Hiring a web designer can feel like a gamble. You often pay upfront, wait weeks, and hope the result matches what you pictured. It does not have to work that way.
Start by asking to see real, recent work for businesses like yours. Templates recycled across hundreds of clients are a red flag.
Ask who you will actually talk to. If the answer is a ticket queue or an overseas contractor, expect friction every time you need a change.
Best of all, ask if you can see a working preview before you pay. A designer confident in their work will happily show you the site first — that single question filters out most of the risk.