The decision is made. Your company needs a new website. You already have a preliminary idea, some inspirations, and roughly know what you expect.
Now you just need to find someone to make it happen.
You type „website development” into Google, browse a few offers, and it turns out the choice isn’t that simple.
Agencies, freelancers, design studios. Some offer websites for a few hundred zlotys, others for several or even tens of thousands. Everyone promises professionalism, a personalized approach, and top quality.
So how do you choose the right provider and avoid waking up after a few months with a project that doesn’t meet your expectations?
I’ve prepared seven things to watch out for before starting cooperation.
Check the portfolio and previous projects
The first and most obvious step. Before commissioning someone to build your website, check what they have already created.
However, don’t limit yourself to just looking at project thumbnails.
Visit several live websites. Check how they work, whether they are clear and user-friendly. Open them on your smartphone as well.
Pay attention to details. Are the buttons well placed? Is the text easy to read? Does the site respond quickly to your actions?
Good-looking graphics are one thing, but a properly functioning website is a whole different matter.
It’s also worth checking if the provider has worked on projects similar to yours before.
If you need an extensive product catalog, experience in creating simple business cards might not be enough.
However, this doesn’t mean the provider must specialize exactly in your industry. Skills, technical experience, and understanding client needs are far more important.
Make sure the provider understands your company’s needs
Good web design starts with a conversation.
Not with choosing colors, animations, or button layouts, but with clarifying the purpose of the website.
Is it meant to attract new clients? Showcase your offer? Enable service bookings? Or maybe replace an outdated product catalog?
The provider should take an interest in what your company does, who its audience is, and what tasks the website should fulfill.
The most important design decisions should be based on this information.
If someone suggests a complex booking system before even finding out if your clients will actually use it, it’s worth reconsidering.
The same goes for flashy animations or additional functionalities.
Not everything that can be done is worth implementing.
Compare the scope of work, not just the price
Let’s say you receive two offers.
The first is for 3000 PLN, the second for 6000 PLN. At first glance, the choice seems obvious. Why pay twice as much for a website?
The problem is that the offers may cover completely different scopes of work.
For one price, you’ll get a ready-made template with basic configuration. The other may include a custom graphic design, mobile version preparation, performance optimization, form setup, and additional testing.
That’s why ask for as precise a scope of work as possible.
Check, among other things:
- How many subpages does the project include and what exactly will be prepared?
- Will the graphic design be custom or based on a ready-made template?
- Who will prepare the texts and photos?
- Will the site be optimized for mobile devices?
- How many rounds of revisions does the price cover?
- Will you receive training or a user manual?
- What is not included in the quote and may incur additional costs?
It’s not about choosing the most expensive offer.
Choose the one that best meets your company’s needs and clearly states what you’re paying for.
Determine who will own the website
This is one of the most important issues, and at the same time one that many people simply forget.
Imagine you order a website, pay the invoice, and everything works flawlessly for several years.
At some point, you decide to change the contractor or move the site to another hosting.
And suddenly it turns out you don’t have access to the files, the domain was registered under someone else’s details, and the possibility of transferring the site is limited.
Not a very pleasant situation.
That’s why before starting cooperation, clarify a few basic matters.
Domain
It’s best if the domain is registered to you or your company. This way, you retain control over its renewal and possible transfer to another provider.
Hosting
Determine where the website will be hosted, who will manage the service, and under what conditions you can gain access or transfer the site.
Administrative access
If you use a content management system, such as WordPress, make sure you receive the appropriate permissions to manage the site after the project is completed.
Project rights
Check what rights or licenses you will receive for the graphic design, code, and used materials. Simply paying the invoice does not automatically transfer all proprietary copyrights.
It’s also worth confirming whether the site uses paid plugins, themes, or other services that require license renewals.
The more of these issues you clarify upfront, the fewer problems will arise later.
Check if the contractor cares about performance and SEO
A website should not only look good but also function properly.
This primarily concerns loading speed, security, responsiveness, and basic search engine optimization.
Ask the contractor how they plan to address these aspects.
You don’t need to know programming to expect the site to run smoothly on computers and smartphones.
It’s also worth discussing SEO.
If you run a local business in the Tri-City area, you might want to reach people searching for services in Gdynia, Gdańsk, or Sopot.
For example, a renovation company may want to appear on Google for apartment renovation queries, while a beauty salon targets phrases related to specific treatments.
The contractor should handle the technical basics, proper header structure, correct linking, and the ability to manage SEO content.
However, this does not mean that simply building the site guarantees high search rankings.
SEO is a separate, much broader process.
So if someone promises the top spot on Google immediately after launching the site, approach it with caution.
Ask about revisions, updates, and technical support
Building a website doesn’t end once it’s published online.
New needs, changes in offerings, or the addition of new features may arise in the future.
The site also requires proper technical maintenance.
If it uses WordPress, software must be regularly updated, backups maintained, and security issues addressed promptly.
Therefore, clarify what happens after the project is completed before starting cooperation.
Does the contractor offer technical support? Is it an additional cost? How are issues reported, and what are the fees for later changes?
It’s also worth asking about revisions during the project itself.
One company may offer two rounds of revisions, another may charge for each change separately. There’s no universal model, but the terms should be clear from the start.
A well-prepared contract and a clear scope of work help avoid many misunderstandings.
Local contractor from Gdynia or remote collaboration?
If you run a business in the Tri-City area, a natural choice might be to look for a contractor nearby.
You type into Google „web design Gdynia,” „website creation Gdańsk,” or „websites Sopot” and compare the available offers.
Does location really matter?
It can, but not necessarily in the way you might expect.
Working with a local contractor makes organizing meetings, discussing the project in person, or reviewing materials together easier.
For some entrepreneurs, direct contact is a significant advantage.
On the other hand, modern web design can be successfully carried out entirely remotely.
Video calls, project sharing, and task management systems allow convenient collaboration even with companies hundreds of kilometers away.
That’s why I wouldn’t base the decision solely on location.
Choose a contractor you communicate well with, who understands your needs, and can clearly explain the proposed solutions.
That’s far more important than the distance between your offices.
How to prepare for the first conversation?
Before sending inquiries to several contractors, prepare basic information about your project.
You don’t need to create a multi-page document.
It’s enough to specify what your company does, who your offer targets, and what tasks the website should fulfill.
If you already have some inspirations, include links to sites you like.
It’s also worth indicating an approximate budget and timeline.
Why?
Because this allows the contractor to propose solutions tailored to your capabilities, instead of preparing an offer based on guesses.
And the more precisely you describe your expectations, the easier it will be to compare the proposals you receive later.
In summary
Wybór wykonawcy strony internetowej to decyzja, której nie warto podejmować wyłącznie na podstawie ceny lub pierwszego wrażenia.
Sprawdź wcześniejsze realizacje, zwróć uwagę na sposób komunikacji i upewnij się, że zakres prac został jasno określony.
Zadbaj o własność domeny, odpowiednie dostępy oraz możliwość dalszego rozwijania strony.
I przede wszystkim pamiętaj, że dobrze zaprojektowana witryna nie musi być najbardziej skomplikowana ani najdroższa.
Powinna po prostu odpowiadać na potrzeby Twojej firmy i jej klientów.
W końcu nie zamawiasz strony tylko po to, żeby mieć kolejny adres w Internecie. Zamawiasz narzędzie, które ma pomóc Ci prowadzić i rozwijać biznes.
