The direct answer: the questions that matter most
Before hiring a web developer, ask to see live, working projects (not screenshots), ask who will actually own the code and the domain after launch, ask what happens after the site goes live (support, maintenance, who fixes a bug in month three), ask how they handle scope changes mid-project, and ask them to explain — in plain terms — how the site will actually generate leads or sales, not just how it will look.
These five questions filter out most of the risk in hiring a web developer, because they surface the things that actually go wrong: work that was never really live, code you don't own, silence after launch, scope disputes, and a site that looks good but doesn't do anything for the business.
Ask to see real, live work — not a portfolio screenshot
Ask for links to live sites the developer built, not a PDF of mockups or a screenshot. A developer with real delivered work will hand you a URL immediately. Click through it on your phone — check that it loads fast, that forms work, that it isn't a template with the logo swapped out.
It's fair to ask directly which specific features (a booking system, a payment integration, a dashboard) they built themselves versus what came bundled with a theme or plugin — the answer tells you a lot about actual capability.
Ask who owns the code, domain and hosting after launch
This is the question most businesses skip and regret. Some developers build on their own hosting account or keep domain control, which means the business doesn't actually own its own website — and switching developers later becomes a hostage situation. Ask explicitly: will I have full access to the code, the domain registrar, and the hosting account when this is done?
A developer confident in their work has no reason to withhold this. Reluctance to hand over full ownership is one of the clearest red flags in this entire process.
Ask what happens after launch
A website is not a one-time deliverable — it needs security updates, occasional bug fixes, and adjustments as the business changes. Ask what support looks like after launch: is there a maintenance plan, what's covered, and what's the response time if something breaks.
Also worth asking directly: what happens if I need a change six months from now — do I need to hire someone new, or is there a path to get help from the person who built it?
- Can I see live, working examples of your past projects?
- Will I own the code, domain and hosting fully after launch?
- What support or maintenance is included after launch?
- How do you handle scope changes mid-project?
- How will this website actually generate leads or sales for my business?
Ask how they think about conversion, not just design
A developer who only talks about design and colors is solving half the problem. Ask how they'll structure the site to capture leads, whether they'll build in automation (WhatsApp, CRM, forms that actually route somewhere), and how they think about SEO and AI-search visibility from the start rather than as an afterthought.
The answer to this question is often the clearest signal of whether you're hiring someone who builds websites or someone who builds systems that make the business money.