The Ultimate Guide: 100 Questions to Vet Your Website Designer & SEO Partner

Hiring a website designer or SEO professional is a pivotal decision for your business. Your website is your digital storefront, and its visibility in search engines is your primary source of new customers. A wrong choice can lead to thousands of wasted dollars, months of lost time, and competitors surging ahead.

Asking the right questions isn't just about due diligence; it's about finding a true partner, not just a vendor. This expanded guide breaks down 100 critical questions, but more importantly, it explains why you should ask them and what a great answer sounds like.

The Top 100 Questions to Ask a Website Designer and SEO

Below are the ten sections that cover all 100 questions you need to ask before hiring. Each section explains why these questions matter and the type of answers you should look for when interviewing a potential partner.

Section 1: General Background & Experience (The "Who Are You?" Test)

This section helps you gauge their credibility, expertise, and cultural fit.

1. How long have you been designing websites?

   • Why Ask: Experience correlates with problem-solving ability. A veteran has likely navigated complex technical and client challenges.
   • Good Answer: “Over 25 years, working with about 250 clients across various industries,” backed by examples or a timeline.

2. How long have you been doing SEO?

   • Why Ask: SEO is a marathon. Longevity suggests they’ve adapted to major Google updates.
   • Good Answer: “Since 2015. We’ve successfully adapted through Core Web Vitals and Helpful Content updates.”

3. Can you show me a portfolio of your past work?

   • Why Ask: Reveals design aesthetic, technical capability, and business types served.
   • Good Answer: Curated case studies describing their role, challenges, and results (e.g., “+200% organic traffic in 6 months”).

4. Do you have client references I can contact?

   • Why Ask: References provide unbiased insight into communication and reliability.
   • Good Answer: Willing to share 2–3 relevant references with similar scope.

5. Have you worked in my industry before?

   • Why Ask: Industry familiarity shortens the learning curve, especially for SEO intent.
   • Good Answer: Direct experience, or adjacent experience plus a clear research process.

6. What types of businesses do you specialize in?

   • Why Ask: Fit matters. Enterprise specialists aren’t always right for local SMBs (and vice versa).
   • Good Answer: Clear ICP (e.g., “B2B SaaS” or “local service businesses”).

7. What tools and technologies do you use?

   • Why Ask: Tests technical proficiency and modern standards alignment.
   • Good Answer: Web: PHP, CSS, HTML/Shopify, GA4, GSC. SEO: Ahrefs/SEMrush, Screaming Frog, Looker Studio.

8. How do you stay up to date with web design trends?

   • Why Ask: Trends (accessibility, micro-interactions, dark mode) evolve.
   • Good Answer: Follows Awwwards, Smashing Magazine; conferences; ongoing training.

9. How do you stay updated with SEO algorithm changes?

   • Why Ask: SEO requires constant adaptation.
   • Good Answer: Google Search Central, industry publications, in-house testing/sandboxes.

10. What makes you different from other designers/SEOs?

    • Why Ask: Surfaces their unique value prop (UVP).
    • Good Answer: “We build conversion-first sites integrated with analytics and sustainable SEO.”

Section 2: Website Design Process (The "How Will You Build It?" Plan)

A transparent process prevents misunderstandings and ensures a smooth project.

11. What’s your design process from start to finish?

    • Why Ask: A defined flow signals professionalism.
    • Good Answer: Discovery → IA/Wireframes → Visual Design → Development → QA/Accessibility → Launch → Training.

12. Do you create custom designs or use pre-made templates?

    • Why Ask: Sets cost/uniqueness expectations.
    • Good Answer: “Primarily custom, but we’ll leverage a robust framework when it benefits stability and budget.”

13. Will the website be mobile-friendly/responsive?

    • Why Ask: Non-negotiable in a mobile-first world.
    • Good Answer: “Yes—designed mobile-first and tested across common breakpoints/devices.”

14. Can you integrate e-commerce functionality if needed?

    • Why Ask: Future-proofing.
    • Good Answer: Experience with Shopify; secure checkout; tax/shipping; PCI awareness.

