How to Choose the Right Web Designer in London (Expert Checklist)
London has no shortage of web designers. The hard part is picking one who builds something that works, not just something that looks fine on launch day. I see it a lot – a site that’s slow, awkward to update, and missing the basics that help people find you in Google. And the market is messy. Big studios can be excellent but often come with price tags that only make sense for larger organisations. At the other end, marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork can be a gamble, and the quality is not always reflected in the fee.
This checklist is for business owners who want a WordPress site that loads fast, is easy to manage, and supports long term search visibility. When I say “SEO”, I mean clear structure, sensible content setup, and technical hygiene so your pages can be understood and indexed. It also means planning for how people search now, including AI-driven results, without doing anything gimmicky. The right designer for you will depend on your goals, budget, and how hands-on you want to be, but the checks you should run are surprisingly consistent.
1) Start with outcomes, not aesthetics
Get clear on what the website must do for your business before you compare portfolios.
Most poor web projects start with a vague brief. “Make it look modern” is the classic one. It sounds reasonable, but it gives a designer nothing solid to plan around. Modern compared to what? And does it help you get more of the right work? A good designer will push you towards outcomes, because that is what drives structure, content, and the technical setup.
Start by writing down your primary business goals. These are the ones I see most often for London service businesses:
- More leads (people who might buy)
- Bookings (appointments, consultations, table bookings, viewings)
- Enquiries (email or form submissions)
- Credibility (proof you are legitimate and good at what you do)
- Hiring (attracting applicants who fit)
Then decide what success looks like in measurable terms. Not “better” or “more professional”. Something you can actually track month to month. For example:
- Number of enquiry form submissions
- Number of qualified calls booked (not just any call)
- Newsletter sign-ups
- Downloads of a brochure or price guide
- Applications through a jobs page
You do not need complex analytics to do this. If you can count enquiries, calls, and sign-ups, you can judge whether the site is pulling its weight.
This is also where you can set sensible expectations for SEO. SEO just means making your site easy for search engines to understand so it can show up for relevant searches. It is long term work, not a launch day switch you flick. A designer should be comfortable talking about site structure, page hierarchy, and how content will be laid out so it can be found and understood, including by AI-driven results.
One small judgement call from experience: if you cannot describe what a “good lead” looks like, pause and do that first. Otherwise you will end up optimising for the wrong thing and blaming the website when the real issue is unclear targeting.
Finally, be honest about budget. Constraints are normal. Most businesses are not trying to build a platform, they are trying to get a reliable sales and credibility tool online. The key is to protect the outcomes even when you trim scope. It is usually better to launch a smaller site with strong structure, clear messaging, and solid technical basics than a bigger site filled with thin pages and placeholders.
2) The main routes to hiring a web designer in London (and what to expect)
Where you look shapes what you get, so it helps to understand the trade-offs upfront.
Most web design projects go wrong because the hiring route does not match the job. Not because anyone is trying to do a bad job, but because the incentives and working style are different.
Below are the main options London businesses usually consider, and what I would expect from each. None are automatically right or wrong. The trick is knowing what you are buying.
Large studios
Large studios usually have a strong process. Discovery workshops, brand work, design systems, content planning, QA, and a proper handover. If you need lots of stakeholders managed, that structure can be worth it.
The trade-off is cost, and layers. You might have an account manager, a project manager, a designer, then a developer. Communication can still be good, but it is not always direct. Small changes can also take longer because everything runs through a process.
Practical check: ask who will actually build the site and who will maintain it after launch. If the sales pitch is strong but the build team is vague, that is a risk.
Small agencies
Small agencies are a wide category. Some are excellent and hands-on. Others outsource most of the work and focus on selling packages. The advantage is often ongoing support. If you want someone you can message when you need changes, this can be a good fit.
The main thing to check is who is doing what. Many agencies have a “front of house” person and then a mix of contractors. That is not a problem by itself, but you want clarity. You are hiring a team, so you should know the team.
Practical check: ask to speak to the person who will lead the build. Not just the person managing the quote.
Freelancers
A good freelancer can be the best of both worlds. Direct contact, faster decisions, and often better value because you are not paying for layers of management. Many London businesses do well with a single experienced designer who can handle structure, performance, and WordPress setup.
Quality varies more than with a studio. The real sign of a strong freelancer is not a flashy portfolio. It is systems and consistency. A repeatable approach to planning pages, setting up SEO basics, handling redirects, checking speed, and making the site easy to update.
