10 questions to ask before you build a website: Uncovering hidden costs in an age of ‘quick wins’

As competition in the digital world heats up and AI solutions empower seeming quick wins, it’s important to ask the right questions up front. If not, what may seem like a huge saving could only end up costing more in the long run.

The AI promise versus reality gap

When a digital agency or studio promises to deliver a fully functional, lead-generating website in a matter of weeks using AI tools, it's natural to feel excited. And it’s true that the emergence of AI tools including drag-and-drop builders, AI-generated content and template-based design systems, can, technically speaking, condense months of strategic work into much shorter time frames. And yet, in our view, this excitement should be tempered with careful consideration.

Just as you would question a fitness trainer promising to get you your dream body in a month, you should approach ultra-quick website promises with healthy skepticism. The foundation of your digital presence deserves the same level of scrutiny as the foundation of physical health. While AI innovations have their place, as the old adage goes, if something sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Here are 10 questions to help uncover hidden costs that might be lurking beneath the surface of big promises and attractive offers.

Top 10 questions to ask before committing to an accelerated website redesign

1. What level of strategic thinking can I expect in the timeline?

In the traditional website development process the discovery phase can take weeks. Agency teams conduct user research, analyse competitors, map customer journeys and develop content strategies. While AI can reduce the manual labour of these tasks, there's only so much you can reduce without cutting corners.

More specific questions or talking points could include:

• How will you understand my business, customers and industry well enough in the reduced timeline?
• What specific strategic deliverables will I receive?
• How much of the strategy will be AI-generated versus human-crafted?
• Will we conduct genuine user research, or use AI to consider industry trends?
• How will you incorporate my business goals into the strategy?

The hidden cost: A website built without proper discovery sessions may look good but fail to perform. You might end up with a site that doesn't convert visitors, doesn't align with your sales process, or doesn't effectively communicate your unique value proposition.

2. How customised will my website truly be?

AI excels at creating variations on established patterns. What it cannot easily do is understand the nuances that make your business unique, and translate those into completely custom designs and experiences.

More specifically, you could ask:

• Are you using templates that are customised, or building custom designs?
• How many unique page templates will be designed specifically for my business?
• Can you show me examples of AI-assisted designs you've created that don't look like templates?
• What parts of the design process will involve human designers, and what parts will be AI-generated?
• How will you ensure my brand identity is properly reflected in the design?

The hidden cost: Template-based websites often struggle to differentiate businesses from their competitors. You might save time upfront but lose opportunities to stand out in your market.

3. Who will create the content, and how will it reflect my brand voice?

AI content generation tools such as ChatGPT can produce serviceable copy quickly and may be useful for the likes of SEO. However, this content lacks the nuanced understanding of your brand voice, industry-specific knowledge and emotional intelligence needed to be compelling.

When it comes to site content, you can ask:

• How much of my website content will be AI-generated?
• What processes are in place to ensure AI-generated content accurately reflects our brand voice?
• Will human writers review and refine AI-generated content?
• How will you incorporate my company's unique expertise and perspectives?
• What happens if the AI-generated content misses the mark?

The hidden cost: Generic, AI-generated content can undermine your brand's credibility and fail to connect with your audience. The cost of rewriting low-quality content after launch typically exceeds the cost of doing it right the first time.

4. How maintainable will the website be for my team?

AI-accelerated builds sometimes sacrifice backend usability for frontend speed. The best websites are fully functional for both visitors to the site and the management team behind the scenes.

To ensure the site is easy to maintain, you may ask:

• What CMS will power the website, and how user-friendly is it?
• Will my marketing team be able to make updates without developer assistance?
• How extensively can we customise page layouts after launch?
• What training will you provide to ensure my team can maintain the site?
• Are there any proprietary systems or AI tools that will require ongoing subscriptions?

The hidden cost: If your team can't easily update the website, you may end up with an ongoing agency retainer you didn’t expect or stuck with outdated content.

5. How will the website handle complex functionality and integrations?

AI tools excel at creating standard website elements but struggle with complex functionality and integrations. This includes flourishes and elements that delight users and leave a lasting impression.

