I'm going to give you advice that might cost me business. But I'd rather you make the right decision than make a decision that benefits me.
Hiring a web developer is confusing. Everyone claims to be an expert. Prices range from $200 to $20,000 for what sounds like the same thing. Some people show you flashy portfolios. Some just show you a price list. How do you know who to trust?
I'm a web developer. I run Orlov Digital here in Sedalia, Missouri. I've been on both sides of this conversation. And I'm going to tell you exactly what to look for and what to run from.
Red Flags (Walk Away)
No Portfolio or Only Template Sites
If a developer can't show you real work they've done for real clients, that's a problem. And I don't mean screenshots of template demos. I mean actual websites that are live, that real businesses are using. Ask for links. Visit them. Check if they load fast on your phone. Look at the quality.
If every site in their portfolio looks the same with different colors and logos swapped in, they're reselling templates. That's not custom work, and you shouldn't pay custom prices for it.
No Clear Pricing
"It depends" is fine as a starting point. Every project is different, and an honest developer will tell you that the price depends on what you need. But if they refuse to give you any numbers at all, or if they want to "get on a call" before they'll talk money, be cautious. Some developers use vague pricing to figure out how much you're willing to pay and then charge that amount.
A good developer should be able to give you a range. "For a site like what you're describing, most of my projects fall between X and Y." If they can't do that, they either don't have enough experience to estimate, or they don't want you to know the price until you're emotionally invested.
Long Contracts with Lock-In
Be very careful with developers who require multi-year contracts, especially if they retain ownership of your site. Some companies build your website and then hold it hostage. You pay a monthly fee, and if you stop paying, the site disappears. You don't own the design, the code, or sometimes even the domain name.
Your website should be yours. If you want to leave, you should be able to take your site and go. Period.
They Don't Ask About Your Business
If a developer jumps straight to talking about features, packages, or technology without asking about your business, your customers, and your goals, they're building a website for themselves, not for you.
A good developer needs to understand what your business does, who your customers are, how they find you, and what you want the website to accomplish. Without that, they're just guessing.
They Promise Page One of Google
Run. Nobody can guarantee a Google ranking. Google's algorithm changes constantly, and ranking depends on hundreds of factors including your competition, your location, your reviews, your content, and your industry. Anyone who promises you page one is either lying or doesn't understand how search works.
A good developer can build a site that's optimized for search. They can set up your technical SEO properly (page titles, meta descriptions, heading structure, speed, mobile-friendliness). But promising specific rankings is a red flag every single time.
Green Flags (Good Signs)
They Show Real Work
A developer who is proud of their work will show it off. Live sites, real clients, actual projects they've completed. Even better if they can walk you through the process: what the client needed, how they approached it, what the result was.
They Explain Their Process
Good developers have a process. They don't just start building. They learn about your business, plan the site structure, show you designs before writing code, and give you opportunities to provide feedback along the way.
When I worked with Nathan from Lemko Coating (a powder coating business here in the area), here's what that looked like. We met in person. I asked about his business, his customers, what sets him apart. Then I created three different design concepts and let him pick the direction he liked best. He chose Design B. I built the full site based on that choice, then we went through a revision round where he could request changes. The whole project took about a week from design to launch.
That's a process. It has steps, it has checkpoints, and the client is involved at every stage.
You Own Your Site
When I hand over a completed website, the client gets everything. The code, the files, the design. It's theirs. If they want to move to a different developer tomorrow, they can take the entire site with them. No lock-in. No hostage situation.
Ask any developer you're considering: "If I want to leave, do I keep the website?" If the answer is anything other than yes, think carefully before signing.
Upfront Pricing
My pricing is on my website. You can see it before you ever talk to me. I believe in transparency because I know how frustrating it is to be in the dark about costs. You should know what you're getting into before you commit.
They Ask Questions
The best developers are curious about your business. They want to know what makes you different, what your customers care about, what problems you're trying to solve. A developer who asks good questions will build you a better website than one who just asks for your logo and color preferences.
The Three Options: Freelancer, Agency, or DIY
Freelancers
That's me. One person (or a small team) who handles everything directly. The advantage: you work with the actual person building your site. Communication is direct. There's no account manager acting as a middleman. Pricing is usually lower because there's less overhead. The tradeoff: if the freelancer gets sick or gets busy, your project might slow down.
Agencies
Larger companies with teams of designers, developers, project managers, and account reps. The advantage: more resources, bigger projects, potentially faster turnaround. The tradeoff: higher prices (you're paying for all those salaries), and you might not have direct access to the person actually building your site. Communication goes through layers.
For most local businesses in Sedalia and smaller towns across Missouri, an agency is overkill. You're paying for structure you don't need.
DIY Builders (Wix, Squarespace, etc.)
These make sense if your budget is very tight and you have the time and patience to learn the platform. They're not bad tools. But they have real limitations: slower load times, less customization, and you're always renting (if you stop paying, your site disappears). For some businesses, it's the right starting point. For others, it ends up costing more time than it saves.
The Question to Ask Yourself
Before you hire anyone, ask yourself: what do I actually need this website to do? If you need a simple online presence so people can find you and contact you, that's a different project than building an online store or a booking system. Knowing what you need helps you find the right person and avoid paying for things you don't.
And if you're not sure what you need, that's okay too. A good developer will help you figure that out. That's literally part of the job.
If you want a straight conversation about what your business needs (and what it doesn't), reach out. I'll give you my honest opinion, even if the honest opinion is "you don't need me right now."