Digital presence · Insights
- website design douala
- web developer douala
Searching for a web agency in Cameroon gives you dozens of names in minutes: agencies in Akwa and Bonapriso, freelancers in Molyko, a cousin who "does websites", and companies abroad that promise everything for a low price. Most of them can put a page online. Far fewer will give you a website that customers find on Google, that loads on a phone with weak data, that you truly own, and that still works two years later.
This checklist is the one we would use if we were hiring an agency ourselves. Ask these twelve questions before you pay a deposit, and compare the answers, not only the prices.
1 to 3: Who will own the website?
1. Will the domain name be registered in my name?
Your domain (yourbusiness.cm or yourbusiness.com) is your address on the internet. It must be registered in the name of your business, with an email you control, even if the agency manages it for you. Many Cameroonian businesses have lost their domain because a former developer registered it in their own name and stopped answering the phone.
2. Will I have the access codes to the hosting and the site?
Ask for an administrator account on the website and on the hosting panel, or at minimum a written handover of the access details at the end of the project. You may never use them, but you should be able to move to another provider without asking permission.
3. Who owns the design, the text and the photos?
The contract should say that the final design and the content you paid for belong to you. Also check that photos are your own or properly licensed. Copied images from Google can lead to complaints and removal requests.
4 to 6: Will customers find it?
4. Will the site be in French and English, properly?
Cameroon searches in two languages. A site that is only in English misses most of Douala and Yaoundé; a site that is only in French misses Buea, Bamenda and many diaspora clients. Each language needs its own pages, written by a person, with its own titles and descriptions for Google. An automatic translation button is not enough, because Google does not rank text that only appears after a click.
5. What will you do so we appear on Google and Google Maps?
Look for concrete answers: a page for each service, titles that say what you do and where (for example "Pharmacy in Bonamoussadi, Douala"), a sitemap submitted to Google Search Console, structured data, and a verified Google Business Profile with the same name, address and phone as the website. Be careful with anyone who guarantees "first position on Google in one week". Nobody can promise that honestly.
6. How fast will it load on a phone with mobile data?
Most of your visitors will arrive on an Android phone, often on a slow or expensive connection. Ask the agency to show you the PageSpeed Insights score of a site they already built, on mobile. Heavy sliders, autoplay videos and dozens of plugins look impressive in the office and lose customers outside it.
7 to 9: Will it bring you business?
7. How will visitors contact us?
In Cameroon, many customers prefer WhatsApp to forms or email. A good business website puts a WhatsApp button and a phone number one tap away on every page, with a short form for people who prefer to write. Ask where the form messages will go, and test it before launch.
8. Can customers pay with Mobile Money if we need it?
If you sell online, take bookings or collect fees, ask whether the agency has already integrated MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money, and how payments are confirmed and receipted. A payment that cannot be traced creates disputes.
9. Can I see websites you built, and call those clients?
Ask for live links, not only screenshots. Open them on your phone. Check that they still work, that the copyright year is recent and that the contact details are current. Then ask one or two of those clients how the project went and how the agency behaves after launch.
10 to 12: What happens after launch?
10. Who renews the domain and hosting, and when?
Websites in Cameroon often go offline for one simple reason: a renewal was missed or the SSL certificate expired, and visitors see a security warning or a "403 Forbidden" page. Agree in writing who renews what, on which date, and who is alerted before expiry.
11. What does maintenance include?
Ask what happens each month: backups, security updates, uptime monitoring, small text changes, and how quickly they respond when something breaks. A website without maintenance slowly becomes slow, outdated and vulnerable.
12. Will you train my team?
Your staff should be able to publish news, change opening hours or add a product without calling the agency each time. Ask for a short training session and a simple written guide, in the language your team uses.
Red flags to watch for
- No written quote or contract, only a WhatsApp voice note.
- The domain is registered in the developer's name.
- Guaranteed first place on Google, or a fixed number of visitors.
- Fake reviews or invented figures on their own website.
- Every example they show is offline or years old.
- Full payment requested before any design is shown.
In short
The right agency is not always the cheapest or the biggest. It is the one that puts the website in your name, writes it for Cameroonians in both languages, makes it fast on a phone, helps you appear on Google, and is still there when something needs fixing. Ask the twelve questions, write the answers down and choose with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build a business website in Cameroon?
A clear brochure website with a few pages usually takes a few weeks once the content and photos are ready. Larger sites with online payment, bookings or a members area take longer. The main delay is usually content, so prepare your texts, logo and photos early.
Should I choose a .cm or a .com domain?
A .cm domain tells visitors and Google that you are a Cameroonian business, which helps local trust. A .com suits businesses that also target clients abroad. Many businesses register both and point one to the other.
Is a Facebook page enough instead of a website?
A Facebook page is useful, but you do not control it, it ranks poorly on Google for services, and it cannot hold your full catalogue, prices or bookings. The best results come from a website you own, linked to your Facebook, WhatsApp and Google Business Profile.
Do you work with clients outside Douala?
Yes. MOGADONKO is based in Bonaberi, Douala, and works with clients in Buea, Yaoundé and across Cameroon, as well as abroad, through WhatsApp, video calls and on-site visits when needed.
