Should you hire a Freelancer or a Web Agency?
Short on time? Jump directly to our final takeaway:
Any company looking for a place in today’s market knows that it needs a website that separates it from its competition and gives it a unique space on the Internet.
However, when choosing the company or expert in charge of designing and launching the website, several questions arise: Whom should we hire? A web design expert or an internet advertising agency? Do these two entities provide the same services? The answer is no. Let’s see why. First of all, it is essential to know what we want to achieve with our project, since if it is only about designing a web page, which we will promote through an experienced Marketing department “in-house”, perhaps the most convenient thing is to hire a freelance provider.
However, when a firm decides to develop its website, it is looking for a business tool, an instrument to drive a particular sales objective, establish contacts with new clients, face market competition, expand the business or area of influence, and increase profits, and lots more. An Internet advertising agency will provide the complete solutions. This can even apply to companies with a Marketing department since an agency can also offer advice for the project.
On the one hand, freelancers can bring creativity and professionalism and put special effort into aesthetic issues and brand presentation, achieving innovative results with significant visual impact.
On the other hand, it is not enough to develop a web page for commercial objectives to be viable. What must accompany this work by creating an extensive advertising and marketing campaign on the Internet, a task that a specialized agency can better fulfil?
Contracting a web design agency or a freelance programmer is a dilemma many consider when commissioning a project to create a professional website.
The consequences are transcendent. Several more than objective reasons advise one option over the other. If you would like to make a modern site for your commerce or redesign the current one to allow it a more up-to-date see, it’s time to choose who will be your provider.
If you’re not creating the site yourself, the choice is constrained to two options. Contracting a web development agency or hiring a freelance programmer. If both alternatives offer you the same thing: making a website, what are the reasons you ought to choose one choice or the other?
In this article, we want to help you decide between Web Development Agency and Freelance, digging into the foremost vital perspectives that characterize each one and their main differences. Let us begin!
Web Agency
A web development agency is an organization made up of web development experts. Each web development expert specializes in different CMS, which are usually the most important and recommended for developing and designing websites: WordPress, Drupal, Symfony, Etcetera.
Some web development agencies are dedicated exclusively to web design and web development. However, the most common agencies are digital agencies, which offer (in addition to web development) other services such as Digital Marketing, and have teams of experts specialized in their fields. Departments: web developers, web usability experts, SEO, SEM, CRO, WPO, lead capture, social media experts, content writing, etcetera.
Additionally, to specialize in web design and development, web design agencies are committed to Inbound Promoting and have specialized groups in all the methodologies of the Inbound technique.
A web development agency is 100% updated on possible changes and trends in web design and development. Its function is to create optimized websites prepared to obtain visibility, achieve good web positioning and offer an optimized browsing experience to users.
Website Freelancer
A Freelance is an independent web development specialist who works autonomously. Freelancer must have extensive knowledge in web design and development to offer consulting services to his target audience and potential clients.
A web development freelancer can have their own office or provide web development services in telecommuting from home. On many occasions, freelancers offer companies the possibility of temporarily working on their staff and being part of their team until the project is completed.
The web development freelance methods to create your website are (like web development agencies) to create an optimized website that converts the most significant number of visits into customers.
Advantages of choosing a web agency for website design
These are some of the benefits of an agency:
They have diverse teams with top professionals
Many services in one place
More resources
Disadvantages of choosing a web agency for website design
Really, there is only one. They can do everything a Freelancer can including personal service if you have a project manager assigned to your project. But that main disadvatage is:
Higher cost than most freelancers
An agency has higher costs compared to those of a freelance.
If you are looking for a particular service, a freelance may be your option. But if you want a complete service, the agency is the best option.
Advantages of choosing a Freelancer for website design
These are some of the benefits of an agency:
Direct communication with Freelance Owner
If you hire a freelancer to do your project, you know your are speaking directly with the owner. Many web agencies do the same, but with a freelancer you know for sure!
Some specialize in a Niche
One of the reasons freelancers do web design is because they know specific niches.
Lower Costs
Freelancers have much less overhead so they typically charge less. They don’t have employess or or business profits to worry about. They get 100% of the money from the project.
The main take away in the debate of Freelancer vs Web Agency?
Find what works for you! Many of the disagvantages or Advantages may not matter to you…. and there may be one that is a deal breaker.
Here is our break down we use on many of our pages:
Is a Website just a Website?
Most people see a website as one thing but in reality it is many things put together into a package. What goes into a website project?
- Discovery
- Project Management
- UX/UI Design
- Functionality & Development
- Copywriting
- Photo/Video
- Graphic Design
- Optimization
- Ongoing Maintenance & Management
- Domains, Hosting, Security, Licneses, MORE+
Hiring a Freelancer
A freelancer can be a great way to save money but the downsides normally outweigh the price savings. A freelancer has to be a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to all the pieces of the website puzzle. Freelancers normally only have 1 or 2 projects they can work on at a time since they have to do it all. They also charge the bare minimum to win your project. This usually means, if they want to make a living they will rush through your project because they need to get to the next. They live project to project and normally don’t become a master of most of the trades involved in building an effective website ready to grow your business. Freelancers can do a good job but it is hard to trust them to be around for the long haul if you need their help down the road.
Hiring a Web Agency
A web agency may cost more than a freelancer, but you need to realize what you are getting. We are a team of specialists that focus on our trades that come together to build the website you need to grow your business. You get a project manager that assigns the right individuals to design, develop, create & optimize your website rather than one person trying to do it all. We work on many projects at a time but we charge the correct amount for each project rather than trying to be the lowest price. This allows us to devote the needed amount of time and resources to your project to get it done correctly and to help you reach your goals. Do you want a cheap website or do you want an optimized hub that brings in business? If an agency is successful and profitable, they will be around to watch your business grow and help you along the way!
Questions?…
SU Web Agency started out as a solo freelancer and has grown into an agency. We feel like we better understand the market and what our clients need more now than ever. We feel like we can spend the necessary time on projects and feel like we can serve you as a client better now as an agency. If you have any questions about this, we would love to talk to you!
Website Design & Branding
Hire SU Web Agency to Build, Manage, Maintain, Host & Update you website for you! We will build your website based on your goals, direction and brand guidelines then manage it for you so you can focus on your business. Your website and branding can be a big investment in growing your business if it is built and managed correctly!
Online Digital Marketing
How much time do you think your customers and potential customers spend on their computers/tablets/phones? It’s a lot! Stop traditional advertising and start displaying your ads online where everyone is looking! Drive traffic to your website and grow your business.
Search Engine Optimization
Your website can give you the chance to stand out and show why you do things better than your competition… but only if your site is Optimized to show up in Searches. Otherwise, there is a good chance no one will ever see it! Let SU Web Agency be your partner in growing your business. Hire us to put together and execute an SEO strategy and start showing up in searches to grow your business!
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