Working inside a web design agency can be a bit like stepping behind the curtain of a magic show. What you see from the outside is a polished performance. What you see from the inside is a lot of rapid-fire work, a few shortcuts, and a whole lot of moving parts.

Who Really Owns Your Website?

One of the first things I learned is that not all agencies hand over the keys when a project is done. It’s surprisingly common for agencies to host your site on their own servers, under their control. That might sound convenient at first, but it’s like renting a house where you never get the deed. If you ever want to move your site, rework it, or take it elsewhere, you might find you don’t actually own it in a meaningful way.

The Revolving Door of Designers and Project Managers

Another reality: when you work with a bigger agency, you’re rarely just dealing with one dedicated expert. There’s often a rotating cast of project managers and designers. Sometimes you get someone with a year of experience; sometimes it’s someone with five years. But the handoffs can feel like a game of musical chairs. One week you have someone who understands your industry, and the next week you’re explaining everything all over again to a new face.

The Template Trap and the Rush to Go Live

In a large agency, the focus is often on volume and speed. Projects can feel like they’re on a conveyor belt. We’d often reuse the same templates because they were fast and familiar, not necessarily because they were the best fit for the client’s unique industry. The result? You end up with a website that looks like a dozen others, with little real customization. It’s a cookie-cutter approach that doesn’t always serve the client’s needs.

The Factory Line Feeling

Ultimately, working at a big agency can feel a bit like factory work. You’re churning out sites to hit numbers rather than taking the time to get to know the client’s business. Once the site goes live, there’s often little follow-up. Did it actually help them rank? Did it meet their goals? That wasn’t always part of the conversation.

What I Learned

If there’s one thing I took away from that experience, it’s this: as a business owner, it’s crucial to know who truly owns your website, how invested your agency is in understanding your industry, and whether they’re focused on quality or just quick turnaround. A great website isn’t just a product—it’s a partnership, and it’s worth finding an agency that treats it that way.