How to Check a Web Designer's Portfolio Before Hiring
Looking at a web designer's portfolio? Here's exactly what to look for — and what red flags to watch for — before you hire someone to build your small business website.
A portfolio is the closest thing to a test drive before you commit to a web designer. But most people don't know what they're actually looking for. They scroll through a few screenshots, think "that looks nice," and move on.
Here's how to evaluate a portfolio like someone who actually knows what they're doing.
Start With Live Sites, Not Screenshots
Screenshots are curated. Live sites are real. Any designer worth hiring should be able to give you links to actual, functioning websites they've built. Pull them up and interact with them as a real user would.
Ask yourself:
- Does the site actually work? (Click the buttons. Fill out the form. Test the mobile view.)
- Does it load quickly? (Slow sites kill conversion rates and hurt Google rankings.)
- Does it look as good in a browser as it does in the screenshot?
If a designer can't provide live links — only screenshots or mockups — that's worth asking about.
Check Mobile Responsiveness
More than half of web traffic in Canada comes from mobile devices. A site that looks great on desktop and terrible on a phone is only half a website.
Pull up their portfolio examples on your phone. Navigate them like a user would. Is the text readable? Do the buttons work? Does anything overlap or break?
A designer who consistently delivers strong mobile experiences understands modern web standards. One who doesn't is behind.
Look for Relevant Experience
It's not enough that their work looks good — it should be relevant to your type of business. A portfolio full of creative agencies and music artists isn't the strongest signal that they can build a great site for a plumbing company or a retail shop.
Look for:
- Experience with your industry or a similar one
- Sites with similar goals to yours (leads, sales, bookings, credibility)
- Small business work, not just enterprise or startup
Evaluate the Visual Quality
You don't need to be a designer to assess this — trust your gut. Does the work look:
- Modern or dated? Web design trends move fast. A portfolio showing work from five years ago with no recent additions is a flag.
- Consistent or inconsistent? Some variation between projects is expected — but if their work looks radically different in quality from project to project, that's a sign they're still developing.
- Distinctive or generic? Does each site look like it was built for that specific business, or does it look like the same template reskinned in different colours?
Read What the Sites Say
Design and copy aren't the same thing, but the best websites get both right. Look at the sites in their portfolio and read the homepage copy. Is it clear? Does it speak to the customer's problem? Does it have a compelling call to action?
A designer who understands conversion doesn't just make sites look pretty — they make sites that communicate clearly and drive action.
Ask About the Context
Don't just look at the portfolio — ask questions about it. Pick one or two projects that stand out and ask:
- "What was the brief for this project?"
- "What was the biggest challenge?"
- "What were the results after launch?"
A great designer can speak to their process and results — not just the visual output.
Red Flags in a Portfolio
Watch for these:
- No live links — only screenshots or Behance/Dribbble mockups
- All one industry — signals limited experience
- Very old work — no projects in the last 1–2 years
- No copywriting on the sites — placeholder text or generic corporate-speak is a sign of a designer who doesn't think about the full picture
- Broken links or pages — they can't maintain their own portfolio, what does that say about your site?
What a Strong Portfolio Looks Like
A confident, professional web designer will:
- Show you 5–10 live sites across different industries
- Be able to speak to the goals and outcomes of each project
- Include recent work (within the last year or two)
- Demonstrate clean design, fast load times, and mobile-first thinking
ClickAdMedia's Portfolio
We're happy to show you exactly what we've built. Our done-for-you sites are clean, conversion-focused, and built for real business results — not just to look good in a screenshot.