15. How do you ensure accessibility compliance (ADA/WCAG)?

    • Why Ask: Legal, ethical, and SEO-friendly.
    • Good Answer: WCAG 2.1 AA checklist; semantic HTML; keyboard nav; color contrast; screen-reader audits (axe/WAVE).

16. Will you handle image optimization for speed and SEO?

    • Why Ask: Images are a top performance culprit.
    • Good Answer: Proper dimensions, compression, WebP/AVIF, lazy loading, descriptive file names/alt text.

17. Do you provide wireframes or prototypes before coding?

    • Why Ask: Prevents expensive rework.
    • Good Answer: Interactive prototypes (e.g., Figma) for key templates and flows.

18. What CMS do you recommend and why?

    • Why Ask: The CMS must fit your use case.
    • Good Answer: AldoMedia CMS for flexible content; Shopify for e-commerce; rationale tailored to your needs.

19. Will the site be scalable for future growth?

    • Why Ask: Avoid rebuilds later.
    • Good Answer: Modular components, clean IA, extensible hosting, staging environments.

20. Do you offer logo and branding services as part of web design?

    • Why Ask: Cohesive identity matters.
    • Good Answer: Full brand kits (logo, type, color, usage) or expert application of your existing brand.

Section 3: SEO Foundation (The "Will People Find It?" Blueprint)

SEO should be baked into the website from the start, not bolted on later.

21. Do you perform keyword research?

    • Why Ask: Targeting demand is step one.
    • Good Answer: Intent-focused research using Ahrefs/SEMrush + SERP analysis.

22. How do you determine target keywords?

    • Why Ask: Strategy beats guesswork.
    • Good Answer: Balance volume, difficulty, and commercial intent; mix head + long-tail.

23. Do you set up on-page SEO for every page?

    • Why Ask: Every page is a ranking asset.
    • Good Answer: Optimized titles, metas, headers, body copy, and internal links on launch.

24. Will you handle meta titles and descriptions?

    • Why Ask: They drive CTR from SERPs.
    • Good Answer: Compelling, keyword-relevant copy with character-length best practices.

25. How do you structure header tags (H1, H2, H3)?

    • Why Ask: Hierarchy aids scanning and relevance.
    • Good Answer: One H1 per page; logical H2/H3 sections aligned to intent.

26. Do you optimize for local SEO?

    • Why Ask: Critical for geo-based businesses.
    • Good Answer: NAP consistency, GBP setup/optimization, local schema, location pages.

27. Will you create XML sitemaps and submit them?

    • Why Ask: Helps discovery and indexing.
    • Good Answer: Auto-generated and submitted in GSC at launch.

28. How do you handle robots.txt?

    • Why Ask: Misconfigurations can block indexing.
    • Good Answer: Allow critical assets; disallow only admin/system paths.

29. Do you add schema markup for structured data?

    • Why Ask: Enhances rich results and clarity.
    • Good Answer: JSON-LD for LocalBusiness/Service/Product/Article as applicable.

30. Will you provide SEO-friendly URLs?

    • Why Ask: Clean slugs aid users and bots.
    • Good Answer: Short, descriptive, hyphenated (e.g., /services/web-design).

Section 4: Technical SEO & Site Performance (The "Is It Built to Last?" Inspection)

Technical SEO is the foundation that allows all your other efforts to succeed. A beautiful site that's slow or unstable won’t rank or convert.

31. Do you optimize for Core Web Vitals?

    • Why Ask: LCP, CLS, INP are ranking signals and UX drivers.
    • Good Answer: Lighthouse/CrUX monitoring; targets “Good” thresholds at launch.

32. How do you ensure fast page load times?

    • Why Ask: Speed impacts conversions and SEO.
    • Good Answer: Lazy loading, code splitting, minification, preloading critical assets.

33. Do you implement caching and compression?

    • Why Ask: Big wins with low risk.
    • Good Answer: Server/page caching + Brotli/GZIP; proper cache-control headers.

34. How do you handle mobile speed optimization?

    • Why Ask: Mobile-first indexing.
    • Good Answer: Responsive images (srcset), prioritize above-the-fold, remove render-blocking JS/CSS.

