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How to choose a web designer for your small business

By the Risen team · Updated · 8 min read · 7 sources

The short answer

Choose a web designer who shows you real sites they've built for businesses like yours, registers your domain in your business's name, gives you ownership of your content, explains clearly what they'll do and what it costs, and never promises a #1 ranking on Google. Google itself warns that no one can guarantee a top ranking, and that you should be careful with anyone who is secretive or can't explain their work.

Key points

  • Ownership first: your business should be the registrant of your domain and own your content.
  • Ask for live examples of sites they've built for businesses like yours, and call one of those owners.
  • Walk away from guaranteed #1 rankings, "special relationships" with Google, and unclear explanations.
  • Know what happens after launch: hosting, security, backups, updates, and how fast changes get made.
  • Make sure you can leave: no hostage domains, and a copy of your site if you move on.

A note before we start: Risen is a web design studio, so we have a stake in this topic. We've written this guide to be useful whoever you hire, and we've backed it with sources from Google, ICANN and the SBA rather than our own opinions wherever we could.

1. Settle ownership before anything else

The most expensive mistake small businesses make with web designers isn't the price. It's discovering years later that they don't control their own domain.

  • Domain. Whoever is listed as the registrant "will assume sole responsibility for the registration and use" of the domain.[2] ICANN specifically recommends against listing your website designer or hosting provider as the registrant.[3] Ask: "Will my business be the registrant, with our email on the account?"
  • Content. Your text, photos and logo should be yours to take with you.
  • The site itself. On many DIY platforms, the SBA notes, "you can't take your site with you."[4] With a designer, ask what you get if you leave.
  • Google Business Profile. You should be the owner. Your designer can be added as a manager.

2. Know the red flags (from Google itself)

Google's guide to hiring search help lists warning signs that apply just as well to web designers who sell "SEO":[1]

  • Promises of rankings. "No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google."
  • Claims of a "special relationship" with Google, or offers of "priority submit."
  • Secrecy. Be careful if a company "won't clearly explain what they intend to do."
  • Cold emails out of the blue promising to fix your search results.
  • Tactics that break Google's spam policies, such as mass-produced pages for every town or keyword, can get a site demoted.[5]

3. Questions to ask every designer

  1. "Can I see sites you've built for businesses like mine?" Look at them on your phone. Then call one of those owners and ask how the experience went. Google also suggests asking for examples of past work.[1]
  2. "Who owns the domain, the content and the Google profile?" The answer should be you, all three.
  3. "What does it cost now, and what does it cost every year after?" Hosting, renewals, maintenance and changes add up.
  4. "How do I ask for changes, and how fast are they made?" A site that's hard to update goes stale quickly.
  5. "Do you follow Google Search Essentials, and will you explain every change you make?" Both are questions Google itself recommends.[1]
  6. "What happens if I want to leave?" A good answer is short and specific.

4. What a good result looks like

Judge the finished site by what your customers need, not by animations:

  • Loads fast and works well on a phone. See our website checklist.
  • Says clearly what you do, where, and how to contact you, with real photos and real people. Google emphasizes that trust is the most important part of quality.[6]
  • Matches your Google Business Profile details exactly.
  • Makes it easy to get reviews. 97% of consumers read them when choosing a local business.[7]

5. Plan for after launch

A website is closer to a vehicle than a brochure: it needs regular care. Make sure someone is responsible for hosting, security updates, SSL, backups, content changes, and keeping your Google Business Profile and reviews healthy. Get turnaround times in writing.

How Risen does it

For transparency, here's how we answer our own checklist. Your business owns its domain, content and Google profile. We host on Cloudflare with SSL and backups. You request changes in plain words through a client portal and approve them before they go live. Your website is paid for with an agreed donation to Majesty International, a 501(c)(3), and optional monthly services have set prices. See About Risen or our work.

Common questions

Should my web designer register my domain for me?

They can do the work, but the registration should list your business as the registrant. ICANN recommends against listing web designers or hosting providers as the registrant, because whoever is listed controls the domain.

Can a web designer guarantee a #1 ranking on Google?

No. Google states plainly that no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google. Treat any such promise as a red flag.

Should I use a DIY website builder instead?

DIY builders can work for very simple needs, but the SBA notes a downside: on many of these platforms you can't take your site with you. If you hire a designer, make sure you can.

What questions should I ask a web designer?

Ask to see sites they've built for businesses like yours, who will own the domain and content, what ongoing care includes and costs, how changes are requested and how quickly they're made, whether they follow Google Search Essentials, and what happens if you leave.

What should ongoing website care include?

Hosting, security updates, SSL, regular backups, content changes on request, and help with your Google Business Profile. Get it in writing, with turnaround times.

Sources

  1. Google Search Central. Do you need an SEO?
  2. ICANN. Registrants' benefits and responsibilities
  3. ICANN Blog. Do you have a domain name? Here's what you need to know (Part IV)
  4. U.S. Small Business Administration. Which is better: hiring a web developer or using a DIY website builder?
  5. Google Search Central. Spam policies for Google web search
  6. Google Search Central. Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content
  7. BrightLocal. Local Consumer Review Survey 2026

This guide is general information for small business owners, not legal advice. We check it against the sources above and update it when they change. Spot something out of date? Email hello@risendesign.app.