What are the biggest red flags when hiring a web design agency?
Most website projects that go badly show warning signs before anyone signs. Below are seven to watch for when you're talking to Melbourne agencies, what each one usually means, and the question to ask instead. They apply to any agency in any city, including us.
I'm Bailey, and I lead design and web at Leed Agency, a studio in Cronulla, in Sydney's Sutherland Shire. We're not Melbourne-based; we work with businesses across Australia remotely. This list is the one we'd want every buyer to use.
1. They can't show you live websites
Mock-ups, screenshots and "concepts" prove an agency can make pictures. Live websites prove it can launch things that work. If an agency can't send links to recent live sites, or every example is years old, be careful.
Ask: "Can you send me links to three live sites you've built in the last two years?"
2. The quote is one number with no detail
A single figure with no breakdown makes it impossible to compare agencies, and it's where disputes start. You need to know the number of pages, who writes the copy, whether SEO setup and tracking are included, how many revision rounds you get, and what support follows launch.
Ask: "What exactly is included, and what would cost extra?"
3. The agency will own your domain, hosting or website
Some agencies register your domain in their own name or build on a system you can't take with you. If you leave, you may lose the site or pay to get it back. A .com.au domain should be registered to your business, and you should have admin access to the website, Google Analytics and your Google Business Profile.
Ask: "Whose name will the domain and accounts be in, and will I have full admin access?"
4. Lock-in contracts for ongoing services
Long minimum terms for hosting, SEO or ad management, with exit fees, protect the agency rather than you. A good agency keeps clients because the work performs.
Ask: "Is there a minimum term, and what does it cost to leave?"
5. Guaranteed Google rankings
No one can guarantee a number one ranking on Google. Google's own advice on hiring an SEO says as much. An agency promising specific positions is either guessing or planning to rank you for terms nobody searches.
Ask: "What will you do for SEO at launch, and how will we measure it?"
6. You don't know who is building your site
If the person selling to you won't be involved after you sign, find out who will be. Work may go to a junior team or an offshore contractor you never speak to. That can be fine, but you should know, and you should be able to talk to them.
Ask: "Who will design and build my site, and will I deal with them directly?"
7. No plan for after launch
Launch is the start, not the finish. Without a support plan, small problems become expensive ones, and nobody tracks whether the site is bringing in enquiries or sales.
Ask: "What happens after launch if something breaks, and how do we check the site is working?"
What does a good agency do instead?
- Screenshots only – Green flag: Links to live sites similar to yours
- One-line quote – Green flag: Written scope listing pages, content, SEO setup, tracking and support
- Agency owns domain or site – Green flag: Domain and accounts in your name, with full admin access
- Lock-in contract – Green flag: No lock-in for ongoing services
- Guaranteed rankings – Green flag: A clear SEO setup and agreed ways to measure results
- Unknown builder – Green flag: You meet the designer and the person running your project
- Nothing after launch – Green flag: Defined support and tracking of leads or sales
Is a cheap website always a red flag?
No. A template-based site can be very good value if it's properly customised and set up. In our experience, template-based small business sites in the Australian market typically cost about $2,000 to $6,000. A quote well below that is worth questioning, not because cheap is bad, but because something is usually missing: copy, SEO setup, tracking or support. Price is only a red flag when it comes with no detail.
Are there red flags specific to Melbourne agencies?
Not really. The same warning signs apply everywhere. One worth checking anywhere is whether an agency is where it says it is. An agency being interstate isn't a red flag; claiming to be local when it isn't, is. You can check an agency's ABN and registered state on ABN Lookup, and look at its Google Business Profile for an address and genuine reviews.
Where Leed Agency fits
We're a small studio in Cronulla, Sydney, and we say plainly that we don't have a Melbourne office. Here's how we line up against the list:
- Live work: real projects, from Dektek Roofing to Spicy Dugong, are on our success stories page. We've completed 97+ projects for 86+ clients.
- Reviews: a 5.0 rating on Google Reviews.
- Who builds it: I lead design and web, and James runs Google Ads. Nothing is handed to an overseas team or a junior account manager.
- Lock-in: no lock-in contracts on our Google Ads management.
- After launch: every project moves from Planning to Design & Development to Launch & Growth, with ongoing support.
"He exceeded all expectations, he created a great website and his google ads got me great jobs in our first month." Koby Knapper, Cronulla NSW
Use the seven questions above with any agency you're considering, us included. If you'd like to put them to us, see our website design page or request a quote for a free consultation.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main red flags when hiring a web designer?
No live work to show, a vague quote, the agency keeping your domain or website, lock-in contracts, guaranteed Google rankings, not knowing who builds the site, and no plan for after launch.
Can a web design agency guarantee a number one Google ranking?
No. Nobody controls Google's rankings, and Google's own guidance warns against anyone who promises a guaranteed position.
Who should own my website domain?
Your business should. The domain, website and accounts such as Google Analytics should be registered to you, with the agency given access rather than ownership.
Is it a red flag if a web design agency isn't based in Melbourne?
No. Many projects run well remotely. The red flag is an agency claiming to be local when it isn't, which you can check through ABN Lookup and its Google Business Profile.
Where is Leed Agency based?
Leed Agency is based in Cronulla in Sydney's Sutherland Shire. It has no Melbourne office and works with businesses Australia-wide remotely.
.png)
