# 12 questions to ask any web agency

Including us. If an agency cannot answer these plainly, that is your answer.

Published by **Tech Hub Services** — techhubservices.com

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## Ownership

**1. Do I own the code, the content, the domain and the hosting account when
we are finished?**

You should. Some agencies register the domain in their own name, which means
leaving them costs you your web address. Ask for everything in your name from
day one, not "transferred at the end".

**2. Can I take the site to another developer without your permission?**

If the answer involves a proprietary platform or a builder only they can
access, you are renting, not buying. That may be fine — just know which one
you are agreeing to.

## Money

**3. Is the price fixed, and what specifically changes it?**

"Fixed" should mean fixed unless you request work outside the written scope.
Ask what happens if the project takes longer than expected through no fault of
yours.

**4. What is not included?**

The most useful question on this list. Domain, hosting, stock images, content
writing, ad spend and post-launch changes are the usual omissions. An agency
that has a ready answer has thought about it; one that improvises has not.

**5. What is the payment schedule, and what do I get at each stage?**

Paying everything up front removes your leverage. A staged schedule tied to
deliverables — deposit, design approval, launch — protects both sides.

**6. What will this cost me every month after launch?**

Hosting, domain renewal, plugin licences, care plans. Get the annual running
cost in writing before you commit to the build cost.

## The work itself

**7. Who is actually building it?**

Ask whether the person in the meeting is the person writing the code, and
whether any of it is subcontracted. Neither answer is wrong, but you should
know.

**8. Can I see a site you built that is still live today?**

Not a portfolio image — a working URL you can open on your phone. Then check
how fast it loads and how it reads on a small screen.

**9. Will I be able to update the content myself?**

If yes, ask to see the editing screen before you commit. Some content systems
are only editable by a developer in practice.

**10. What happens if something breaks two months after launch?**

Ask for the support period in writing, what counts as a bug versus a new
request, and the response time you can expect.

## Getting found

**11. What exactly are you doing about search?**

"SEO included" means nothing. Ask which pages target which searches, and what
they will do about page speed, structured data and Google Business Profile.
Anyone guaranteeing a number-one ranking is not being straight with you.

**12. How will I know whether it worked?**

Agree what success means before you start — enquiries per month, calls,
bookings. If nobody sets up conversion tracking, nobody can tell you later
whether the money did anything.

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## Two answers that should worry you

- **"Don't worry about the technical side."** It is your business asset. You
  are allowed to understand it.
- **"We can start today."** Anyone genuinely good is booked at least a couple
  of weeks out.

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*Written by Tech Hub Services. We published this knowing prospects would use
it on us — that is the point. If our answers do not hold up, you should hire
someone else.*

**techhubservices.com**