Give each agency the same starting brief
Prepare one short document covering your audience, main services, target markets, current problems and desired customer action. Include the existing site, available content, required connections, budget range and any fixed date. Explain why that date matters so an agency can distinguish a real business constraint from a preference.
Ask each agency to identify assumptions and exclusions in its response. When one proposal includes copywriting and another expects finished copy from you, the totals are not directly comparable. Resolve these differences before trying to rank the offers.
Look at the decisions behind the portfolio
Select two relevant examples and ask what the agency actually contributed. Was its role strategy, design, development, content or ongoing management? Ask the presenter to explain one difficult decision, the constraint behind it and what was changed after review. A clear account of the work is more useful than a gallery alone.
Distinguish commissioned projects from concept studies. Both can demonstrate design thinking, but only a real engagement can support a claim about delivery or client outcomes. Where references are offered, ask about communication, scope changes and handover.
Request a small, practical demonstration
Ask to see how an ordinary task would work in the proposed setup: editing a service page, replacing an image or receiving a project enquiry. The demonstration can use an existing example or a walkthrough; it does not require the agency to build your project before engagement.
Follow one customer journey on a phone-sized screen. Can a visitor understand the offer, reach the right page and complete the form? Ask how the team checks keyboard access, error messages and delivery failures. These questions reveal whether quality includes everyday use.
Clarify ownership, costs and working relationships
Record who will control the domain, hosting, website administration, analytics and connected service accounts. Confirm which design files, code and content are included in handover, and how a future provider could take over. Third-party licences and subscriptions should be identified separately.
Also name the people who make decisions. Who is your day-to-day contact, who approves content, and who can authorize a scope change? Ask how feedback is consolidated and what happens when an approval is late. A workable review process matters as much as the initial creative presentation.
Evaluate the plan for search and follow-up
Ask what the agency will actually deliver for SEO: page planning, technical checks, redirects, content, measurement or ongoing work. Google’s hiring guidance advises evaluating recommendations and warns against guaranteed first-place rankings. Apply the same scrutiny to promises about AI citations or answer engines.
Before choosing, score each proposal against your priorities: business understanding, relevant evidence, delivery clarity, ownership and total cost. Write down the remaining uncertainties. The strongest proposal should make the next decisions understandable and give both teams a clear way to judge whether the agreed work is complete.
Your planning checklist
- Send one consistent brief to shortlisted agencies.
- Ask what each portfolio example actually demonstrates.
- Watch an editing task and a customer journey.
- Confirm account access, handover and ongoing costs.
Common questions
Does the agency need an office in my city?
Decide whether on-site work is necessary. For remote delivery, agree meeting times, market knowledge, language requirements and a clear review process rather than assuming proximity answers those questions.
Should we decide entirely on portfolio style?
Use style to assess creative fit, then examine the proposed process, responsibilities and functionality. Your business needs a team that can carry the design through to a useful working site.
Sources & further reading
Context and reference material. These sources do not imply a relationship with the organizations listed.
