Planning a website project
Honest guides for deciding whether you need a new website, who should build it, how to hire them and how to protect yourself along the way.
Before you spend money on a website, there are a few decisions worth getting right: whether you need a new site at all, who should build it, how to compare the people pitching for the work, and how to make sure you own what you pay for. These guides walk through each one.
They are written by an agency, but they are honest about when you don't need one. Sometimes a do-it-yourself site, a freelancer or a few content fixes is the better answer, and we say so.
If you only read three things
- DIY vs. freelancer vs. agency: which option actually fits your business and budget.
- Red flags in a website proposal: what to check before you sign anything.
- Website ownership: make sure the keys to your website are in your hands.
Help me choose
Where are you in the decision?
The path through this section
Check the problem is the website. Signs your website is costing you leads separates website problems from traffic, offer and follow-up problems. Then Redesign or refresh? helps you size the fix.
Set a realistic budget. What a website actually costs and Hidden costs to watch for cover the one-off and ongoing numbers. The ROI of a website redesign helps you judge whether it's worth it.
Decide who builds it. DIY vs. freelancer vs. agency compares the options. If the real gap is leadership rather than a website, read What a fractional CTO or CMO does.
Brief and compare. How to write a website brief or RFP, then Questions to ask any web agency and Red flags in a website proposal.
Protect yourself. Website ownership before you start, and How to switch web agencies if you ever need to move.
Do you need a new website?
Signs your website is costing you leads
The common, fixable leaks, and when the problem isn't the website at all.
Redesign or refresh?
How to tell whether you need a rebuild, a refresh or just better content.
What it costs and whether it pays
What a website actually costs
What drives a website's price up or down, and our project tiers.
Hidden costs to watch for
The recurring charges people forget: domains, licenses, hosting, email.
The ROI of a website redesign
How to judge whether a redesign is worth it for your business.
Deciding who builds it
DIY vs. freelancer vs. agency
An honest comparison, including when you don't need an agency.
What a fractional CTO or CMO does
Part-time senior leadership, and when it beats a full-time hire.
Hiring well
How to write a website brief or RFP
What to include so you get accurate quotes you can compare.
Questions to ask any web agency
The questions that reveal who does the work and what you'll own.
Red flags in a website proposal
Warning signs in scope, ownership, money and promises.
Protecting yourself
Website ownership
Make sure you own your domain, hosting and accounts.
How to switch web agencies
Move to a new agency or developer without losing anything.
Related sections
- Getting started: how a project with Chykalophia works, once you've decided
- Templates: the Discovery brief and Asset inventory tracker
- Industry guides: what websites need in your type of business
- Domains and DNS: the account you most need to own
- Migrations: moving platforms or hosts without losing search traffic
Go deeper on chykalophia.com
Talk it through
Want a second pair of eyes on this?
Book a free discovery call, up to an hour. Bring the question you're stuck on and we'll tell you honestly what we'd do.
Already a client? Email support@chykalophia.com.
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