Small judgement call: if a freelancer cannot explain their process in simple steps, or they dismiss planning as “overhead”, expect the project to drift.
Marketplaces (Upwork, Fiverr, and similar)
Marketplaces can look like an easy win. Plenty of options, quick turnaround promises, and a low entry price. In practice, “cheap” is often not cheap once you account for revisions, delays, mismatched expectations, and then paying someone else to fix problems.
The biggest issue is usually not design taste. It is structure and technical hygiene. Technical hygiene means the behind-the-scenes basics that stop your site becoming slow, fragile, or hard to index. Things like clean templates, sensible plugins, proper heading structure, and avoiding broken page builders.
Another issue is ownership. You want admin access, a documented list of plugins, and a handover you can understand. If the “delivery” is a zip file or a login you do not control, it is not really done.
If you do use a marketplace, narrow the scope. Hire for a defined task, not a whole business site. For example, a single landing page build or a speed audit, with clear acceptance criteria.
Referrals
Referrals are often the best starting point, especially from businesses similar to yours. You get a signal on reliability, communication, and what happens after launch. That matters as much as the final design.
Still run the checklist. A referral can tell you someone was good for them, at that time, on that budget. It does not automatically mean they are right for your goals, your content, or your need for SEO and future-proof structure.
One sensible move: ask the referrer what went wrong, not just what went well. You learn more from the rough edges.
3) The best fit for many SMEs: a senior independent designer with SEO and technical depth
One experienced person can join the dots between design, WordPress build, speed, and search basics
For a lot of London SMEs, the sweet spot is a senior independent designer who is comfortable across the whole job. Not a “one trick” designer. Not a big team with lots of handovers. Someone who can make good decisions early, then build the site properly so it performs well and stays easy to manage.
When I say “senior independent”, I mean a person who can cover the essentials without guessing. That usually includes:
- Design that supports the goal – clear layout, readable type, sensible spacing, and calls to action that do not confuse people.
- Build in WordPress – templates, blocks, and reusable sections set up so you can edit content without breaking layouts.
- Performance – keeping pages light, avoiding bloated plugins, and setting images up properly so the site loads quickly.
- Basics of SEO – titles, meta descriptions, clean URLs, internal linking, and indexable pages.
- Content structure – planning the page hierarchy, headings, and sections so the message is easy to follow for people and machines.
This approach reduces handoffs. That matters more than many people realise. Every time a project moves from designer to developer to “SEO person”, small details get lost. The designer may not think about heading structure. The developer may not notice the navigation does not reflect how customers search. The SEO person arrives later and has to patch things on top.
A good independent can catch those issues while the site is still being shaped. They can choose a layout that makes sense for conversion, then build it in a way that stays fast, accessible, and easy for Google to crawl. (Crawl just means search engines can reach and understand your pages.)
There are limits, and it is worth being honest about them. You probably still want specialists when the work becomes deep in one area, such as:
- Complex ecommerce – large catalogues, subscriptions, multi-currency tax rules, EPOS integrations, or complicated fulfilment workflows.
- Custom apps – portals, dashboards, bookings with complex rules, or anything that starts to look like software.
- Heavy branding campaigns – full brand strategy, big creative direction, photo and video production, and multi-channel rollout.
In those cases, the best independent designers will say so, and they will pull in the right people. That is usually a positive sign. My small judgement call: if someone insists they can do complex ecommerce, custom development, branding strategy, copywriting, and SEO “all at the same level”, be cautious. It tends to mean corners get cut somewhere you cannot see yet.
A key skill to look for is the difference between “does SEO” and “builds an SEO-ready structure”. Lots of people can install an SEO plugin and fill in page titles. That is not nothing, but it is the easy part.
SEO-ready structure is baked into the build. It looks like:
- Clean site architecture – services and locations organised logically, not scattered across random pages.
- Sensible URL structure – human-readable URLs that match the page purpose.
- Proper headings – one clear H1 per page, then H2s and H3s used to structure sections (not for styling).
- Internal linking planned – related services and supporting pages connected in a way that helps users and search engines.
- Templates that scale – service pages and case studies built from a repeatable pattern, so adding new content does not create chaos.
- Technical hygiene – redirects handled during rebuilds, no duplicate content from messy settings, and no reliance on fragile page builder tricks.
