How long does a company website take?

It depends on scope. The number of pages, whether content is ready, integrations and approvals set the timeline; a typical company site is planned over a few weeks.

Ready-made theme or custom design?

A theme gets you started fast but can limit speed, originality and flexibility. If your brand needs to stand out and the site should last, custom design is the better investment.

Will we lose our Google ranking when we redesign?

Not if it's planned well. Old URLs are 301-redirected to new ones, content and headings are preserved, and Search Console is watched after launch.

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What to check before you commission a website: a pre-decision checklist

Maybe Digital · 6 min read · Updated: 2 October 2026

Short answer

A good website is more than good looks: it should load fast, work flawlessly on mobile, be findable on Google and in AI assistants, let you update content yourself, and the domain, code and accounts should be in your name. Ask about these before you take a quote.

Write down the goal first

"We need a website" isn't a goal. Write in one sentence what the site must do: get quote requests, start WhatsApp chats, sell products or build corporate trust. Design, page structure and measurement follow from that sentence.

Speed and mobile: the first impression

Most visitors arrive on a phone and leave a slow page without waiting. Google also weighs speed and mobile experience (Core Web Vitals) in rankings.

Ask the agency for speed scores (PageSpeed Insights) of sites they've built.
Ask whether the design is mobile-first.
Check that images are served in modern formats (WebP, AVIF) and properly sized.

Findability: SEO and GEO from day one

SEO isn't decoration added after launch. If page structure, headings, URLs, structured data and the sitemap aren't right from the start, fixing them later is costly. When moving to a new site, old URLs must be redirected (301) to the new ones, or you can lose your place in Google.

Who updates the content, and how?

You shouldn't have to email the agency for every small text change. With a content management system (CMS) you should be able to update pages, projects and news yourself. Agree up front what you can change in the panel and what needs a developer.

Ownership: domain, code and accounts

Make sure everything is yours when the project ends. Changing agencies shouldn't hold your site hostage.

The domain should be registered in your name.
Hosting, analytics and Search Console accounts should be yours, with the agency added as a user.
The source code should be handed over or kept in your repository.

After launch: maintenance and security

The work doesn't end at launch. Updates, security patches, backups and error tracking need to happen regularly. When you take a quote, ask in writing how maintenance works, what's included and how fast they respond when something breaks.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a company website take?: It depends on scope. The number of pages, whether content is ready, integrations and approvals set the timeline; a typical company site is planned over a few weeks.
Ready-made theme or custom design?: A theme gets you started fast but can limit speed, originality and flexibility. If your brand needs to stand out and the site should last, custom design is the better investment.
Will we lose our Google ranking when we redesign?: Not if it's planned well. Old URLs are 301-redirected to new ones, content and headings are preserved, and Search Console is watched after launch.