5 Critical Questions to Ask Your Marketing Agency Before Building a Website

A website represents your business 24/7, and potential customers are making snap judgments about your credibility before they ever contact you. Yet many companies rush into web development without asking the crucial questions that determine success. At L&L Collective, we've seen businesses waste thousands on beautiful websites that fail to generate leads because they skipped these five essential conversations with their agency. Before you sign that contract, make sure you know exactly what you're getting and why it matters for your bottom line.

1. What platform are you building in, and why?

Every website platform comes with its own strengths and limitations. Some excel at blogging capabilities, others at e-commerce functionality, and others for service-based businesses.

Unfortunately, many web designers choose platforms based on their own comfort level rather than what's best for your specific business needs. Before committing to an agency, understand their platform recommendation and ensure it aligns with your business model and growth goals.

Our team at L&L Collective often recommends Squarespace for its user-friendly interface, flexibility in creating beautiful websites that don't feel cookie-cutter, and the ability for businesses to manage their site independently after launch. However, the right platform always depends on your specific business requirements.

2. Will SEO be incorporated into your strategy, and how?

Many agencies claim to include "SEO" in their website packages, but this term can encompass countless different elements. Get specifics about:

• What on-page SEO elements will be implemented
• Whether they'll create an SEO strategy beyond basic metadata
• What ongoing optimization you'll need to handle after launch

If an agency says they "do SEO," ask to speak with their specialist about the specific game plan for your website. A genuine SEO strategy should include keyword research, site structure planning, and clear recommendations.

3. Will you prioritize proper header structure?

This technical consideration has major implications for your website's performance. Many websites look visually appealing but fail to rank well in search engines due to poor header structure.

Proper HTML headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) create a content hierarchy that helps search engines understand your content and improves accessibility. Your main heading (H1) should clearly communicate what you do and who you do it for, incorporating relevant keywords rather than empty marketing jargon.

For example, instead of a nebulous tagline like "Innovative Solutions for Tomorrow's Challenges," a better H1 might be "Professional Website Development for Service-Based Businesses in Chicago."

4. How will you structure your sitemap?

For both user experience and search engine optimization, your sitemap's structure is crucial. Search engines typically begin crawling your site from the homepage, using internal links as pathways to discover and index other pages.

A well-designed sitemap ensures all important pages are easily accessible from your homepage, improving both user navigation and search engine discoverability. This is a technical aspect where expert guidance can make a significant difference in your website's performance.

5. What post-launch support do you provide?

Beyond the initial four questions, it's also vital to understand what happens after your website launches. Will the agency provide training, ongoing maintenance, or tech support? Knowing what's included in your package versus what might incur additional fees will help you budget appropriately and ensure your website remains secure and functional.

At L&L Collective, we approach websites as revenue-generating assets rather than digital art projects. Agencies that answer these five questions confidently are prioritizing your ROI alongside their portfolio pieces. Your ideal web partner should show equal enthusiasm for your analytics dashboard as they do for design mockups. When strategy and aesthetics align, websites transform from expenses into investments.

Ready to build a website that works as hard as you do? Let's talk about turning your digital presence into a business advantage.