5 Things to Look for When Hiring a Webflow Designer

Hiring a Webflow designer sounds simple enough. Find someone with "Webflow designer" on their website, book a call, and sign the contract. Easy, right?

Not quite.

Fast forward a few months and you might find yourself in a frustrating situation: your website isn't converting, the leads aren't rolling in, or—worse—you hire someone else to make updates and they can't figure out how anything was built.

The truth is, not all Webflow designers are created equal. Before you sign that contract, here are five things you need to look for.

1. They Understand Design Principles—Not Just Webflow

Webflow is a powerful tool, but knowing how to click around the interface doesn't make someone a designer. You want someone who understands the why behind what they're building:

• Visual hierarchy and layout — What draws the eye first? How does the user move through the page?
• Typography and spacing — Small details that make a huge difference in how professional your site feels.
• Conversion-focused design — Where should your CTAs go? What should be above the fold?

A great Webflow designer can take complex design concepts and turn them into beautifully functional websites—not just recreate a template.

What to ask: "Can you walk me through your design process before you even open Webflow?"

If they can't give you a clear answer, that's a red flag.

2. They're Responsive and Communicative

This should be a given, but it's where so many projects fall apart.

Some designers take your requirements, disappear for three weeks, and come back with something completely off the mark—wondering why you don't love it.

You want someone who:

• Replies within a reasonable timeframe
• Proactively updates you on progress
• Asks clarifying questions instead of assuming

Talent means nothing if you're constantly chasing someone down for updates.

What to ask: "What does your communication process look like during a project? How often will we check in?"

3. They Build Clean, Scalable Sites

This is where a lot of business owners get burned—and they don't even realize it until months later.

The site launches, looks great, and then you want to add a page or update some content. Suddenly it's a nightmare. Class names are all over the place (if they exist at all), nothing is organized, and what should be a simple update turns into a major project.

I see this constantly. Companies hire me to add a page or a section, and when I open the project, I have to go back and say, "Look, this isn't going to be as easy as we thought. I need to clean up this project first."

That means extended timelines and bigger budgets—for something that should have been done right the first time.

Look for designers who:

• Use consistent class naming conventions (like Client-First, MAST, or Lumos)
• Build with the CMS properly so you can manage content yourself
• Think about site performance—compressed images, clean code, fast load times

What to ask: "How do you structure your Webflow projects for scalability? What framework do you use?"

If they can't name a framework or explain their approach, proceed with caution.

4. They Understand SEO Basics

SEO isn't separate from web design—it's baked into it. And in the age of AI, we can add AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) to the list.

You could take the same design and build it two completely different ways. One version works wonders for search engines. The other? Invisible.

Your designer should understand:

• Proper heading structure (H1s, H2s, etc.)
• Alt text for images
• Meta titles and descriptions
• Clean URLs and site architecture

Webflow gives you all the tools for solid technical SEO. If your designer doesn't use them, you're starting at a disadvantage.

What to ask: "How do you handle on-page SEO when building a site?"

If they don't have an answer—or worse, don't even consider SEO—they're not the right fit.

5. They Have a Proven Process

The best designers don't wing it. They have a system: discovery, wireframes, design in Figma, client review, development in Webflow, QA, launch.

A clear process keeps everything on schedule, makes sure the project doesn't go off the rails, and ensures you're aligned every step of the way.

I'd even say this: if someone doesn't have their process outlined on their website in at least a basic way, you probably shouldn't even book a meeting with them.

What to ask: "What does your typical project timeline and process look like?"

If they can clearly walk you through how they work, it tells you they've done this enough times to refine it.

The Bottom Line

Before you hire a Webflow designer, make sure they can answer these five questions:

1. Do they understand design principles?
2. Are they responsive and communicative?
3. Do they build clean, scalable websites?
4. Do they understand SEO basics?
5. Do they have a proven process?

If someone can't answer these basic questions, move on to someone else. Your website—and your business—will thank you.