The 'Ghosting' Epidemic: Why Web Designers Disappear (And How to Protect Yourself)

It is a story we hear at Digital Presence almost every week.

A local business owner calls us in a panic. "My website is down," they say. "It has been offline for three days. I’ve emailed the guy who built it five times. I’ve called his mobile. I’ve messaged him on Facebook. He’s just… gone."

Sometimes the number is disconnected. Sometimes they get an automated reply saying the designer is "pursuing other opportunities." And sometimes, there is just radio silence.

This is the "Ghosting Epidemic," and unfortunately, in the New Zealand web design industry, it is rampant.

If you have built a website with a freelancer or a "side-hustle" developer, you are constantly at risk of being left holding the bag. But why does this happen? And more importantly, how can you structure your website deal so that your designer is financially forced to answer the phone?

The "Side Hustle" Trap

To understand why designers ghost, you have to look at who is building the sites.

The barrier to entry for web design is low. Anyone with a laptop and a WiFi connection can call themselves a "Web Design Agency." Christchurch is full of talented students, freelancers, and part-timers who build great-looking websites for $1,500.

But here is the reality of the freelancer lifestyle: Life gets in the way.

1. The "Real Job" Scenario

Most freelancers are freelancing because they haven't landed a full-time role yet. They build your site in March. But in June, they get offered a salary job at a software company. Suddenly, they are working 40 hours a week. They don't have time to update your pricing or fix your broken plugin. They ignore your email for a day, which turns into a week, which turns into forever.

2. The "OE" (Overseas Experience)

In New Zealand, this is massive. That talented 22-year-old who built your site decides to move to London or Canada for two years. They are busy finding a flat in London; they aren't thinking about the broken contact form for a plumber in Sydenham.

3. The "Burnout" Phase

Web design is hard. Clients can be demanding. If a freelancer has undercharged you (charging $1,000 for a $3,000 job), they eventually realise they are working for less than minimum wage. They lose motivation. It becomes easier to just stop replying than to have the awkward conversation that they need to charge you more.



The Flaw in the "Upfront" Payment Model

The biggest reason designers ghost isn't because they are bad people. It is because the traditional business model is broken.

In the traditional model, you pay a 50% deposit upfront and 50% on completion. Let’s say you pay an agency $5,000.

The day the website goes live, the transaction is over. The agency has your money. You have the files. From a financial perspective, the agency has zero incentive to ever speak to you again.

If you call them six months later with a problem, you are an interruption. You are stopping them from working on their next $5,000 client.

This is why traditional agencies charge huge hourly rates ($150+) for support—they have to make it worth their while to stop chasing new business to help an old client.

The Risks of Being Ghosted

"So what?" you might think. "The website is live. I don't need to talk to the designer."

This is a dangerous mindset. A website is not a brochure; it is a piece of software living on a server. It needs care, or it will rot.

1. Security Vulnerabilities

Your website likely runs on WordPress. WordPress updates its core software constantly to patch security holes. If your designer has vanished and no one is clicking "Update," your site becomes a sitting duck for hackers. We frequently see "ghosted" sites that have been redirected to spam or gambling sites without the owner knowing.

2. The "Hostage" Situation

Do you have the login for your Domain Name (DNS)? Do you have the login for the Hosting Server? Often, the freelancer sets this up on their own personal account. If they stop paying the bill (or change their credit card), your website vanishes. We have seen businesses lose their entire online existence overnight because they didn't own the keys to the castle.

3. Outdated Business Info

Your business evolves. Staff change. Prices go up. You open a new location. If you can't edit the site yourself and your designer is gone, your website starts displaying wrong information. This damages your brand trust instantly.



The Solution: Why the Subscription Model Fixes Ghosting

At Digital Presence, we realised that the only way to solve the "Ghosting" problem was to change the financial incentive.

We don't charge $5,000 upfront. We don't charge a deposit. We charge a simple monthly fee (starting from **$95/month**).

Here is why this makes us safer than a freelancer:

1. We have to earn your business every month

Because you aren't locked into a contract and you haven't paid a massive deposit, we are financially incentivised to keep you happy. If we stop answering the phone, you stop paying the subscription. It’s that simple. We have to provide great service to keep the lights on.

2. Maintenance is Included (Not an Afterthought)

In the traditional model, maintenance is an annoying extra. In our Subscription Model, maintenance is the core product.

• Hosting: We manage it.
• Security: We patch it.
• Edits: You get 15 minutes of design time included every month.

If you need to change a photo or update a paragraph, you don't get a surprise bill for $150. You just email us, and it gets done.