If you are comparing options, ask this simple question: “Show me how you structure a service page so it is easy to expand later.” A strong senior independent will talk about page layout, headings, links to proof and FAQs, and how they keep it consistent across the site. Someone who only “does SEO” will usually talk about keywords and plugins, but not structure.
4) Portfolio review: what to look for beyond screenshots
Judge how the sites work in real life, not how they look in a grid
Screenshots are a starting point. They are also easy to curate. If you want to know whether someone builds sites that help a business, you need to click around like a customer would.
First, ask for live links. Not a Behance gallery. Not a single hero shot. Open the site and check several pages, not just the homepage. Look at a service page, an about page, a contact page, and one or two deeper pages (like a case study or FAQ). You are checking whether the quality holds up when the template is under pressure.
Then look for clarity. Can you tell what the business does within a few seconds? Is the navigation obvious, and does it match how people actually think about services? Are calls to action clear (for example, “Book a call” or “Request a quote”), and do they appear in sensible places without shouting at you?
Also notice the page hierarchy. That just means how pages are organised and grouped. A good site makes it easy to move from a broad overview to a specific service, then to proof, then to a next step. If everything is flat, or buried, it usually means the structure was not planned.
Check mobile properly. Do not just resize a desktop browser. Use your phone. Menus should be thumb-friendly, type should be readable without pinching, and buttons should be easy to tap. Watch for layout jumps as you scroll. If things shift around, it feels sloppy and it can lead to mis-clicks, especially on forms.
Pay attention to performance basics, with your own eyes. You do not need tools for this. If the page takes ages to become usable, if there are huge sliders, or if heavy video backgrounds start playing straight away, that is often a sign of bloat. Some of those choices look impressive in a mock-up, but they usually cost you speed and focus.
Finally, look for consistency across the portfolio. Do multiple projects show the same strengths? For example, clear service pages, strong structure, and tidy mobile layouts. One great-looking homepage could be a one-off. Five sites that all feel easy to use is a pattern you can trust more.
My small judgement call: if a portfolio is mostly “coming soon” links, single-page sites, or homepage-only mock-ups, be cautious. It often means they are selling visuals, not finished websites that hold up once real content and real customers arrive.
5) Ask these questions before you talk about price (expert checklist)
These questions quickly show how someone thinks, how they work, and whether they will build a site you can grow without drama later.
Price makes sense only once you understand the scope and the working style. A good designer will not dodge specifics here. They should be able to explain their process in plain English, with clear handovers and decisions.
You do not need to interrogate anyone. Just ask, then listen for calm, structured answers. Vague replies usually mean vague delivery.
Process and project flow
Ask them to walk you through the whole build, end to end. If they skip steps, or jump straight to “design”, you can expect surprises later.
- What does discovery look like? What do you need from me, and what do you produce from it?
- Do you create a sitemap before design? A sitemap is a simple list of pages and how they relate.
- Do you use wireframes? Wireframes are basic page layouts, without styling, to agree structure first.
- How many design rounds are included? And what counts as a “round”?
- How do you handle the build? Theme choice, custom blocks, and what gets reused across pages.
- What testing do you do? Mobile, forms, links, speed, browsers, and basic accessibility checks.
- What does launch day include? Redirects if needed, analytics setup, search console, final backups, and a rollback plan.
Listen for a sequence that sounds like: discovery – sitemap – wireframes – design – build – testing – launch. If they say “we can figure it out as we go”, that can work for small brochure sites, but it often costs more in changes when the site has more than a handful of pages.
Content: words, images, and approvals
Content is where projects slip. Get clarity early on who is responsible for what, and when you are expected to sign things off.
- Who writes the content? If you write it, will they give you a structure and guidance, or just a blank Google Doc?
- Do you help with editing? Light editing is not the same as full copywriting. Ask what is included.
- Who sources images? Your photos, stock libraries, or bespoke photography?
- How do approvals work? What do I approve at sitemap stage, wireframe stage, design stage, and before launch?
- What happens if content arrives late? Does the timeline move, or do they launch with placeholders?
Small judgement call: if they say “we will just use AI to write it all”, be careful. AI can help with drafts, but a service business site still needs real detail, proof, and accuracy, and someone has to own that.
SEO foundations (not tricks)
You are not buying “SEO”. You are buying a site that makes it easy for search engines to understand your services, and easy for people to move around and take action.
- How do you plan information architecture? That means how pages are grouped, named, and linked.
