This guest post on Savvy-Writer.com about working with web development freelancers is from Marek Tyniec, Marketing Coordinator, at Goodiewebsite.
If you’re in the process of establishing a business, you likely know by now that having a clear, user-friendly website is a must. And today, there are many options with open-source platforms where you can create a half-decent website on your own, even with minimal experience. But as convenient as they may be, these are really only meant to kick start the beginning of your business journey as they typically have limitations that can leave your small business looking unprofessional and stagnant.
When you’ve decided to hire a professional web developer, you come to a crossroads: Do you work with an agency, hire a staffer, or work with freelancers?
You want to choose the option that will help you be able to present a polished and professional virtual business front that can capture, engage, and convert online users, and not just in the short-term, but in the long term. We want to help you see that working with a web development freelancer in 2022 will provide your small business with the best value, so we’ve compiled the most convincing reasons to show you why it’s a worthy investment.
The Top Reasons to Work with a Web Development Freelancer
Reduce Overhead Costs
Starting with any business endeavor usually requires business owners to juggle many different hats, from marketing to accounting to IT and everything in between. But the reality is, even as a budding small business, you will eventually need to hire professionals to assist you with day-to-day operations so you can focus on growing your business instead of running it.
And having a web developer is a crucial part of that equation to ensure everything runs smoothly and can grow steadily to meet the demands of your customer base. However, hiring a full-time in-house web developer can cost a significant amount since you’ll need to take on additional overhead costs, such as staff wages and benefits.
Thankfully, you can avoid taking on those extra expenses and yet still get the support you need by hiring a web development freelancer. Since they work from home and don’t require any office space, it’s an excellent alternative for small businesses that are more strapped for cash but need all the help they can get.
To put it in terms of finances: The average in-house web developer salary is going to run you about $70,000 (USD). Now, let’s look at our average WordPress website development project cost: $1799 (USD).
Say you then pay another freelancer for maintenance and ad-hoc website updates, for an average of $1,000 (USD) per month that will only end up costing you $13,799 for the year to develop and maintain your small business website. So, by hiring web development freelancers rather than an in-house developer, you’ve saved your small business over $56,000, in just one year!
Better Quality of Work
Freelancers work for themselves, which means they usually care more about the quality of work they produce than if they were working for a specific agency. Their livelihood is dependent on them producing great quality work and receiving high quality reviews and referrals.
The truth of the matter is, whether you choose to work with a large agency or a boutique operation, the quality boils down to the individual. So the best way to see if a developer is a good fit is by viewing their portfolio and reviews, regardless of where they are working.
When working with freelancers, you also simply have access to more people, with more levels of quality available. In fact, by choosing to hire freelancers rather than in-house staffers, businesses get access to an unlimited work force at their disposal. Think about it: There are over 1.5 million web development freelancers in the world. That’s a massive amount of resources at your disposal. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort.
Shorter Turnaround Times
Without the restrictions of working with a large team, freelance web developers can often deliver their work in a shorter time frame. They won’t have to waste time brainstorming with others or waiting to gain approval for an idea. Instead, having confidence in their skill set enables them to get down to business faster, especially with more freedom and flexibility to dedicate their time to complete each project.
Think about this from the perspective of a freelancer; they know there are a lot of freelancers out there, and they want to hold your business. They want you to refer them to your friends and other businesses, because word of mouth and reviews on online freelancer programs make up a surprising amount of new client acquisition for web freelancers.
Easier Communication Process
A freelancer operates as both the developer and the liaison for their clients. So you get to speak directly with them, making communication easier and generally more concise. The same can’t always be said when working with larger agencies. You would likely need to shuffle through various departments or contact points rather than be connected directly with the web developer.
Another thing that factors into the communication process is employee satisfaction.
Gig workers are generally more satisfied with their work-life balance than standard 9-5 workers, due to the fact that they have an increased amount of flexibility in their earning method, and that they don’t report to anyone. Their work is entirely dependent on their choices of what project they would like to work on. That’s why, when you select a freelancer, you can know they will be strong communicators with you, because they have also chosen your project as one they want to contribute to.
Consistency of Work
Having a single freelance web developer work on your website and digital footprint is the best way to keep your business image and brand looking consistent and professional.
From their layout to their graphics to their select photos and colour scheme, it simplifies everything and keeps it cohesive. With an agency, you might have to deal with several different developers if there’s a high turnaround. Freelancers get to know your site, and dedicate themselves to its design and usability features. This leads right into the next benefit of hiring freelancers for your web development project.
More UX/UI and E-Commerce Design Options
Hiring freelancers for your projects will give you more options when it comes to UX/UI and E-Commerce Designs. As you know, design is incredibly important when it comes to the customer journey, especially if we’re talking about E-Commerce.
Did you know that 94% of negative website feedback is design related?
Your goal as a business is for customers to enjoy spending time on your website, and convert those visits to sales, whether it’s through your E-Commerce page or through a contact page. Either way, opening your design up to the interest of a freelancer will give you the most design options of any professional work.
The reason for this is that freelancers are constantly on the lookout for the latest trending designs in order to constantly update their portfolios, to be the most eye-catching they can be. In-house developers or agencies sometimes have a habit of stagnating in their design features, as their referrals are enough to bring them ongoing business. Freelancers give you the best and latest options from around the world of design.
More Experience and Expertise
My final reason to work with freelancers is that good, reputable freelancers know they have to stay at the top of their game constantly, because they’re working for themselves at the end of the day.
This gives them an edge because they’re constantly working to improve their skill set and stay on top of the latest trends within their field. Plus, they’re often more passionate about the work they provide. On the other hand, developers working for agencies have a much more comfortable position, which means it’s unnecessary to apply as much effort or continuously sharpen their repertoire.
The bottom line is your digital image and footprint can make or break your business today. If your goal is to rise to the top of your industry, you can’t get there without investing in imperative things that will allow you to stand out from your competitors. And in this competitive digital age, a website is the backbone of any business. Another big part of all this is moving towards the future of web development work in general.
With the gig economies growing rapidly in 2022 and beyond, workers are going to start choosing freelance work over traditional methods of employment, and your small business should be ready for this shift. By working with freelance web developers today, you can set yourself up for success in the future of this industry. Now the only thing left to do is to go get your business ready, because your website is not going to be small for much longer!
About the Author
Marek Tyniec is the Marketing Coordinator at Goodiewebsite. He is an experienced online marketing professional with deep insights into the challenges of software houses serving B2B clients on US, UK, Australian, and Western European markets. Specialty coffee lover before it was cool, and a fan of independent cinematography. Influential cycling blogger and journalist, setting trends in Polish cycling media since the early 2000s.
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