Your website is often the first interaction a potential customer has with your brand. Whether you’re running a business, nonprofit, or personal brand, a well-built website is essential for establishing credibility, driving leads, and increasing conversions. That makes your choice of web designer a critical business decision—not just a creative one.
Unfortunately, many people hire web designers based solely on flashy portfolios or low price tags. The result? Websites that look fine on the surface but underperform, break down, or even hurt the business in the long run. At Ask the Egghead, we’ve been brought in to fix these problems countless times—sites that were either poorly built, insecure, impossible to update, or designed without any thought toward strategy.
To help you avoid those pitfalls, here are three clear red flags that suggest your web designer might not be the professional you need.
Red Flag #1: They Only Talk About Design—Not Business Goals
There’s more to a website than how it looks. A true professional knows that design is only one part of a much larger picture. A great website should be built to support your goals—whether that’s booking more appointments, capturing leads, selling products, or building your authority.
If your designer is focused entirely on colors, fonts, and layout without asking you about your audience, your goals, or how you measure success, that’s a sign they’re thinking like an artist, not a strategist.
Ask yourself:
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Did they ask what action you want users to take?
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Did they talk about lead generation, sales funnels, or SEO?
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Did they ask about your industry, competition, or customer journey?
If the answer is no, your designer is missing the big picture. A beautiful website with no strategy is like a billboard in the middle of the desert—it might look nice, but no one sees it and it doesn’t help your business.
At Ask the Egghead, every project begins with a strategy session. We take the time to understand your goals and audience before we even touch a line of code. That way, we can design a site that doesn’t just look good—it performs.
Red Flag #2: They Don’t Understand Hosting, Maintenance, or Security
A great design is meaningless if the website crashes, loads slowly, or gets hacked. Many people assume that web designers are also experts in performance, security, and hosting, but that’s rarely the case.
Be cautious if your designer:
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Uses cheap, shared hosting providers without explaining the risks
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Doesn’t offer or recommend SSL certificates, backups, or security scans
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Can’t clearly explain how updates and maintenance will be handled
Websites aren’t “set and forget.” WordPress sites, in particular, require ongoing updates to plugins, themes, and the core software. Without maintenance, your site becomes vulnerable to downtime, slow performance, or worse—security breaches.
This is why we offer Managed WordPress Hosting at Ask the Egghead. Our hosting plans come with daily backups, malware protection, SSL encryption, and a performance-optimized server environment, so your site runs fast and stays secure.
Before hiring a designer, ask who’s responsible for hosting, security, and maintenance. If they leave it all up to you, that’s a red flag.
Red Flag #3: They Don’t Offer Ongoing Support or Communicate Clearly
Web design isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing relationship. Your site will need updates, improvements, and occasional troubleshooting. If your designer disappears after the site launches or is hard to reach when problems come up, that’s a serious issue.
Lack of clear communication is one of the most common complaints business owners have about working with web designers. You should never be left wondering:
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What’s the status of my project?
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When will the next milestone be delivered?
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Who do I contact if something breaks?
A true professional sets clear expectations, responds in a timely manner, and offers post-launch support—either through a care plan, maintenance package, or ongoing retainer.
At Ask the Egghead, we stay connected with our clients long after launch. We offer support and maintenance packages to keep sites up-to-date, secure, and running smoothly. When you work with us, you’re not just getting a site—you’re getting a partner.
Bonus: How to Spot a True Pro
Here are a few green flags that tell you you’re dealing with a qualified, reliable web design professional:
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They ask about your goals and tailor the site around them
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They explain hosting, updates, and security in simple terms
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They offer transparent timelines, pricing, and communication
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They provide post-launch support and a clear maintenance plan
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They use professional tools and avoid cutting corners with outdated practices
Web design should be about more than pretty visuals—it should be about building a reliable, effective, and results-driven online presence for your brand. Contact Us Today!