- How do you handle internal linking? For example, linking from a main service to sub-services, FAQs, and case studies.
- How do you structure headings? One clear H1 per page, then logical H2s and H3s.
- What do you do with metadata? Title tags and meta descriptions should be written for each key page, not auto-generated.
- How do you handle indexation? Basics like robots.txt, XML sitemaps, and making sure important pages are not accidentally set to “noindex”.
If they talk mostly about plugins and keywords, and not about page structure and linking, you are likely to get a site that looks fine but is hard to grow.
Performance: keeping WordPress fast
Speed is mostly a build discipline. Tools help, but they do not fix a heavy theme, messy plugins, or unoptimised media.
- What is your theme approach? Lightweight theme, custom block theme, or a page builder? Ask why.
- How do you handle images? Correct sizing, compression, modern formats where sensible, and lazy loading.
- How do you choose plugins? Fewer is usually better. Ask how they avoid plugin overlap and bloat.
- Do you set up caching? Where it lives depends on hosting, but there should be a plan.
- How do you test performance? What they check, and at what stage, not just “we optimise at the end”.
A practical tell: ask what they do when a page feels slow. A good answer mentions images, scripts, font loading, and third-party embeds, not just “install a cache plugin”.
Accessibility basics
Accessibility is about making the site usable for more people, including those using assistive tech. You do not need a full compliance audit for every small business site, but you do want the basics done properly.
- How do you ensure readable contrast? Text should be readable on real screens, not just in a design file.
- Do you check keyboard navigation? You should be able to tab through menus, buttons, and forms in a sensible order.
- How do you handle form labels and error messages? Forms should be clear without guessing.
If they say accessibility is “just for big organisations”, that is a red flag. At minimum, they should be aware of it and design with it in mind.
Security and ongoing maintenance
WordPress is solid, but it needs routine care. Most security problems I see come from ignored updates, weak logins, and cheap hosting setups with no backups plan.
- Who handles updates? Core, theme, and plugins. Ask how often, and whether they test before pushing changes live.
- How do backups work? How often, where they are stored, and how quickly a restore can happen.
- What hardening do you do? Things like strong admin access, limiting login attempts, and sensible permissions.
- Do you offer a maintenance plan? If yes, what is included and what is not.
You are not looking for paranoia. You are looking for routine, boring consistency.
Ownership and access (so you are not locked in)
This is simple, and worth getting clear in writing before work starts. You should be able to leave, change hosting, or bring in another developer without drama.
- Who owns the domain? It should be registered in your name or your company’s name, with your access.
- Who controls the hosting account? Ideally you do, with the designer added as a user.
- Who owns the key accounts? Email, analytics, Search Console, paid tools, and any premium plugins.
- Do I get full admin access to WordPress? You should.
- Can I export the site files and database? You should be able to move hosts without begging for backups.
If someone insists on owning everything “to make it easier”, push back politely. Shared access is fine. Ownership should stay with you.
6) What ‘SEO-ready’ really means for a WordPress site
It means the site is built so Google can understand it and people can move through it easily, but the ongoing work still matters.
“SEO-ready” is a useful phrase, but it gets abused. In practical terms, it means the site has the right structure, the right technical foundations, and enough flexibility to publish and improve content without fighting the build.
It does not mean you publish the site and rankings magically happen. Real SEO is ongoing. You add pages, refine copy, earn trust, and respond to what people actually search for.
Clean site structure: pages mapped to services and intent
A good WordPress build starts with a simple map. Each core service should have its own page, written for a clear intent. Intent just means what the visitor is trying to do – learn, compare, or enquire.
For example, if you offer two distinct services, don’t squash them into one “Services” page with vague sections. Give each service its own page so it can rank on its own merits, and so visitors can land on the most relevant content.
Ask your designer how they decide what becomes a page. If the answer is “we’ll keep it minimal for SEO”, I would be cautious. Minimal is fine when it is clear. Minimal because they cannot be bothered building a proper structure is not.
Technical basics: crawlable pages, sensible URLs, canonicals where needed
Technical SEO sounds intimidating, but the basics are mostly hygiene.
Crawlable pages means search engines can access and read your key pages. That includes not blocking important sections by accident, and not hiding content behind odd scripts or builders that produce messy output.
Sensible URLs should be short, readable, and stable. Ideally they match the structure of the site, like /services/service-name/, rather than random IDs or dates.
