A web designer should have always a portfolio they can show you. Yes, everyone needs to get their start somewhere, but you need to base your decision on choosing them by looking at something. If you’re thinking about spending your hard-earned money on a new website, you should know what to expect.
When you look at the portfolio, pay special attention to more than just the pictures they show you. Make sure you visit the website itself. You need to see what the experience is like. Check the footer and see if that company is still doing the company’s website work. Pay attention to how fast the pages load. Check out how the sites look on your phone and your desktop. Is the layout simple enough for your average user? If you were a potential customer of that business, would you be able to quickly understand what it is they do and find the information you need in one or two clicks?