Freelancer or Agency?

When considering a web designer, deciding if you should hire an agency or a freelancer for your project can be somewhat overwhelming.  However, the first decision you will make for your project will be this one, which can prove to be the most crucial decision of the process.

Many individuals taut themselves as web designers, and the competition is fast and furious in the web design arena.  When you begin your search into finding a web designer, you will undoubtedly become quickly overwhelmed.

Whether a large corporate company or a mom-and-pop store, a web design project can quickly become a rather large undertaking, which will result in the investment of both time and money.  Before signing onto anything, you need to take time and make sure that you weigh the pros and cons involved in whether to hire a freelancer or an agency for your needs.

Freelancer

Let's look at a few of the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a freelancer.

-         Advantage – Cost

Let's be honest.  The cost is one of, if not the, biggest reason that it may be in your best interest to hire a freelancer.  A freelancer will be able to determine the cost of their services and can most often offer a lower rate.  Lower prices can play a significant role in the decision if you are a company that is just starting and are on a minimal budget.

-         Advantage – Hands On

A freelancer will be more flexible and can provide more hands-on than an agency because they usually can set their own hours.  If they do not have a heavy load of other clients, they will be able to focus more of their time on your project resulting in a quicker completion timeframe. Conversely, agencies are known to juggle several clients at once, dividing their time and resources between them.

-         Disadvantage – Accountability

When hiring a freelancer over an agency, a concern is the person's accountability. Freelancers can often come with glowing recommendations.  However, it can be challenging to assess the reviews of their experience correctly, unlike with an agency.  You may feel like you are taking a risk by going with a freelancer over an agency.

-         Disadvantage – Skillset

When you choose a freelancer over an agency, you limit yourself to the skillset that the person you have selected has –which can often be very limited.  For instance, when you have a home built, you will need to rely on an individualwith a variety of skill sets to complete the construction.  With web design, the same principle may apply. With a freelancer, it is highly probable that the chosen individual may not have all the skillsets needed to complete your project.  However, when hiring an agency, you will have the skills of a team of individuals, with each person focusing on the talent they have brought to the table.

Now, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of hiring an agency for your project.

-         Advantage – Diversity

The primary advantage of working with an agency is that you will have a team of individuals working on your project, including a web designer working alongside a web developer.  Each individual involved in the build will bring their own skillset to the project, and each will work to ensure that your website is constructed with your target audience in mind.

-         Advantage – Credibility

When working with an agency, you will know that they will work hard to keep their reputation in their respective community intact.  If you are looking at possibly hiring an agency for your web design project, acquiring reviews and comments from past clients can be a vital tool for your final decision.

-         Disadvantage – Cost

When choosing to work with an agency, it is a given that there will be a significantly higher amount of costs involved.  There are several phases that the development process will go through, and each stage will have a cost attached to it.  With an agency, you will often have to pay for one phase before being able to proceed to the next.  Then there is the factoring of the overhead costs that an agency incurs that as a freelancer may not.

-         Disadvantage – Contact

With a freelancer, you will have the advantage of having a singular point of contact when you have a question, or there is a problem.  However, with an agency, you will find that any questions or concerns may have to go through multiple individuals before it gets to the one that can provide the answer or solve the issue.

Here at Skratch Creative experts in Web Design Houston , we are driven to help your business build the most potent brand possible by using industry-leading technology and marketing strategies.  We combine our custom-tailored approach to brand management with award-winning content writing to elevate your brand beyond your competition.

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