Canonical handling matters when the same content can appear at more than one address. A canonical is a “this is the main version” hint for search engines. You usually need it for things like filtered listings, tracking parameters, or duplicate pages created by accident. You do not need to obsess over it on a small brochure site, but the person building your site should understand when it becomes relevant.
Schema: when it helps and when it is optional
Schema is structured data. It is a standard format that helps search engines interpret what a page is about. It can support richer results in some situations, but it is not a ranking cheat code.
Useful places to consider schema:
- Local business schema if you serve a specific area like London, with a real business identity.
- Service schema on core service pages, when the content is clearly about that service.
- FAQ schema where you have genuine FAQs that help a buyer decide, not filler.
Optional or situational:
- Schema on every single page “because SEO”. Often it adds noise without adding clarity.
- Complex markup that is hard to maintain. If your team cannot update it, it will rot.
A practical question to ask is: “What schema do you add by default, and what do you leave until we have the right content?” The right answer is usually a small, sensible baseline plus room to expand.
Internal linking and navigation that supports discovery
Internal links are just links between your own pages. They help people find the next step, and they help search engines understand what matters most.
SEO-ready navigation is not about stuffing the menu with everything. It is about making key pages easy to reach from the main navigation, and using contextual links inside pages to guide people to related services, proof, and answers.
Look for things like:
- Service pages linking to relevant case studies.
- Case studies linking back to the service delivered.
- FAQs linking to the page where someone can take action, like an enquiry or a pricing discussion.
If a designer only thinks about the homepage and the menu, you often end up with a site that looks fine but does not help visitors (or Google) discover the deeper pages.
Content templates that scale (so the site stays tidy as you grow)
Most businesses do not stand still. You add services, publish work, answer new questions, and tweak your positioning. An SEO-ready WordPress site makes that easy by using consistent page templates.
Templates I like to see planned up front:
- Service pages with a consistent layout: what it is, who it is for, process, proof, FAQs, and next step.
- Case studies with clear outcomes, what was done, and links to the relevant service page.
- FAQ pages that can grow over time, with questions grouped sensibly rather than one huge wall of text.
This is also where “optimised for AI” becomes real. Clear templates, consistent headings, and predictable structure make it easier for search engines and AI systems to extract meaning. It also makes it easier for a human to skim and decide.
My judgement call: I would rather launch with fewer, well-structured pages than dozens of thin pages that all say the same thing. You can expand later, but fixing a messy structure after it has been indexed is a pain.
7) Designing for AI discovery and future-proof structure (without chasing trends)
What “optimised for AI” realistically means: clear content, consistent signals, and a site you can keep updating.
A lot of people now ask for a site that is “optimised for AI”. That can mean sensible things. It can also mean vague promises.
The practical version is this: make your site easy to understand, easy to extract, and easy to maintain. That helps search engines today, and it is the best bet for whatever discovery looks like next.
Write for skimming and summarising
AI systems and search engines pull meaning from structure. Humans do too. If your pages are one long block of text, the important bits get lost.
Look for a designer who uses clear headings, short sections, and obvious page “chunks” like services, process, proof, FAQs, and next steps. Each section should do one job.
A simple test: can someone scan the page in 20 seconds and understand what you do, who it is for, where you work, and what to do next?
Entity clarity: be consistent about who you are
An “entity” is just a clear, consistent identity online. Your business name, what you do, and where you do it should match across the site.
This is basic but often missed. Use one version of your business name. List the same core services in the same words. Be consistent with your location signals, like “London” and specific areas you genuinely serve.
Your About page matters here. It should say who is behind the work, what you actually do, and how to contact you. Not a life story. Just clear context.
FAQs and service detail that answer real buyer questions
Good AI-facing content is usually just good sales-facing content. It answers the questions people ask before they enquire.
On service pages, I like to see specifics: what is included, what is not included, what you need from the client, typical timelines (if you can state them honestly), and what “done” looks like.
FAQs should not be filler. They should cover real concerns like content responsibility, hosting, SEO basics, ongoing support, and what happens after launch. If a designer suggests generic questions to “add SEO”, I would be cautious.
Structured data: support, not magic
Structured data (often called schema) is a way to label information on a page for machines. It can help with clarity. It is not a shortcut.
A sensible baseline is usually enough: business details where relevant, service information on service pages, and FAQ markup only where the page genuinely contains Q&A. Anything beyond that should have a clear reason and be easy to maintain.