35. Will you install SSL and make the site secure (HTTPS)?

    • Why Ask: Security and trust baseline.
    • Good Answer: Enforce HTTPS; HSTS; secure cookies; no mixed content.

36. How do you handle redirects and broken links?

    • Why Ask: Preserve equity; avoid 404s.
    • Good Answer: 301 redirect map for URL changes; periodic link audits.

37. Do you use CDN services for performance?

    • Why Ask: Improves global load times.
    • Good Answer: Cloudflare/StackPath for static assets and edge caching.

38. Will you check for crawl errors in Google Search Console?

    • Why Ask: Crawl errors block indexing.
    • Good Answer: GSC set up at launch; ongoing monitoring/repair of coverage issues.

39. Do you fix duplicate content issues?

    • Why Ask: Duplicate pages dilute signals.
    • Good Answer: Canonicals, redirects, parameter handling, unique content strategy.

40. How do you ensure images are optimized for SEO?

    • Why Ask: Image search + speed gains.
    • Good Answer: Descriptive filenames, alt text, sitemaps for images, lazy loading.

Section 5: Content Strategy (The "What Will You Say?" Plan)

Content is the substance that answers user queries and demonstrates expertise. SEO without quality content is hollow.

41. Do you write content or should I provide it?

    • Why Ask: Scope/cost clarity prevents stalls.
    • Good Answer: Offers copywriting or optimization of your drafts; decided upfront.

42. Do you optimize content for keywords?

    • Why Ask: Intent alignment matters.
    • Good Answer: Primary/secondary keywords placed naturally in titles, headers, body, and anchors.

43. Do you follow Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines?

    • Why Ask: Critical for trust, especially in YMYL niches.
    • Good Answer: Cite sources, author creds, fact-checking, first-hand experience where possible.

44. How do you balance SEO with user-friendly copy?

    • Why Ask: Keyword stuffing harms UX.
    • Good Answer: Write for users first; optimize to satisfy searcher intent completely.

45. Will you provide a content calendar?

    • Why Ask: Consistency compounds results.
    • Good Answer: Editorial roadmap tied to keyword themes and seasonal demand.

46. Do you optimize blog posts for SEO?

    • Why Ask: Blogs capture long-tail demand.
    • Good Answer: Target keyword, optimized meta, scannable headers, internal links, alt text.

47. Can you add internal linking strategies?

    • Why Ask: Guides users and distributes PageRank.
    • Good Answer: Intent-based hubs; link from posts to money pages and vice versa.

48. How do you handle duplicate content?

    • Why Ask: Common in product pages and syndication.
    • Good Answer: Canonicals, unique descriptions, noindex for utility pages.

49. Do you optimize images with alt tags?

    • Why Ask: Accessibility + image SEO.
    • Good Answer: Descriptive alt for meaningful images; empty alt for decorative ones.

50. Do you recommend long-form content for ranking?

    • Why Ask: Depth often wins competitive terms.
    • Good Answer: Use long-form where intent warrants comprehensive coverage (1,500–3,000+ words).

Section 6: Off-Page SEO & Backlinks (The "How Do You Build Authority?" Game Plan)

Off-page SEO, primarily backlinks, builds your site’s reputation and authority.

51. How do you approach link building?

    • Why Ask: Quality > quantity.
    • Good Answer: Earned links via link-worthy content, digital PR, and tailored outreach—not buying links.

52. Do you follow white-hat practices only?

    • Why Ask: Black-hat risks penalties.
    • Good Answer: Strictly white-hat, Google-compliant tactics for sustainable gains.

53. Will you help with local citations and directory listings?

    • Why Ask: NAP consistency boosts local visibility.
    • Good Answer: Curated, relevant directories; ongoing accuracy management.

54. How do you measure backlink quality?

    • Why Ask: Authority and relevance matter most.
    • Good Answer: Evaluate DR/DA, topical relevance, anchor context, traffic.

55. Do you monitor toxic backlinks?

    • Why Ask: Spam blasts happen.
    • Good Answer: Regular audits; disavow only when necessary and justified.

56. Will you handle outreach for backlinks?

    • Why Ask: Outreach is time-intensive and specialized.
    • Good Answer: Personalized pitches to relevant publishers/journalists with value-add content.

