New website: 12 mistakes to avoid before hiring an agency
Before hiring an agency, clarify domain and code ownership, recurring costs, an SEO migration plan, conversion strategy, measurement, maintenance and support. That's where projects are won or lost.
Sylvain
1. Choosing on price alone
The cheapest quote is usually the one that includes least. Without a content structure, technical SEO, mobile testing or ongoing support, the cost resurfaces months later. Compare what's included, not just the total.
2. Not defining the site's goal
Generating quote requests, selling online, cutting support calls and recruiting are different goals, and they lead to different websites. Without a clear goal, the result gets judged on taste rather than performance.
3. Not clarifying ownership of the work
Ask in writing who ends up owning the design, the content and the code, and what happens if you switch suppliers one day. You should be able to leave without losing your site.
4. Registering the domain in the agency's name
The domain should be registered in the company's name, with access for the client itself. It's one of the few truly irreplaceable digital assets. The full topic is covered in how to choose a domain.
5. Overlooking hosting
Cheap shared hosting explains a lot of downtime and sluggishness. Ask where the site is hosted, what performance is guaranteed, what backups exist and how often they're tested.
6. Not asking about recurring costs
Domain, hosting, certificates, theme and plugin licences, email, maintenance and any integrations all carry annual costs. Ask for the estimated yearly total before you decide.
7. Replacing an old site without a migration plan
If the current site already gets search traffic, changing URLs without redirects wipes that out. A minimum plan includes a URL inventory, mapping to the new pages, permanent redirects and checks in the following weeks.
8. Accepting a poor mobile design
Ask to see the project on a phone before you approve it. Awkward menus, tiny text, buttons that are too close together and images that push content down the page cost enquiries every single day.
9. Not thinking about conversion
A good-looking site with no decision path is an expense. Every important page needs a goal, a clear call to action and proof points that answer the doubts of a hesitant visitor, as we describe in how to get more clients.
10. Launching without measurement
Without traffic analysis and conversion tracking there's no way to know whether the investment paid off, or to justify the next step.
11. Having no maintenance agreement
Updates, monitoring, backups and small fixes need an owner. Without one, the site quietly deteriorates until the day it stops working.
12. Having no way to edit content
You should be able to change text, prices, opening hours and news without relying on someone else for every comma. Ask for a demo of the editing tools before delivery, plus basic training for your team.
Checklist for your website project
| Point | What to confirm before signing |
|---|---|
| Goal | What action we want the visitor to take |
| Ownership | Domain, content and code registered to the company |
| Hosting | Where it's hosted, performance and backups |
| Annual costs | Total recurring spend, not just the build price |
| Migration | URL map and redirects, if a site already exists |
| Content | Who writes it, who reviews it, and by when |
| Languages | Which languages, with a correct URL structure |
| Measurement | Analytics and conversions set up at launch |
| Maintenance | What's included, response time and price |
| Training | How your team edits content after delivery |
To prepare your budget, also see how much a professional website costs in Portugal.
About the author
Sylvain
Founder, WebCastelo
Sylvain is the founder of WebCastelo and works every day on websites, online stores, booking systems, custom software, SEO and digital advertising for companies in Portugal and the rest of Europe. He writes about what he sees in real projects: what works, what costs money without a return and what is worth doing first.
