What Mistakes to Avoid When Outsourcing Web Design

Web designing outsourcing is very popular. A lot of companies, both large and small, decide to work with outside agencies or designers. IT outsourcing could hit $588 billion by 2025. 

Outsourcing is not a simple task. Failing to do this, you can end up with a site that you do not like. You can lose money, experience lengthy delays, and even receive a site that does not suit your business.

Most of these mistakes can be prevented, which is good news. They tend to occur due to several frequent errors. When you are aware of these sins, then outsourcing can be very effective.

Let's explore the most common mistakes people make when outsourcing web design and how you can avoid them.

Related Read: How to Choose the Right Web Development Company?

1. Not Knowing What You Want

Picture this: you tell a designer, “I need a website.” That’s all. No goals. No details. No features listed. The designer nods and starts working. A week later, they show you something…and it’s nothing like what you imagined. Now you’re frustrated, and they’re frustrated, too.

This happens because there was no clear direction. Designers aren’t mind readers. If you don’t explain what you want, they’ll fill in the blanks themselves.

How to avoid this:

• Write down the purpose of your site. Do you want to sell products? Collect leads? Share blogs?
• Create a must-have feature list—things like a booking form, online payments, or a gallery.
• Think about your audience. A website for local parents will look different than a website for tech startups.

The clearer your goals, the smoother the process.

2. Choosing the Cheapest Option

Budgets matter. However, picking the least expensive designer frequently backfires. A website deal for $200 may seem good until you find out it's simply a generic template that doesn't match your brand.

We once worked with a small bakery owner who learned this the hard way. They hired a cheap freelancer who gave them a hunky site that didn't even load on phones. Customers complained, and the owner eventually had to pay double to get it redone.

Lesson here: price shouldn’t be your only filter.

What to do instead:

• Look at value, not just cost. It's worth paying more for a designer who creates a site that is easy to use.
• Always check their past work. If you don’t like their portfolio, the low price won’t matter.
• Remember: your website is an investment. Done right, it’ll bring in business for years.

3. Skipping the Portfolio Check

Would you hire a wedding photographer without actually seeing their photos? Of course not. This applies to web design as well.

Some business owners neglect this step due to being in a rush. Then they're left with an off-brand or outdated site.

Avoid this by:

• Always asking for a portfolio. It's a warning sign if they lack one.
• Looking for variety. Have they worked with businesses like yours?
• Checking testimonials. A good designer usually has happy clients willing to vouch for them.

4. No Contract in Place

Certain companies give you money with no record. And when things are wrong, there is no safeguard.

A contract is not a piece of paper. It’s your safety net. It is a clear guideline of what you are paying to get, what the designer is going to provide and when. Without it, you’re at risk.

Here’s what a good contract should cover:

• Deliverables (mockups, final design, source files).
• Timeline and milestones.
• Payment schedule.
• Ownership rights 

Never skip this step.

5. Not Checking Technical Skills

Some designers are great at the visual part but horrible at the technical part. That's fine - unless you want a site with custom functionality, e-commerce or SEO configuration.

Let's say that after hiring someone to build your online store, you discover that they are unable to include payments.! Nightmare.

How to prevent this:

• Find out which platforms (WordPress, Shopify, custom builds) they are familiar with.
• Ask them if they do mobile design, SEO basics, and security.
• Be clear about your needs before hiring.

6. Leaving It All to the Outsourcing Team

One common error is for business owners to turn over everything and then vanish, believing that the designers would "figure it out."

What usually happens? The project drifts off course. The design is completely different when you go back.

Better approach:

• Stay involved. Treat it like teamwork.
• Review drafts and give feedback early.
• Appoint someone from your team as a project manager if possible.

Outsourcing doesn’t mean letting go. It means guiding the process with help.

7. Forgetting About Post-Launch Support

A website is not yet complete after it is live. Bugs pop up. Plugins need updates. You feel like adding new pages at times. If you don’t plan for support, you’ll be stuck later.

Here’s what you should do:

• Ask upfront about post-launch support.
• Check if they offer a maintenance package.
• If not, arrange for training so your team can handle basic updates.

Also Read: Web Development Cost in the UK for 2025

8. Forgetting About Ownership

Here’s a scary one: sometimes the designer keeps ownership of your site because the contract didn’t say otherwise. That means if you want to change designers later, you may not legally own the code or design.

How to avoid this:

• Make sure the contract clearly says you own everything once paid.
• Get copies of source files and graphics.
• Keep your own backups.

That way, you’re always in control.

9. Rushing the Project

Good websites take time. If you push for a “done in two weeks” timeline, you’ll likely get sloppy work. Then you’ll spend more time fixing problems later.

Instead:

• Agree on a realistic timeline with stages.
• Allow room for revisions.
• Don’t rush testing—it’s worth it.

Patience here pays off with a stronger, cleaner final product.

Final Thoughts

Outsourcing web design, if done correctly, is a wise decision. It saves time, gives you skilled people, and grows your business. But if you make the common mistakes we mentioned, it can waste money and cause stress.

The big ones? Poor goal setting, chasing the cheapest solution, failure to complete portfolio check, poor communication, and lack of time. Add to that the contracts, post-launch support, and ensuring brand alignment.

If outsourcing is viewed as a partnership rather than a transaction, you'll receive a website that partners with you - rather than runs against you. A site that is not only visually appealing, but also generates customers.

And at the end of the day, that’s the goal.