57. Can you help with guest blogging?

    • Why Ask: Expands audience and earns links.
    • Good Answer: Identify targets, pitch topics, write high-quality, relevant posts.

58. Do you have relationships with publishers?

    • Why Ask: Warm relationships accelerate PR.
    • Good Answer: A network in your vertical and clear process if starting cold.

59. Do you help with PR and SEO synergy?

    • Why Ask: Media wins can drive powerful links.
    • Good Answer: Coordinate with PR to secure follow links, optimize press assets, and track impact.

60. Do you monitor competitors’ backlinks?

    • Why Ask: Reveals replicable opportunities.
    • Good Answer: Competitive gap analysis to inform outreach targets.

Section 7: Analytics & Reporting (The "How Do We Measure Success?" Dashboard)

Data-driven decisions are key to growth. This section ensures clarity on performance and ROI.

61. Do you set up Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console?

    • Why Ask: Fundamental tracking tools.
    • Good Answer: GA4 + GSC installed and configured at onboarding; conversions defined.

62. What KPIs do you track?

    • Why Ask: Avoid vanity metrics.
    • Good Answer: Organic sessions, CTR, rankings/visibility, conversions, assisted revenue, bounce/engagement by page.

63. Will I get monthly reports?

    • Why Ask: Accountability and clarity.
    • Good Answer: Executive summary + insights + next steps, not just screenshots.

64. What format are the reports delivered in?

    • Why Ask: Shareability and access.
    • Good Answer: PDF plus live Looker Studio dashboard with 24/7 access.

65. Can you provide real-time dashboards?

    • Why Ask: On-demand visibility.
    • Good Answer: Custom dashboards tailored to your KPIs.

66. Do you track phone calls and form submissions?

    • Why Ask: Leads and sales are the goal.
    • Good Answer: Call tracking numbers; GA4 events for forms/buttons; CRM integration when possible.

67. How do you measure ROI from SEO?

    • Why Ask: Connects tactics to revenue.
    • Good Answer: Lead value models, pipeline attribution, cost vs. value comparisons.

68. How do you track keyword ranking changes?

    • Why Ask: Gauges progress.
    • Good Answer: Rank trackers for target sets; visibility indices; SERP feature tracking.

69. Do you monitor competitor performance?

    • Why Ask: Context matters.
    • Good Answer: Track competitors’ top pages, keywords gained/lost, and link velocity.

70. Will you provide ongoing strategy adjustments?

    • Why Ask: SEO is iterative.
    • Good Answer: Monthly recommendations informed by data and algorithm changes.

Section 8: Maintenance & Support (The "What Happens After Launch?" Safety Net)

A website is not a one-time purchase; it’s an ongoing asset that requires care.

71. Do you provide ongoing support after launch?

    • Why Ask: Post-launch needs are inevitable.
    • Good Answer: Tiered support plans for edits, enhancements, emergencies.

72. Will you maintain plugins and updates?

    • Why Ask: Outdated software = security risk.
    • Good Answer: Scheduled updates with backups and rollback plans.

73. Do you provide backups?

    • Why Ask: Recovery requires recent backups.
    • Good Answer: Automated daily/weekly off-site backups; tested restoration process.

74. Do you offer security monitoring?

    • Why Ask: Prevention beats remediation.
    • Good Answer: Malware scans, WAF/firewall, login hardening, uptime alerts.

75. How quickly do you fix issues or downtime?

    • Why Ask: You need SLA clarity.
    • Good Answer: Severity-based response times; e.g., site-down responses within hours.

76. Do you offer hosting?

    • Why Ask: Performance/security vary by host.
    • Good Answer: Managed hosting optimized for CMS; or vetted recommendations.

77. What’s included in maintenance packages?

    • Why Ask: “Maintenance” can be vague.
    • Good Answer: Updates, backups, security, uptime monitoring, support hours, small enhancements.

78. Do you provide training so I can update content?

    • Why Ask: Empower your team.
    • Good Answer: Handover session, recorded videos, admin access with guardrails.

79. Can I make edits without your help?

    • Why Ask: Avoid vendor lock-in.
    • Good Answer: Full CMS access; simple edits are DIY; bigger changes via support.

