit. If they offer every client the same platform, that's a warning sign. More on the choice in the article WordPress or custom code.

8. Are SEO and speed taken into account?

Technical SEO (correct titles, descriptions, structure, sitemap, speed) should be part of the work from the start. If an agency offers SEO as an “extra service after launch”, ask what exactly they mean.

9. Will I be able to change texts and photos myself?

Calling a developer for every small change costs both time and money. Ask to see the admin panel and for a guide to using it.

Contract, price and ownership

10. What does the price include, and what is extra?

Design, development, texts, photos, translation, hosting, domain, licences, technical support: find out which are included in the price. We write about what goes into the cost of a website in the article how much does a website cost.

11. Who owns the site, the code and the access details?

The domain and hosting should be registered in your name, and the admin access and code should be in your hands. This should be written directly into the contract, so you can move to another team if needed.

12. What happens after launch?

A site needs updates, backups and protection. Ask how long they fix bugs for free and how much monthly technical support costs.

Warning signs

• they name a price without asking a single question about your task;
• they promise “first place on Google” within a set time; nobody can honestly promise that;
• they don't show you live sites;
• they register the domain and hosting in their own name;
• they don't sign a contract, or the scope in it is vague.

At the first meeting a good web agency asks you more than it tells you, because it wants to understand your business first.

A web agency in Tbilisi: why a local team is worth it

A local agency understands the specifics of the Georgian market: how Georgians search on Google, which payment systems they trust, how important Messenger and WhatsApp are. Meeting in person also makes many things easier. That said, working remotely is completely normal too; what matters is a transparent process.

Want to ask us these 12 questions too? Book a free consultation or have a look at our services.