Hiring a great website designer isn’t cheap, but the investment is more than worth it. A website can do many things for your company, and it works as a hub for all your online marketing efforts. It’s the focal point of your brand, and will offer your potential online customers their first opinion of your company. Mess these things up, and the results are a lot of lost customers.

Unfortunately, not all website designers are equal – and sometimes, companies can even found themselves scammed by someone who never intended to do the job in the first place. So how can companies be certain they are hiring the right person – a REAL person? Watch for these four warning signs.

1. No Portfolio

Even an amateur website design company should have a portfolio of some kind. It might only contain a few websites that were designed for friends or school projects (for those who have just graduated schooling). Seasoned professionals will have dozens of designs in their portfolio. Take note that some portfolios are only available on request, but the website should clearly state that.

If you go to hire a website designer and there is no portfolio, it can only mean one of two things. Either they have no web design experience, or else they are simply trying to scam you out of your hard earned money.

2. No Website

A website designer without a website is a big warning sign. This is literally what they do for a living, and their own website should be an amazing representation of what they can do. This, along with the all-important portfolio discussed above, is a web designer’s visual resume. Without it, companies are unable to tell what the designer can actually do. Even if they end up being legitimate, having no website tells you that they don’t take pride in their work or care enough to show instead of tell.

3. No Social Media

Professionals these days have to have a presence on social media to be relevant. This doesn’t mean that they need to have thousands of followers on all the most popular social media sites, but they should have at least one active account – two is preferred. This shows that the professional is dedicated to their work, and wants to be available to potential clients. It also helps to prove they are a real web designer.

4. No Obvious Pricing System

Many website designers choose to not publish their pricing schedule on their website but should be able to produce a pricing system on request. In certain situations or design items cost extra money, this should be noted. Without an obvious pricing system, you could end up paying a lot more at the end of the project than your original budget.

Alternatively, some companies might offer quotes on a per-case basis. If this is the case, then the company should be willing to produce a contract stating the exact amount. This is the only safe alternative to an obvious pricing system.