You have decided to hire an agency for your new website. Now you have a shortlist of three to six names, a few proposals that all look different, and prices that range wildly. Every agency says they are strategic, results-driven and easy to work with. How do you tell them apart?
This is the checklist we would use if we were on your side of the table. It covers what to check in a portfolio, the questions that reveal how an agency really works, the red flags to watch for and what a good proposal looks like. It works whether you are hiring an agency in India, the US or anywhere else.
- Judge portfolios on live sites, not screenshots. Check speed, mobile, copy quality and whether the sites still look cared for.
- Ask who will actually do your work, how they plan the site structure and how they protect SEO during the move.
- A good proposal restates your goals, lists deliverables and exclusions clearly, shows a timeline with your review points, and explains what happens after launch.
- Red flags: no questions about your sales process, a fixed price before understanding scope, vague ownership terms and no plan for content.
- Speak to at least one past client, and pick the agency that understood your business best, not the one with the prettiest pitch.
Start with what the website must do
Before you judge agencies, write down what success looks like. Without this, you will end up comparing design styles and prices, which is the least useful way to choose.
Answer these in a short note to yourself:
- What should a visitor do on the site? Request a quote, book a demo, download a spec sheet, apply for a job?
- Who are the main visitors? Procurement teams, engineers, CFOs, HR heads, investors, distributors?
- What is wrong with the current site? Be specific: it is slow, sales does not use it, nobody can update it, we do not rank for our services.
- How will you measure success six months after launch?
Share this note with every agency you talk to. The way they respond tells you more than any pitch deck. A good B2B agency will ask follow-up questions about your buyers and your sales cycle. A weak one will jump to colors and animations.
If you want a fuller brief, our website RFP template turns this note into a document agencies can quote on. Still deciding on the platform, or on who should build it? See Webflow vs WordPress and agency vs freelancer vs in-house.
How to check a portfolio properly
Portfolios are designed to impress. Here is how to look past the polish.
- Open the live sites. Screenshots and mockups can hide a lot. Visit the actual websites on your phone and laptop.
- Check speed. Do the pages load quickly on mobile data? Run one or two through Google’s PageSpeed Insights for a rough idea.
- Read the copy. Does it explain clearly what the company does and who it is for? Or is it full of vague lines that could fit any business?
- Look for B2B depth. Are there real service pages, industry pages, case studies and clear calls to action? Or just a homepage, an about page and a contact form?
- Check if it is still cared for. A site launched two years ago with a blog last updated at launch may mean the agency left after handover.
- Find something close to you. Not identical, but similar in complexity. A deep tech company needs different skills from a restaurant chain.
Pick one portfolio site and ask: “What was the brief, what did you change in the structure, and what happened after launch?” Good agencies enjoy this question.
Questions to ask every agency
Use the same questions with every agency, so you can compare answers fairly. Take notes during the call.
About the team
- Who will be on my project, and what does each person do? Will I meet them before signing?
- Is any part of the work outsourced? If yes, which part and to whom?
- Who is my single point of contact, and how quickly do they usually reply?
About the process
- What happens in the first two weeks of the project?
- How do you decide the sitemap and page structure?
- Who writes the copy? If it is us, what support do you give?
- How many design concepts and feedback rounds are included?
- Which platform do you recommend for us, and why that one?
About results and support
- How do you protect our existing search traffic when we switch to the new site?
- What tracking will be set up so we can see leads by source?
- What happens in the 90 days after launch?
- Can I speak to two past clients, ideally one who has worked with you for over a year?
Red flags that should make you pause
One red flag does not always mean no. Two or three together usually do.
- A firm price in the first call, before they understand your pages, content, integrations or timeline.
- No questions about your sales process. A B2B website exists to support sales. If they never ask how leads are handled, they are designing a brochure.
- “We will handle SEO later.” Structure, URLs and redirects are decided during the build. Later is too late.
- The person who pitched disappears. If the senior person from the sales call is not on the project, ask who is.
- Unclear ownership. The contract should say your company owns the domain, the hosting account, the design files and the content.
- No mention of content. Content is the most common reason website projects run late. An agency that ignores it is setting you up for delays.
- Big promises about rankings or leads. Nobody can guarantee a number one ranking. Honest agencies talk about what they will do and how they will measure it.
If one quote is far below the others, compare the scope line by line. Low quotes often leave out copy, SEO migration, tracking or revisions, which then come back as extra invoices.
Share your goals and current site. We will reply with questions, not a template quote.
What a good proposal includes
Proposals vary in length and style, but a good one for a B2B website almost always covers these parts:
| Section | What good looks like | What weak looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Your goals | Restated in your words, with how success will be measured | Generic lines about “modern design” |
| Scope | Pages or templates listed, features named, clear exclusions | “Up to X pages” with no detail |
| Process | Phases with your review points and sign-offs | Just a start and end date |
| Content | Who writes, who supplies images, deadlines for each | Not mentioned |
| SEO and tracking | URL mapping, redirects, technical setup, analytics events | “SEO-friendly” with no detail |
| Platform | Recommended with reasons that fit your team | Whatever the agency always uses |
| After launch | Support period, what is covered, options for ongoing work | Launch is the finish line |
| Commercials | Payment milestones tied to deliverables, change request rules | Large upfront payment, vague extras |
If two proposals are close, choose the one that shows it understood your business. You can usually feel it in the first page. You can see how we structure scope for B2B website development projects if you want a reference point.