Future-proofing: structure you can grow without a rebuild
Future-proofing is less about predicting the next platform and more about avoiding a fragile site.
Ask how the designer builds templates. In WordPress terms, that usually means reusable blocks and consistent components, so new service pages and case studies stay tidy and on-brand without starting from scratch each time.
Also ask about lock-in. If your site relies on a heavy theme or custom page builder that only one person can safely edit, you will feel it later. A clean build is one where another competent WordPress professional can pick it up, understand it, and extend it.
My judgement call: I would rather have a simpler site built on solid structure than a flashy one with lots of moving parts. AI discovery changes. Good information architecture lasts.
8) Red flags that usually cost you later
These are the warning signs that tend to lead to extra fees, messy rebuilds, or a site you cannot safely change.
You do not need to be technical to spot most problems early. A good designer should be able to explain their choices in plain English, and show you how you will live with the site after launch.
They skip any discussion of structure, content, or goals
If the conversation is only about colours, inspiration sites, and “making it pop”, expect a site that looks fine but does not do much for the business. You are hiring someone to solve a problem, not just decorate a page.
Practical check: ask them to summarise what the site needs to achieve in two or three sentences. If they cannot, they are guessing.
Heavy reliance on a page builder, with no performance plan
A page builder is a tool that lets you design pages visually inside WordPress. Some are fine in the right hands. The issue is when everything depends on it, and there is no plan for speed, code bloat, or maintenance.
Ask: “Why this builder, and how will you keep the site fast?” Listen for specifics, like image handling, caching, and what they will avoid adding. If the answer is vague, you will likely pay later in slow pages and patchwork fixes.
Vague SEO claims, or “we submit your site to Google” as the main pitch
Submitting a site to Google is basic housekeeping, not an SEO strategy. It is like saying “we will turn the lights on” when you are hiring an electrician.
SEO is a mix of technical setup, on-page basics, and making sure search engines can understand and trust what the site is about. If they cannot explain what they actually do beyond buzzwords, be cautious.
No clear handover, no documentation, or they keep logins
You should own your site. That includes hosting, domain, and admin access. Some designers keep control “to help”, but it can also make it hard to leave or get support elsewhere.
Ask what you will get at handover: logins, a short setup document, what has been installed, and who to contact for what. My judgement call: if someone refuses to share admin access or avoids documenting anything, walk away.
Too many plugins for basic features
A plugin is an add-on that gives WordPress extra features. Plugins are normal, but they are also another thing to update, secure, and keep compatible.
If they are adding a plugin for every small task, it usually means the build is not thought through. Ask them to justify each plugin and what happens if it breaks or is abandoned.
No staging or testing, and they launch straight to live
A staging site is a private copy used for safe testing before changes go public. Skipping staging is how small issues become public problems, especially with forms, payments, tracking, and mobile layouts.
Ask what their launch process looks like. You want to hear about a staging environment, a checklist, and basic testing across devices and browsers. Not perfection, just a repeatable process.
If you see one or two of these, it might still be fine depending on the project. If you see several, it is usually a sign the work will be expensive to maintain, even if the upfront quote looks reasonable.
9) Pricing and proposals: how to compare like-for-like
Look past the headline figure and check what you are actually getting, who is doing what, and what happens after launch.
A web design quote only means something when the scope is clear. Two proposals can show the same total, but one includes the thinking, structure, content help, and post-launch support, while the other is basically “a website” and a handover email.
If you want to compare like-for-like, you need to line up what is included. Not just what it will look like, but how it will work, how it will be maintained, and what you are responsible for.
What a good proposal should include
At a minimum, expect these items to be written down:
- Scope – what is included and what is not. This stops later arguments.
- Pages and templates – a list of what will be built, and what is reused.
- Timeline – key milestones, feedback points, and realistic dependencies on you (for content, approvals, access).
- Content responsibilities – who writes, who edits, who supplies images, and who uploads it.
- SEO and tracking basics – what is being set up (for example metadata, redirects, analytics), and what is outside the scope.
- Post-launch support – what happens after go-live, for how long, and what counts as support versus a new piece of work.
My judgement call: if a proposal avoids specifics because it is “flexible”, be careful. Flexibility is fine, but you still need a written baseline to protect both sides.
What counts as a ‘page’ and what is a ‘template’
This is where quotes often stop being comparable.
A page is a single URL with its own content. For example: /about, /services, /contact. Some pages are simple. Others are effectively mini-projects, like a case study index with filtering, or a service page with multiple sections, FAQs, and strong internal linking.
