Website: 10 questions to ask before you sign
Almost every problem with a website comes from the contract, not the design. Ten questions, asked up front, are all it takes to see who you're dealing with.
By Cristian Lazzarini and Ismail Xhakerri · updated 5 October 2026
The ten questions
1. Who is the domain registered to?
The right answer: to you, under your own name or your VAT number (Partita IVA). For a company, the holder of a .it domain shows up in the Italian registry's WHOIS; if you're a private individual the details may be hidden, so ask for the registration confirmation in your name. The domain is the address your customers have saved and Google knows: if it's registered to someone else, switching providers becomes a problem. We cover this in the guide on domains and email.
2. How long is the contract, and how do you cancel it?
Check the minimum term and the automatic renewal. Many “monthly fee” websites are 24- or 36-month contracts: if you pull out early, you pay anyway.
3. If I switch providers, what do I get to take with me?
Ideally, everything: domain, text, photos, code and logins. Get it in writing: what you'll receive and how quickly.
4. Are the text and photos included?
A low quote often means you write the text and find the photos yourself. That's fine, as long as you know beforehand. Also ask whether the photos are real or taken from paid stock libraries used by a hundred other sites.
5. Can I update opening hours, prices and photos myself?
Ask to be shown how it's done, on your phone, before you sign. If changing a price means filing a request and waiting days, you've bought yourself a problem.
6. What does it cost each year after the first?
Domain, hosting, email, maintenance: ask for the figures for the second and third years. The fair way to compare two quotes is over three years, as we explain in how much a website costs.
7. What do you do for Google visibility?
Look for concrete answers: Google Business Profile, page titles and text, speed, structured data. Be wary of anyone who guarantees the top spot: Google itself says no one can guarantee it.
8. Is the site fast on a phone?
Ask for a site they've already built and open it on your phone, off Wi-Fi. If it takes more than two or three seconds, your customers will close it before they see it.
9. Who takes care of privacy and cookies?
A site with a contact form needs at least a privacy notice; if it uses tracking tools, a cookie banner as well. Ask who prepares them and what goes in them. The rules, in plain words, are in the guide on cookies and privacy.
10. Can I see something before paying in full?
Past work, demos you can open, a preview with your name on it. People who do good work are usually happy to show you something first.
Answers that should make you walk away from the table
- “We'll register the domain ourselves, it's simpler.”
- “Guaranteed first place on Google.”
- “The code stays ours, but you can use it as long as you keep paying.”
- “Changes cost extra, we'll quote for them.” Without saying how much.
- “Sign today, the offer ends tonight.”
A good provider answers all ten questions without beating about the bush, and in writing.
Our answers
Domain and hosting in your name, no minimum-term contract, code handed over, updates from your phone, a free preview before you sign. Prices and details are on the pricing page; if you'd like a written quote, write to us.
Further reading
Tell us about your business.
We'll reply within 24 hours with a clear quote, free and with no obligation. If you're not convinced, you're still left with a list of things to fix.