Ensure added nuance and functionality by asking:

• How will you handle integration with our CRM, marketing automation and other business systems?
• What custom functionality can be included in the accelerated timeline?
• How thoroughly will integrations be tested?
• What's the process if custom functionality requires more development time?
• How will AI tools be used to accelerate these technical aspects?

The hidden cost: Poorly implemented integrations can break, leading to lost data, frustrated users and emergency developer fees to fix issues.

6. What happens when the timeline inevitably extends?

Even with AI assistance, website projects frequently extend beyond initial timelines due to feedback cycles, content delays or technical challenges.

To address unexpected changes, be sure to ask upfront:

• What happens if we need more revisions than the package includes?
• Are there additional costs if the project extends beyond the set timeline?
• How do you handle scope changes during the project?
• Will the same team remain dedicated to my project if it extends?
• What's your track record for on-time delivery with AI-accelerated projects?

The hidden cost: Budget overruns can quickly erode the perceived savings of an accelerated build.

7. How will you optimise for performance and SEO?

AI can help generate meta descriptions and alt text, but comprehensive SEO and performance optimisation are best with human expertise.

When it comes to SEO you can ask:

• What specific SEO deliverables are included?
• How will you incorporate our keyword strategy?
• What performance metrics do you guarantee the website will meet?
• How will you optimise images and other media?
• What post-launch SEO support is included?

The hidden cost: Poor SEO and performance can severely limit your website's effectiveness, regardless of how quickly it was built or how good it looks.

8. What post-launch monitoring and optimisation is included?

Websites should continually evolve based on user data and business needs. This means the best websites include post-launch monitoring and ongoing optimisation.

To ensure you’ll have support post-launch ask the following:

• Will you implement analytics and heat mapping tools?
• Is post-launch data analysis included?
• Do you follow a growth-driven design approach with continuous improvements?
• How long after launch will you monitor and refine the website?
• What ongoing optimisations are included in the package?

The hidden cost: Without post-launch optimisation, you might be stuck with initial performance metrics that could have been significantly improved with data-driven refinements.

9. How secure and compliant will the website be?

AI-accelerated builds can prioritise speed over security and compliance. With digital security threats becoming more advanced, this is a growing priority for websites big and small.

Be sure to ask specific questions such as:

• What security measures will be implemented?
• How will you ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, ADA, or other relevant regulations?
• Will you conduct security testing before launch?
• How are you addressing AI-specific security concerns?
• What is your process for keeping the website secure after launch?

The hidden cost: Security breaches and compliance issues can lead to substantial financial and reputational damage.

10. How much of my input and time will be required during the process?

Even AI-accelerated projects require significant client involvement if they are to wow visitors and serve the overall business objectives. From the start, this should be factored into the overall cost.

To make sure you know your commitment, try asking:

• What are the expected time commitments from my team?
• What decisions will we need to make, and when?
• How much content will we need to provide?
• What is the review and approval process?
• How will feedback be incorporated with such tight timelines?

The hidden cost: If you're not prepared to provide timely feedback and content, the project will inevitably be delayed, or worse, proceed without proper guidance.

Making the right decision for your business

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to whether an AI-accelerated website redesign is right for your business. The decision depends on your specific needs, budget, timeline and goals.

Here are some scenarios where an AI-accelerated approach might make sense:

• You need a simple informational website with minimal custom functionality
• You already have clear brand guidelines and content strategy
• You have an immediate short-term need and plan a more comprehensive redesign later
• Your budget constraints outweigh your customisation requirements

Conversely, a more in-depth timeline might be better if:

• Your website is a critical revenue driver for your business
• You need complex functionality or integrations
• Your brand positioning requires a differentiated digital presence
• You're entering a competitive market where standing out is crucial

When all is said and done, the real investment is in business outcomes

Your website isn't just a digital brochure, it's often your business's most important sales and marketing asset. The true measure of a successful website isn't how quickly it was built, but how effectively it drives business outcomes. While AI has revolutionised what's possible in website development, many aspects still require significant human expertise, strategic thinking and time.

Remember that the website redesign isn't the end goal - it's a means to better serve your customers, generate leads, build your brand and grow your business. Focus on those outcomes, ask the right questions, and you’ll set yourself up to make a decision that serves your business for years to come.