The short answer: choose a Northland web designer by asking who writes the content, whether you’ll own the site, how it will get found on Google, how you’ll know it’s working, how long it takes, and what happens after launch — then look at sites they’ve built for businesses like yours. A good designer answers all of these without hesitation.

Here are the eight questions I’d ask, and what a good answer sounds like.

1. Who writes the words?

Many designers build a nice-looking shell and leave you to fill it. Then the site sits half-finished for months. Ask if copywriting is included. If not, budget the time (or cost) to write it yourself.

Good answer: “I’ll write it from a short chat with you, and you approve it before it goes live.”

2. Will I own the website and domain?

Your domain name should be registered in your name, and you should be able to take your site elsewhere. Walk away from anyone who keeps the domain in their own name.

3. How will it get found on Google?

A website nobody finds doesn’t bring in work. Ask about a page for each service, mentioning the places you work (Whangarei, Kamo, Ruakaka, Mangawhai…), and whether they’ll set up your Google Business Profile properly.

4. How will I know it’s working?

Ask if form and call tracking are included, so you can see how many enquiries the site brings in each month. Without it, you’ll never know if the money was well spent.

5. How long will it take?

Timelines vary from two weeks to several months. A long build is a long time without the enquiries the new site should be bringing in. Ask what they need from you and when.

6. What happens after launch?

Who updates the site, how much do changes cost, and who looks after security and backups? Can you make simple changes yourself?

7. Can I see sites you’ve built for businesses like mine?

Look at their work on your phone, not just the screenshots. Do the sites load fast? Is it obvious what each business does and how to contact them? Ask if you can talk to one of their clients.

8. Can we meet?

Plenty of good work happens over the phone, but for a local business it helps to work with someone who knows the area and can come and photograph your work. Northland has more than enough local talent to make this easy.

Red flags

Big upfront payment before you’ve seen any design.
Vague answers about who owns the site.
Promising “page one of Google” or guaranteed rankings.
No examples of real, current client sites.

How we answer these

I’m based in Mangawhai and build websites for businesses across Northland. Copy is written for you, you own everything, every site is built to be found locally with tracking from day one, and most go live in 14 days. There’s no deposit until you approve the design.

See website design in Whangarei and website design in Mangawhai, or get a free Game Plan.