80. How do you handle website migrations?

    • Why Ask: Botched migrations wreck SEO.
    • Good Answer: Detailed checklist: staging, redirects, pre/post crawls, analytics continuity.

Section 9: Pricing & Contracts (The "What Will It Cost?" Fine Print)

Clarity on money and legal terms prevents conflicts and keeps the partnership fair.

81. Do you charge hourly or a flat rate?

    • Why Ask: Budget predictability.
    • Good Answer: Fixed-price builds; monthly retainers for ongoing SEO.

82. What’s included in your package pricing?

    • Why Ask: Avoid missing essentials.
    • Good Answer: Itemized deliverables (pages, revisions, SEO setup, training).

83. Are there hidden fees?

    • Why Ask: No surprises.
    • Good Answer: Transparent third-party costs (hosting, premium plugins, stock) pre-approved.

84. How do you handle extra requests?

    • Why Ask: Scope creep is common.
    • Good Answer: Formal change orders with pricing/timeline impact.

85. Do you require a deposit?

    • Why Ask: Standard industry practice.
    • Good Answer: 50% to start; balance at milestones/launch.

86. What’s your payment schedule?

    • Why Ask: Cash-flow planning.
    • Good Answer: Example: 50% deposit, 50% at launch.

87. Do you offer refunds if I’m not satisfied?

    • Why Ask: Sets expectations.
    • Good Answer: Custom work = no full refunds; structured remediation process to meet spec.

88. How do you handle scope creep?

    • Why Ask: Project control.
    • Good Answer: Refer to scope doc; new features quoted and approved before work.

89. Do you have minimum contract lengths for SEO?

    • Why Ask: SEO takes time to bear fruit.
    • Good Answer: 6–12 month minimums with monthly performance reviews.

90. What’s your cancellation policy?

    • Why Ask: Know your exit path.
    • Good Answer: 30-day notice for retainers; deposits reserve time and are non-refundable.

Section 10: Red Flags & Transparency (The "Trust but Verify" Checklist)

These questions help you spot warning signs and ensure a transparent, healthy relationship.

91. Do you guarantee #1 rankings?

    • Why Ask: Biggest SEO red flag.
    • Good Answer: No guarantees—only proven process, ethical work, and measurable progress.

92. Will you share all login credentials with me?

    • Why Ask: You must own your assets.
    • Good Answer: You are primary owner of domain, hosting, GA4, GSC; agency has delegated access.

93. Do I own the website and content after launch?

    • Why Ask: Avoid lock-ins.
    • Good Answer: You own the design/code/content; agency retains portfolio display rights.

94. Will you use AI-generated content?

    • Why Ask: Quality and trust concerns.
    • Good Answer: AI only as assistive tool; all content human-edited, fact-checked, brand-voiced.

95. How do you handle penalties or algorithm updates?

    • Why Ask: Risk management.
    • Good Answer: Monitor drops; full audit; recovery plan; reconsideration requests if needed.

96. Will you disclose all third-party tools used?

    • Why Ask: Transparency builds trust.
    • Good Answer: Full stack shared; view-only access where applicable.

97. Do you outsource any work overseas?

    • Why Ask: Know who’s doing the work.
    • Good Answer: Core strategy in-house; specialized tasks vetted; strict Quality Control.

98. Will you explain strategies in plain English?

    • Why Ask: Clarity prevents confusion.
    • Good Answer: Clear business-level explanations of what, why, and impact.

99. Do you lock clients into proprietary systems?

    • Why Ask: Freedom to move.
    • Good Answer: Open platforms like PHP, HTML and CSS; no hostage situations.

100. What happens if I want to switch providers?

     • Why Ask: Final integrity check.
     • Good Answer: Professional offboarding with site/database backup and asset transfer.

Conclusion

Asking these 100 questions will thoroughly vet any potential website designer or SEO partner. The right candidate will welcome your diligence, providing clear, confident, and transparent answers. They will see you as a long-term partner, not a short-term project. This investment of time upfront will save you from costly mistakes and lay the foundation for a successful online presence that drives real business growth for years to come.