A template is a reusable layout used to create multiple pages of the same type. Common templates include blog posts, case studies, team profiles, location pages, and portfolio items.
Practical check: ask “How many unique designs are you creating, and what will be template-based?” If one quote includes custom layouts for key pages and another assumes everything is a copy-paste page builder job, the totals will not mean the same thing.
Revisions and change requests
You want to know how feedback is handled before you sign anything.
A sensible proposal explains:
- How many revision rounds are included at each stage (design, build, content).
- What counts as a revision (tweaks to what was agreed) versus a change request (new scope).
- How changes are priced if the scope moves. This can be an hourly rate, a fixed add-on, or a new mini-quote.
If you are expecting the project to evolve, that is normal. Just do it intentionally. A clean change request process usually leads to a calmer build and a better end result.
Hosting: who provides it and what is included
Hosting is where your site lives. It affects speed, reliability, and security.
Proposals should make it clear whether:
- You provide hosting and they deploy to it, or
- They provide hosting as part of an ongoing service.
Either can be fine. What matters is knowing what is included. Ask about backups, security monitoring, SSL, email hosting (often separate), staging, and who is responsible if something goes wrong.
Also confirm ownership. You should control your domain and have admin access to the hosting and WordPress. Support is good. Being locked in is not.
Long-term costs you should expect
The build cost is only part of the picture. WordPress sites have ongoing needs, even when nothing “changes”.
A clear proposal flags long-term costs such as:
- Maintenance – updates, security checks, backups, fixing issues caused by updates.
- Licences – some plugins and themes require annual licences for updates and support.
- Premium plugins – for forms, SEO tools, caching, image optimisation, or booking systems, where applicable.
- Ongoing content – adding new pages, writing posts, improving service pages, or refreshing copy based on what performs.
You do not need every paid tool. But you do need a plan for updates and security, and you need to know what relies on an ongoing licence so you are not surprised later.
If you want a simple way to compare proposals, build a short checklist and tick them off: pages and templates, content responsibilities, revision rules, hosting responsibilities, and what “done” means after launch. Then the number starts to make sense.
10) A practical selection process (so you do not waste weeks)
A simple way to shortlist, sanity-check, and choose without turning it into a tender
If you leave this open-ended, it drags on. You get more calls, more opinions, and no decision. A simple process keeps it moving and gives you comparable information.
Here is a selection flow that works well for small businesses in London, and it still works if your designer is remote.
Step 1: Shortlist 3 to 5
Pick 3 to 5 designers you could realistically hire. More than that and you will start forgetting who said what.
Do not judge purely on the prettiest portfolio. Look for signs of real, finished business sites. Clear navigation. Fast loading. Sensible page structure. If everything is a flashy one-page concept, be cautious.
Step 2: Do a 20-30 minute call with each
Keep the call short. The aim is not to workshop your whole site. It is to check communication, thinking, and whether they can run a clean process.
Use the same core questions for everyone so you can compare answers.
- What type of projects do you do most often?
- What is your typical timeline, and what usually slows a project down?
- How do you handle content, SEO setup, and performance?
- What do you need from me to start?
Step 3: Ask for one relevant case study and what they would improve now
Ask for one case study that is genuinely close to your situation. Similar service type, similar size, or similar goals.
Then ask a question most people skip: “If you rebuilt that site today, what would you improve?”
A good answer is specific and a bit self-critical. It might be structure, copy, internal links, performance, accessibility, or how enquiries are tracked. If the answer is defensive or vague, that is useful information too.
Step 4: Request a basic sitemap and page list before design discussions
Do this before you talk about colours, fonts, and “a modern look”. Structure first. Always.
A sitemap is simply a map of the pages and how they relate. One short line per page is enough at this stage.
Ask each shortlisted designer to propose a basic sitemap and page list in writing. It should include key pages (home, services, about, contact), plus any important subpages and supporting content like FAQs, case studies, and location pages if relevant.
This is also where you will spot who understands SEO and “AI readiness” in a practical way. Future-proof structure usually means clean page hierarchy, strong internal linking, and content that answers real questions. Not gimmicks.
Step 5: Request a written scope (then compare like-for-like)
After the call, ask for a written scope. Not just a price.
You want a simple document that states what is included, what is not, and how the project runs. If they cannot write a clear scope, the build will not be clear either.
