Three years ago, I made what I thought was a simple decision that ended up costing me thousands of dollars and months of frustration. I needed a website for my boutique marketing consultancy, and like many business owners, I figured hiring a Web Design Company in St. Louis would be straightforward. How hard could it be, right?

Wrong. Very, very wrong.

After going through two failed partnerships and finally finding the right team on my third try, I learned that choosing a web design company is like choosing a business partner. The wrong choice doesn't just affect your wallet, it can sabotage your entire digital strategy and damage your brand reputation.

If you're currently shopping around for web design services, let me save you from the mistakes I made. Here are the five crucial questions I wish I had asked from the very beginning.

Can You Show Me Websites You've Built That Are Similar to What I Need?

This seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people skip this step. My first web design company had a beautiful portfolio filled with restaurant websites, photography portfolios, and e-commerce stores. What they didn't have was a single example of a professional services website like mine.

When I saw their portfolio, I was impressed by the visual appeal and assumed they could adapt their skills to my industry. Big mistake. The team had no understanding of how B2B service providers need to present information, structure their sales funnels, or build trust with corporate clients.

The website they delivered looked gorgeous but converted terribly. Potential clients couldn't figure out what I actually did or how to get started working with me. I had to start over completely.

Now when I evaluate any service provider, I specifically ask: "Show me three websites you've built for businesses like mine." If they can't produce relevant examples, I keep looking. Industry experience isn't just nice to have – it's essential for understanding your audience's behavior and expectations.

What's Your Process for Understanding My Business Goals?   

My second web design company jumped straight into talking about color schemes and layout options during our first call. They seemed eager to start designing immediately, which I initially took as enthusiasm. Looking back, it was a red flag.

They never asked about my target audience, my sales process, or what actions I wanted visitors to take on my website. They treated web design as purely a visual exercise rather than a strategic business tool.

The right web design partner should spend significant time understanding your business before touching any design software. They should ask questions like: Who are your ideal clients? What's your current customer journey? What problems does your website need to solve? How do you currently generate leads?

When I finally found my current web design team, they spent our entire first meeting asking questions about my business model. They wanted to understand my pricing structure, my competition, and my long-term goals. Only after they fully grasped my business strategy did we start discussing the website itself.

This approach made all the difference. The website they created wasn't just visually appealing, it was a strategic tool that guided visitors through my sales funnel and addressed their specific concerns at each stage.

How Do You Handle Revisions and Changes During the Project?   

My first web design company had what seemed like a reasonable revision policy: "three rounds of revisions included." Sounds fair, right? The problem was they never defined what constituted a "round" or how many changes could be included in each round.

What I thought was one round of feedback (a list of ten items to adjust) they counted as ten separate rounds. Suddenly I was facing thousands of dollars in additional charges for changes that I assumed were part of the original scope.

Before signing any contract, get crystal clear on the revision process. Ask specifically: How many revision rounds are included? What happens if we need changes beyond that? How do you define a revision round versus individual changes? What's your policy on major scope changes versus minor adjustments?

The best web design companies I've worked with provide detailed revision policies in writing and are upfront about additional costs before they become an issue.

What Happens After the Website Launches?   

Here's something nobody talks about enough: launching your website is just the beginning. Websites need ongoing maintenance, security updates, and periodic improvements. They're not "set it and forget it" assets.

Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way when my first website was hacked six months after launch. When I contacted the design company for help, they informed me that post-launch support wasn't included in our original agreement. The cost to clean up the security breach and implement proper protection was almost as much as building the website in the first place.

Always ask about post-launch support before signing any agreement. What's included in terms of maintenance? How do they handle security updates? What if something breaks or needs to be changed? Do they offer ongoing support packages, and if so, what do they include?

Some companies include a period of post-launch support in their initial fee, while others offer monthly maintenance packages. Either approach can work, but you need to know what you're getting (or not getting) upfront.

Can You Provide References from Recent Clients? 

This question saved me from what could have been my biggest web design disaster. The third company I considered had an impressive portfolio and gave great presentations, but when I asked for client references, they became evasive.

They provided one reference, a client from two years prior who gave a lukewarm recommendation. When I pressed for more recent references, they claimed client confidentiality agreements prevented them from sharing contact information.

Red flag central.

A reputable web design company should be proud to connect you with recent clients who can speak to their experience. These conversations will give you insights you can't get anywhere else: How well did they communicate throughout the project? Did they meet their deadlines? How did they handle problems when they arose? Would the client hire them again?

Don't just accept email testimonials or case studies on their website. Ask to speak with actual clients, preferably ones whose projects were completed within the last six months.

Wrapping Up: The Questions That Changed Everything 

Asking the right questions completely changed how I chose a Web Design Company in St. Louis and it paid off. My new site doesn’t just look good; it brings in leads and supports real business growth.

Don’t settle for a pretty homepage. Invest time upfront to find a partner who gets your goals. It’ll save you time, money, and stress later.

Trust me, the right questions now can save you from the wrong agency later.