Before you pay for a website

The questions to ask any web designer or website service before you sign, so you know what you are getting and what happens if you leave.

Buying a website can feel like a gamble. Prices vary hugely, the terms are often unclear, and you may not see the finished site until you have paid. A few questions up front can save you money and headaches.

Start with what you need

Before you talk to anyone, write down what you want the site to do. For most service businesses, the answer is simple: show up in local searches and get people to call or request a quote. That usually means a page for each service, your service area, reviews, real photos, a quote form and a fast mobile site. Anything beyond that should earn its place.

Questions about cost

What is the total cost in the first year? Include setup fees, monthly fees, hosting and anything else.
What does it cost after the first year? Some prices go up after an introductory period.
What is included in the monthly fee? Hosting, security, updates, changes, support?
What costs extra? New pages, design changes, photos, extra edits?

Questions about the contract

How long is the contract? Month to month, one year, longer?
How do I cancel, and is there a fee?
Is there a money-back guarantee, and what are its conditions?

Read the terms. If the answer is "it depends", ask for it in writing.

Questions about ownership

These matter most if you ever leave.

Who owns the domain name? It should be registered to you.
Who owns the content? Your text, photos and reviews should be yours to take.
What happens to the website if I cancel? Do you get a copy, or does it disappear?
Can I move my site to someone else? Some platforms make this easy, others make it impossible.

Questions about what you get

Can I see it before I pay? Some providers show you a preview or a draft first. That removes a lot of risk.
How will it look and work on a phone? Ask to see real examples on your own phone.
How do I make changes? Do you email a request and wait, edit it yourself, or something else?
How fast are changes made? Hours, days, weeks?

Questions about results

How will I know if it is working? You should be able to see visits, calls and form submissions.
Will it be set up with Google Search Console?
Who keeps my hours, services and prices up to date?

Be wary of anyone who guarantees first place on Google or a set number of leads. Nobody controls Google's rankings, and honest providers will say so.

Red flags

Pressure to sign the same day.
Vague answers about who owns the domain.
Long contracts with expensive exit fees.
No examples of real, live sites you can visit.
Promises of guaranteed rankings or results.
Fake-looking reviews or testimonials.

Comparing options

You will usually find three kinds of options:

Doing it yourself with a website builder. Cheapest in money, most expensive in time.
A freelancer or agency. Can be excellent, but prices and quality vary widely. Ask the questions above.
A website service with a monthly fee. Often simpler, but check the contract and ownership terms carefully.

None is right for everyone. The best choice is the one where you understand what you pay, what you get and what happens if you leave.

A simple checklist before you sign

Total cost for the first year and after.
Contract length and how to cancel.
Domain registered to you.
What happens to the site if you leave.
A preview or real examples you can check on your phone.
A clear way to make changes.
A way to see visits, calls and forms.

If a provider answers all of these clearly, you are in a good position to decide.

About FirstGen. FirstGen builds local service businesses a website from their Google listing (your name, reviews, photos, services and service area) before you pay anything. If you like the free preview, it goes live for $197 a month with hosting, your own domain and a dashboard that shows every visit, call and form. Get your free preview.

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