This is also where you will see the difference between a big studio, a marketplace freelancer, and a solid independent designer. Studios can be excellent, but overheads tend to make them expensive. Marketplaces can work, but quality is inconsistent and you often end up paying for rework. A good standalone designer is often the sweet spot if they can handle structure, SEO basics, and content support without turning everything into upsells.
Step 6: Check availability and who does the work day-to-day
Ask when they can start, and how many projects they run at once. Then ask who does the work day-to-day.
If you are speaking to someone senior but the actual build is handed to someone else, that is not automatically bad. You just need to know. Communication is easier when the person you brief is the person doing the work.
Also confirm who handles content upload, redirects (old URLs pointing to new ones), and launch support. Those are the fiddly parts that often decide whether launch week is calm or painful.
Step 7: Decide based on fit, clarity, and confidence in the process
Make the decision on fit, clarity, and confidence in their process. Not on the longest list of deliverables.
A small judgement call that saves time: if you feel confused after the call, that usually gets worse during the project. Choose the person who explains things cleanly, asks sensible questions, and sets expectations without waffle.
Once you have that, sign off the scope, agree dates, and move forward. The best projects start with a clear plan, not endless options.
11) If you are London-based: local considerations that actually matter
London changes a few practical details, but it does not magically make the work better
Being in London can help with speed of communication and understanding your market. It can also push costs up without improving outcomes. The main difference is usually logistics, not talent.
Here are the local points worth checking before you choose a designer.
Local SEO: do the basics properly (and skip the fluff)
If you serve London or specific boroughs, your site should make that obvious in a clean, readable way. Local SEO is simply helping Google understand where you operate and what you do.
Service areas: ask how they will handle locations you cover. Often this is best done with clear wording on service pages, a short service area section, and sensible internal links. You do not always need a page for every postcode.
Location pages: only add these if they are justified. A justified page has something real to say – different services, proof of work nearby, specific logistics, or genuinely different questions people ask in that area. Thin “Web Design in X” pages are usually a waste of time and can make the site feel spammy.
Google Business Profile: if you have a real business location or you meet clients in person, your Google Business Profile matters. Check that the designer understands the basics: consistent business name, address, and phone number (often called NAP), the right primary category, a sensible description, and clear links to key pages on your site. Reviews and regular updates help too, but they should not be faked or forced.
In-person meetings: useful early on, rarely needed later
Meeting in person can be genuinely helpful for discovery. That is the stage where you agree what the site is for, who it is aimed at, what makes you different, and what you are not trying to be. It also helps with brand alignment if you have a lot of nuance, multiple stakeholders, or an established offline presence.
After that, most of the work is heads-down. Design feedback, content review, and technical decisions are usually faster in writing with a shared page to comment on. A small judgement call: if a designer pushes for lots of meetings instead of clear documentation, projects tend to drift.
UK and international clients: set timezone and support expectations
Many London businesses serve the UK and overseas. That is fine, but agree communication rules upfront. Ask what their typical response time is, what hours they work, and how they handle urgent issues after launch.
If you have stakeholders in different timezones, make sure your designer can run a process that does not rely on everyone being online at the same time. Clear weekly updates and a simple approval flow usually beat constant Slack messages.
Compliance awareness: cover the basics, then get proper legal review
Your designer does not need to be a lawyer, but they should be aware of the basics. At minimum, your site should have a privacy page, and cookie consent should be handled sensibly if you use tracking or marketing tools.
Cookie consent is simply asking for permission before placing non-essential cookies, like many analytics and advertising tags. A good designer will know how to implement this cleanly without breaking your tracking setup.
For anything beyond the basics, get a professional legal review. It is usually cheaper than fixing a mess later, and it keeps everyone in their lane.
FAQ
Words from the experts
We often see the same pattern when people come to us after a rebuild or a stalled project. We often see good-looking pages with unclear structure, and the site ends up hard to grow because nobody agreed what each page is meant to do. A simple check we use in practice is page purpose – for every key page, you should be able to say in one sentence who it is for, what question it answers, and what the next step is.
If you are choosing a web designer in London, the calm judgement call is this: favour someone who can own the structure, build, and SEO basics end to end, even if their visual style is more understated. Big studios can be very expensive, and the cheap marketplaces tend to be unreliable now that pricing has crept up. A strong standalone designer who thinks about search and AI discovery from the start is usually the steadier option for a business site that needs to last.
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