Hiring a web agency is one of the biggest decisions a growing business makes. Get it right and you gain a partner who helps you win customers for years. Get it wrong and you lose money, time and momentum, often discovering the problem only when it is expensive to fix. This guide walks you through exactly how to choose well, especially in the Kenyan market.

Start with the outcome, not the website

Before you talk to anyone, get clear on what you actually want the website to do. More enquiries? Online bookings? Sales? Credibility so you can close bigger deals? A good agency will ask about this on the first call. If they jump straight to talking about colours and pages without understanding your business goal, that is a warning sign.

Write down one primary goal and two or three things a visitor should be able to do on your site. This single page of clarity will make every later decision easier.

1. Look at real, live work

Anyone can show a pretty mockup. Ask for links to websites the agency has actually built and then visit them on your phone. Are they fast? Do they look professional? Do they still work today? A portfolio of live, working sites tells you far more than a slide deck ever will.

If possible, ask whether you can speak to one or two of their past clients. A confident agency will happily connect you.

2. Understand what is included, and what is not

A website is not a single thing you buy once. It is design, content, development, hosting, security, and ongoing care. Many cheap quotes only cover the first build, leaving you stranded the day after launch.

  • Who writes the content and sources the images?
  • Is the design custom, or a template everyone else also uses?
  • Is it mobile-first? Most of your visitors are on phones.
  • What happens after launch: updates, fixes, backups, support?

3. Insist on hosting and maintenance

Websites need looking after. Software gets outdated, security holes appear, and servers go down. Ask whether the agency offers managed hosting and maintenance, or whether you are on your own once the site is live. The best partners keep your site secure, updated, monitored and backed up for a predictable monthly fee, so a small problem never becomes an emergency.

4. Make sure you own everything

This one catches many businesses out. You should own your domain name, your hosting account and the final website. Never let an agency hold these hostage. Ask in writing: "When we finish, do I have full ownership and access to my domain, hosting and site?" If the answer is anything but a clear yes, be careful.

5. Demand clear, written pricing

Transparent partners are upfront about cost and scope. You should know what you are paying, what it includes, and what would cost extra. If pricing is vague, keeps shifting, or every small change triggers a surprise invoice, expect that pattern to continue. A simple written proposal protects both sides.

6. Communication beats everything

The most talented developer is useless if you cannot reach them. During the sales stage, notice how quickly they reply and whether they explain things in plain language. That is the best preview of what working together will feel like. Slow or confusing communication before you have paid only gets worse afterwards.

7. Mind the local context

In Kenya and across East Africa, a few practical things matter. Can the site take payments through M-Pesa as well as cards? Is it built to load quickly on mobile data? Does the agency understand your customers and how they search? Local insight, paired with solid engineering, is a powerful combination.

Red flags to walk away from

  • No portfolio of live, working sites.
  • Prices that seem too good to be true.
  • No hosting, maintenance or support plan.
  • They keep control of your domain or hosting.
  • Slow, vague communication during the sales stage.
  • Pressure to pay everything upfront with no clear milestones.

Smart questions to ask on your first call

  • Can I see three live sites you have built and still support?
  • What exactly is included, and what would cost extra?
  • Do you host and maintain the site after launch?
  • Will I fully own my domain, hosting and website?
  • How do you handle changes and how fast do you respond?

The bottom line

Choosing a web agency is really about choosing a partner. Look for live proof of work, clear pricing, real ownership, and a team that will still be there after launch. At Ilays Solutions we host, maintain and support everything we build, with transparent pricing and one point of contact. That is the difference between a vendor who disappears and a partner who helps you grow.

If you are weighing up options, we are always happy to give honest, no-pressure advice, even if you do not work with us.