How to Choose a Web Designer in Edinburgh: 7 Questions to Ask

Edinburgh has no shortage of people offering to build you a website. Prices range enormously, portfolios can be misleading, and it is hard to know what questions to ask when you are not a technical person. This guide gives you the seven questions that will quickly tell you whether a web designer is worth working with.

1. Can You Show Me Websites You Have Built for Similar Businesses?

A good designer will have a portfolio and will be happy to show you real examples. Look for websites built for businesses similar to yours — same size, same industry, same type of customers. If they show you a portfolio of e-commerce fashion brands and you run a plumbing company, that might not be the right fit.

Also check that the websites actually work. Load them on your phone, check how fast they are, and see if they look professional in real life rather than just in screenshots.

2. Is the Price Fixed, or Can It Change?

One of the most common complaints we hear from businesses who have been burned before is unexpected costs. A designer quotes one price and then adds charges for revisions, for adding pages, for setting up hosting, or for small changes that should have been included.

Ask for a fixed price in writing before any work begins, with a clear scope of what is included. A good agency or designer will be able to give you this. Anyone who is vague about pricing at the quote stage is likely to be vague about it throughout the project.

3. Who Owns the Website When It Is Finished?

This matters more than most people realise. Some designers build your site on a platform where they retain ownership, meaning if you leave them, you lose the site. Some hosting arrangements tie you to a particular provider with fees that increase over time.

Always ask: when the project is complete, will I own the domain, the hosting account and the website itself? You should get a clear yes to all three.

4. Will I Be Able to Make Changes Myself?

After your site launches, you will want to update your opening hours, add photos, change a price or post news. A good website should be built on a platform that lets you do this yourself without needing to pay a designer every time.

Ask the designer what content management system the site will use, and whether they will show you how to make basic edits. If the answer is that you will need to contact them for every change, that is a red flag and an ongoing cost you should factor in.

5. Is SEO Included, and What Does That Actually Mean?

Almost every web designer will say they include SEO. Very few include anything meaningful. There is a big difference between 'we set up your page titles and meta descriptions' and 'we do thorough keyword research and build your site to rank in Edinburgh searches'.

Ask specifically: will my site be set up in Google Search Console? Will you submit my sitemap? Will you research the keywords my customers are actually searching for? Will I rank better in Edinburgh searches because of what you do? If the answers are vague, SEO is probably not genuinely included.

6. What Happens if Something Goes Wrong After Launch?

Websites break. Plugins need updating, hosting goes down occasionally, and things change. Ask what support is included after launch and what happens if there is a problem six months after you have paid.

Some designers include a support period, others charge hourly for anything post-launch. Some disappear entirely. Make sure you know what you are getting before you start.

7. What Are the Ongoing Costs?

Beyond the upfront design fee, ask what you will be paying on an ongoing basis. This usually includes:

• Domain renewal (typically £10 to £20 per year)
• Hosting (typically £100 to £300 per year for a small business site)
• Any monthly maintenance or support fees
• Plugin or platform subscription costs if applicable

There are no wrong answers here, but you need to know upfront so there are no surprises. A designer who refuses to be transparent about ongoing costs is not one you want to work with.

One More Thing: Trust Your Gut

Beyond these questions, pay attention to how the designer communicates. Are they responsive? Do they explain things clearly without being patronising? Do they seem genuinely interested in your business, or are they just trying to close a sale?

A website project involves working closely with someone for several weeks. You want someone who listens, communicates well and is invested in getting you a good result. The cheapest quote is rarely the best value.