Does my web designer need to be based in Swindon?

Not necessarily, but a local designer can meet you in person, understands the local market and often knows how customers in your area search. Plenty of businesses work happily with remote designers too.

What should I have ready before contacting a web designer?

A rough list of your services, the areas you cover, a few websites you like, and an idea of your budget. Existing logos and photos help too.

How to choose a web designer in Swindon

By Bunyamin Kidir , founder of Leadyard Published 16 October 2026 Last updated 16 October 2026

The short answer

Choose a web designer in Swindon by checking their recent work, asking for a fixed written price, confirming you will own your website and domain, and asking how they handle speed and local SEO. Talk to the person who will build your site, check what happens after launch, and avoid long contracts you can't leave.

Look at their recent work

Ask to see websites they have built for businesses like yours. Open them on your phone. Do they load quickly? Is it obvious what the business does and how to get in touch? If their examples are concept or demo projects, that is fine, as long as they say so honestly.

Get a fixed, written price

A good web designer will tell you what is included and give you a fixed price before any work starts. Be wary of vague estimates, hourly billing with no cap, or prices that only appear after a long sales call. Check what costs continue after launch: hosting, domain renewal, email and maintenance.

Make sure you will own your website

Ask directly:

Will the domain be registered in my name?
Do I own the website once it is paid for?
If I leave, will you transfer everything to me?

Some providers lease websites on monthly contracts, which can mean losing your site if you stop paying.

Ask about speed and mobile

Most local searches happen on phones. Ask how they make sites fast, whether they test against Google’s Core Web Vitals, and how they make calling or enquiring easy on a small screen.

Check they understand local SEO

A beautiful website that nobody finds will not bring in enquiries. Ask how they plan pages around the searches your customers make, whether they set up your Google Business Profile, and whether they add structured data. For more on that, see why a business might not show on Google Maps.

Find out who you will work with

In some agencies you speak to a salesperson and never meet the person building your site. Ask who will design and build it, and whether you can talk to them directly.

Questions to ask before you sign

What exactly is included in the price?
How many rounds of changes do I get?
How long will it take, and what do you need from me?
Who owns the domain and the website?
What will I pay each month after launch, and can I cancel?

At Leadyard we publish our prices, register your domain in your name and you work directly with the people building your site. Find out more about us, or start with a free website check.