Website Proposal Checklist: What to Ask

What to Consider When Getting a Website Proposal?

Businesses in Alanya, Antalya, and the Mediterranean region are reviewing multiple proposals for website projects, but often don't know what they're comparing. To understand whether a proposal should cost 3,000 Turkish Lira or 30,000 Turkish Lira, it's essential to know what it should include. I'm writing this because many business owners become disappointed mid-projects due to asking the wrong questions. Without clear definitions of the essential elements in a proposal, you'll embark on a non-transparent and problematic project.

1. The project scope and page count should be clear.

Each proposal should clearly state how many pages will be created and which functions will be included.

• Number of pages: List the number of pages for the homepage, about us, products/services, and contact information.
• Standard pages: Will a blog page be created? Product filtering? Customer reviews?
• Special features: Features such as online booking, e-commerce shopping cart, and admin panel should be specified separately.
• Responsiveness: Define how it will look on mobile, tablet, and computer.

Saying "I'm building a website" is like saying "I'm building a house" in the context of real estate construction. It would be a mistake to quote a price without specifying the number of rooms in the plan, the type of flooring, and the number of doors and windows. The same principle applies to website quotes.

2. Design and Customization Level

The proposal should clearly state the origin of the design.

• Is it a custom design? Was it designed from scratch for your business, or is it a template?
• Number of revisions: How many times can a design be changed if it's not liked? Is it infinite, or just 3 changes?
• Color, logo, text: Will your own logo and color preferences be used in the design?
• SEO design: Will the design be optimized for search engines?

3. Technical Infrastructure and Server Information

The website runs on a server. This information should be included in the offer.

• Is hosting included? Is the first year free, or is there a separate charge?
• Server specifications: How much storage capacity in GB, what speed, and how many visitors can it handle?
• Software licenses: WordPress, Shopify, or custom software? Who pays for the license?
• Database: How will the number of products and customer data be stored?
• Security certificate (SSL): Does it include HTTPS security?

Website speed and performance are factors that directly affect your sales ; these issues should be taken seriously in the offer.

4. Code Ownership and Transferability

After the project is finished, it's important who takes ownership of the code. I'm writing this: most businesses overlook this issue, and then they run into problems.

• Whose code and design is it: yours or the agency's? Can it be changed later by someone else?
• Is it possible to take over: Can you hand over the code to another engineer?
• Documentation: How does the code work, is there any technical documentation?
• Source code access: Will you be given full access to the software's source code, or is it locked?

These details prevent problems that might arise at the end of the project. I am writing this as Mubin Özdemir: these clauses are clearly stated in a good proposal .

5. Maintenance and Support Services

When you purchase a website, you need to know what's included.

• Support duration: How many months of free support will be provided after the project is completed?
• Bug fixing: If a bug is found, will it be fixed? Within how many days?
• Security updates: Who is responsible for WordPress updates and plugin updates?
• Monthly/annual maintenance fee: How much will it cost afterwards? Will the price increase?
• Additions and changes: How much does it cost to add a new page or feature?

6. Content Preparation and Editorial Work

The proposal should clearly state who will prepare the written text and proposal.

• Does he/she write the text? Does the agency have a copywriter, or will you be preparing it yourself?
• SEO texts: Will the content be optimized for search engines?
• Photographs and images: Will they be used, if any? Will new photographs be taken?
• Product descriptions: If it's an e-commerce site, who will write the descriptions for all the products?

7. Publication Date and Project Duration

The proposal should include a concrete completion date. It's important to get detailed information about a realistic website development timeline .

• Start and end dates: When will it start, and how many weeks will it take to finish?
• Stages and checkpoints: Which week is design approval, which week is testing?
• Extensions: Who is responsible if there are delays? Are there any additional costs?
• Revision period: If you request changes, how many extra days are allowed?

8. Pricing Structure and Payment Plan

The offer should clearly state how the price will be paid.

• Total amount: What is the final payment amount?
• Payment methods: Cash or installments? What are the rates?
• What are the extras: What is the additional cost if it's a request outside of the offer?
• Hidden costs: Are things like hosting, domain, SSL, and email charged separately?
• Money-back guarantee: What happens if you're not satisfied?

9. Domain and Email Management

Your website requires a domain name. The offer must specify who already owns it.

• Domain registration: In whose name will your domain (e.g., sizlemarketim.com) be registered?
• Domain ownership: If you ever want to move it to another location, can you?
• Will email addresses like info@sizlemarketim.com be set up?
• Email sending: How will customer messages and automated emails work?

10. Analytics and Reporting

Once your website is up and running, you'll want to know how many visitors you're getting and where they're coming from.

• Google Analytics setup: Will statistics be tracked?
• Monthly reports: Will you receive visitor reports regularly?
• Conversion tracking: Can you track how many visitors became buyers?
• SEO tools: How to monitor search engine rankings?

Things to Consider When Comparing Offers

I very often encounter the mistake of looking at an offer and saying it's "expensive" or "cheap." In reality, you're comparing different things. For example:

• First agency: Custom design, admin panel, 10 pages, 6 months support = 25,000 Turkish Lira
• Second agency: Template, 5 pages only, 1 month support = 5,000 Turkish Lira.

They're not the same thing. I'm writing this as an engineer: every project I've been involved in has a reason. Don't trust a cheap bid; question what it's doing.

At Alanya IT Services , we prepare very clear proposals in this regard. All the points I mention are explicitly written; there are no surprises. You can view our completed projects on our Instagram page and contact our reference businesses.

Conclusion: Does it talk when you ask a question?

This is the most important test: If you have a proposal, ask about each of the 10 points I mentioned, one by one. How clear and unambiguous are the answers? If the agency says "there's no need to go into those details," stay away from that proposal. A good proposal answers all the questions and makes you feel comfortable. A website is a significant investment for your business. You should only commit to the project to the extent that you understand the proposal.

If you have any questions, contact me directly. I'm writing this because I know where all these points I've mentioned come from, based on 25 years of field experience.