Web Design Client Questionnaire: 30 Questions to Ask Before You Start

Most website projects that go wrong were unclear from day one. A short web design client questionnaire fixes that: you ask the right questions once, the client answers in writing, and both of you know exactly what is being built, for whom and by when.

Why a questionnaire beats a discovery call alone

• Answers are written down, so nobody remembers the call differently later.
• The client thinks before answering, which gives you better content and fewer revisions.
• You can quote faster because scope, pages and features are clear.
• It looks professional: clients trust a designer who has a process.

1. The business

1. What does your business do, in one sentence?
2. Who are your best customers, and where are they?
3. What makes you different from your top three competitors?
4. Which services or products bring in the most money?
5. How do customers usually find you today?

2. Goals of the new website

1. What is the one action you want visitors to take (call, book, buy, request a quote)?
2. How will you know the website is working: more calls, more bookings, more sales?
3. What do you dislike about your current website?
4. Which pages get the most questions from customers?
5. Do you need a booking, payment or quote form?

3. Audience and message

1. Who should the website speak to first?
2. What do customers worry about before they buy from you?
3. What questions do you answer again and again on the phone?
4. Which words do your customers use to describe your service?
5. Do you serve one city, several areas or the whole country?

4. Content

1. Which pages do you need (home, services, about, contact, reviews, gallery)?
2. Who writes the text: you, us, or both?
3. Do you have photos of your work, team and premises?
4. Do you have reviews or testimonials we can use?
5. Do you have a logo, colors and fonts already?

5. Design

1. Name two or three websites you like, and say why.
2. Name one website you dislike, and say why.
3. Should the site feel premium, friendly, technical or local?
4. Is there anything that must never appear on the site?
5. Will most visitors use a phone or a computer?

6. Technical details, budget and timeline

1. Do you own your domain name and hosting? Who has the logins?
2. Do you need email, analytics or a Google Business Profile connected?
3. What is your budget range for the website?
4. Do you need ongoing updates or maintenance after launch?
5. Is there a date the website must be live by?

Show them the website before they fill it in

The fastest way to get answers is to show the client something concrete. Generate a preview of their new website from their current one, send the link, and use the questionnaire to refine it. Clients answer quickly when they are reacting to a real page instead of imagining one. See how to sell websites to local businesses for the full process.

More questionnaires for every stage

• Free web design questionnaire template with 35 questions, ready for a form or PDF.
• Website discovery questions for the first call.
• Web design client intake form for files and access.
• Website redesign questionnaire when a site already exists.
• Website questionnaire for small business owners, in plain English.

Keep the answers with the client

Store every answer next to the lead in your CRM, with the notes from your calls and the emails you sent. When the project starts, everything is in one place. A CRM for web designers keeps this simple.