Industry fit: does the agency get your buyers?
B2B covers very different businesses. A website for a CNC machining company, a fintech SaaS and a structural engineering firm each speak to different buyers with different questions.
You do not need an agency that has worked only in your sector. Fresh eyes can help. But they should show they can learn quickly. Good signs:
- They ask about your buyer’s job title, worries and buying process.
- They want to talk to your sales team or a technical expert, not just marketing.
- They have handled technical content before, like specs, certifications, compliance or integrations.
- They talk about trust signals your buyers look for, such as client logos, certifications, plant photos, case studies and team credentials.
For example, engineering buyers want proof of capability and process. Our engineering website work leans on project depth and technical detail for that reason. A SaaS buyer, on the other hand, wants to understand the product fast and try it.
Hiring from India or abroad: what changes
Many US and global companies now work with Indian agencies, and many Indian companies hire agencies abroad. Both can work very well. A few things are worth checking either way.
- Overlap hours. Agree on a few hours each week when both teams are online for calls and quick decisions.
- Writing quality. If your buyers are in the US or Europe, read the agency’s own website and proposals. Their English is a preview of your copy.
- Market understanding. An India-based agency for a US client should know US buyer expectations. A foreign agency for an Indian client should understand how Indian buyers research and contact suppliers, including WhatsApp and phone.
- Payments and contracts. Agree on currency, taxes like GST where it applies, and which country’s law governs the contract.
- Data and hosting. If you have data rules, such as for financial services, confirm where forms and data are stored.
At Hypergrow, we work from Coimbatore with clients in India, the US and other markets. We have built live sites such as JER HR Group in New York and SecMark in India. You can view them on our work page.
Making the final call
Once you have proposals and notes from every call, score each agency from 1 to 5 on these points:
- Understood our business and buyers
- Clear, complete scope with honest exclusions
- Strong, relevant live work
- Clear plan for SEO, tracking and content
- Real support after launch
- We would enjoy working with these people for six months
Or use it as a simple sheet. Score 1 to 5 per line and add up.
| Criterion | Agency A | Agency B | Agency C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Understood our business and buyers | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Clear, complete scope with honest exclusions | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Strong, relevant live work | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Clear plan for SEO, tracking and content | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Real support after launch | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| We would enjoy working with them for six months | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Total (out of 30) | ______ | ______ | ______ |
Price matters, but treat it as a filter, not the winner. A website you rebuild again in eighteen months is the most expensive option of all.
If you would like Hypergrow on your shortlist, send us your brief. We will ask a lot of questions first, and we will tell you honestly if we are not the right fit.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about working with us.
How many agencies should I talk to?
Three to five is a good number. Fewer and you have nothing to compare. More and the process takes too long and the proposals start to blur. Send all of them the same brief so you compare like with like.
Should I choose an agency that specializes in my industry?
It helps, but it is not required. What matters more is that they ask the right questions about your buyers and can handle technical content. An agency with too narrow a focus may also reuse the same ideas for you and your competitors.
Is it okay to pay a large advance?
A first payment at the start is normal, often a part of the total. Be cautious if an agency asks for most of the fee upfront. Payments should be linked to clear milestones such as approved sitemap, approved designs and launch.
Do I need to write the website copy myself?
Not necessarily. Many agencies offer copywriting, which usually includes interviews with your team. Even if you write it yourself, the agency should guide structure and messaging. Agree on who writes what before the project starts.
Can a website design agency also handle SEO?
Many can, but check depth. At minimum, the agency should handle URL mapping, redirects, technical setup and on-page basics during the build. Ongoing SEO, content and lead generation are often a separate service, so ask what is included.
What makes a B2B website different from a consumer website?
B2B buyers compare suppliers carefully, often as a team, so the site must explain capability, show proof and make it easy to start a conversation.
How long does a B2B website project take?
Usually six to eight weeks for a site of 10 to 25 pages, longer for large or multilingual sites.
What should be included in a website quote?
Strategy, copy, design, build, SEO setup, analytics, training and support. Check whether content writing is included, as it often is not.
How do we judge a website agency’s past work?
Look at live sites, not just screenshots. Check speed on mobile, clarity of the message and whether the sites bring inquiries for those clients.
How should a B2B website be measured after launch?
By inquiries and their sources, not just visits. Set up tracking for forms, calls and downloads from day one.
Which questions should we ask a website design agency?
Ask who works on your project, what is included, how many revisions you get, and what support looks like after launch. Hypergrow answers these with a fixed written scope.
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Want Hypergrow on your shortlist?
Send your brief. We will reply with questions about your buyers first, then a scoped proposal.