10 questions to ask before you commission a website

Website quotes tend to arrive with beautiful visuals. The real difference shows in the answers to the questions behind them. Ask the ten below whichever agency you talk to. Under each one we have written KMG's own answer, so you have something to compare against.

1. Whose name will the domain be registered in?

The domain is the title deed of your online business. If it sits in the agency's name, it becomes a bargaining chip when you leave. The answer should be "yours", and it should be in writing.

At KMG: the domain is registered in your name or your business's name. It stays with you even if we stop working together.

2. Who will update the site afterwards, and how?

There are two models: you edit through an admin panel yourself, or you send changes to the agency. Either can be right, but you need to know at the start. If there is a panel, ask who will train you. If you send changes, ask how many you get.

At KMG: on plan sites you send us the change and we make it. The allowance is 1, 3 or unlimited (fair use) updates a month depending on the plan. If you want to manage content from your own panel, we prepare a custom quote.

3. How much SEO is really in the price?

"SEO included" can mean a lot or nothing. Writing titles and descriptions, a Google listing, a sitemap and speed are the basics. Be wary of anyone who promises first page rankings: nobody can guarantee a position.

At KMG: every plan includes basic SEO and a Google listing. The Business plan adds Google Business Profile setup, and Growth adds local SEO care (review replies, monthly content, a report). We do not promise rankings.

4. How are maintenance and backups handled?

This is the topic people forget most. A site is not finished at launch: a plugin breaks, a certificate expires, a backup is missing. Ask who watches for these things and how quickly they respond.

At KMG: if the domain and hosting are with us, the server, SSL and weekly backups (on Business and Growth) are handled in one place. Support responds within 2 working days, 1 working day or the same day, depending on the plan.

5. What does the site do about data protection?

A contact form, a booking request or a newsletter signup means you are collecting personal data. You need a privacy notice, clear consent or information at the form, and clarity about where the data is stored. Tools that set cookies, such as analytics or maps, need covering too. In Turkey this falls under KVKK, and if you serve EU visitors GDPR may apply as well.

At KMG: forms carry a consent checkbox and a link to the privacy notice, and our own site publishes its privacy texts. We follow the same approach on client sites. Have your own adviser check the legal wording.

6. What about Law No. 5651 and access logs?

In Turkey, the party that hosts a site (the "hosting provider") has to keep certain access records for a set period. If you buy hosting, make sure the records are kept. If you host entirely on your own server, the duty is yours.

At KMG: access logs are kept for the sites we host, and stored for 2 years.

7. Where is it hosted, and how fast and safe is it?

Where the server is, whether SSL is included, and whether the site survives a traffic spike or an attack all matter. Cheap shared hosting can slow down in busy hours.

At KMG: sites run on Cloudflare's infrastructure and SSL is part of the plan. If you have your own server, we install the site there and hand it over.

8. How long will delivery take, and what does it depend on?

Often the schedule depends less on the agency than on when you supply content: texts, a logo, photos. Ask for a written timeline and agree on review points.

At KMG: starting from a template shortens things, because most of the design and code is ready. What sets the timing is when your content is ready, and we share the delivery date in writing.

9. What happens if I want to leave?

The minimum term, cancellation rules, and the handover of content and domain should all be written down. If you are on a locked theme or a proprietary system, ask whether the site can move elsewhere.

At KMG: there is no commitment and you can cancel at any time. Within 15 days of the first payment you get a full refund (the domain registry fee is excluded). After that the site stays live to the end of the period you paid for, and on leaving we hand over your texts, photos and domain.

10. What will I pay in year one and year two, in total?

Ask for a written total that includes domain, hosting, email, updates and VAT. Ask about renewal increases and charges for extra pages or languages. Compare quotes over 12 months.

At KMG: there is no setup fee. Plans with domain and hosting are 749, 1,149 and 1,599 TL a month (599, 999 and 1,499 TL on your own server), with 2 months free if you pay yearly. Prices exclude VAT, which is added on the invoice. Details are on the pricing page, and the full pricing logic is in our website cost guide.

What the contract must say

Spoken answers do not bind anyone unless they reach the contract. Make sure the text covers:

• Whose name the domain is registered in.
• The number of pages, languages and updates included in the plan.
• The payment schedule, renewal terms and the VAT position.
• The delivery date and what the agency expects from you for content.
• Cancellation terms, refunds and the materials handed over when you leave.
• Who does what for hosting, backups and record keeping.

Sending this list to an agency and getting a written "yes" to each line is quicker than talking through the same points in six meetings.

How to read the answers

Written, clear and measurable answers are good ones. "Don't worry, we'll sort it" is not. If an agency hesitates to put its answers in the contract, the problem is not the answer, it is the contract. To see finished work, look at what has been made with KMG, and for a ready starting point browse the templates.