Hiring a freelance web designer for both startups and existing businesses need not be a grim task. As a new business owner, it can often be difficult to juggle everything by yourself especially if you’ve never done it before, and aren’t looking to have a specific marketing department for your design and development needs.
In the 21st century, it has become almost pointless to hire full-time specialists for ad-hoc projects like web design and programming. Due to various reasons such as budget constraints or a lack of space for new employees in an office, this is where the idea of freelancers fits in perfectly. Find a local website designer.
The recurring theme behind a new business in any industry is that there’s usually a lot of prepping to be done before the actual work begins. This includes promoting your products and services, as a top priority task. A fundamental aspect that will help with this, is a better looking and more informative website to help get you there.
A website is one of the most important elements to work on from the get-go in any type of company. It is the be-all and end-all of any business and here is where web designers come in. If you don’t have an informative, eye-catching website, not only will you have no visibility on Google’s SERPs (Search Engine Results Page), but your competitors will also get ahead of you and take all your potential clients.
Factors to Discuss with a Web Designer When Hiring
The Project Length. This is a crucial discussion point in the decision-making process and one that business owners should have a realistic idea about. You should factor in extra time for contingencies such as amendments.
Extra Services. This is another aspect that freelance web designers appreciate is discussed with them in the beginning. If your project needs an extra hand from a developer or a programmer, they will let you know and you should be open to letting them know how complex you would like your website to be.
Before you speak to them, create a list of all the elements you want included on your website such as images, copy, automation, number of pages, contact forms, etc., and bounce off some ideas with them.
Anything Else. Any additional information you think the web designer needs to know, now would be a good time for you to discuss it with them and not surprise them later while in the middle of the project. Your budget should be on the top of this list, and if you’re not sure, then a ballpark figure should do.
Various Stages of Freelance Work
To give you a general idea we have included 5 common elements most web designers consider when taking on a job:
- The initial set up
- The design and build
- Content Creation if needed
- Client training if required
- Maintaining the website
Advantages of Hiring A Freelance Web Designer
It May Be Cheaper
The most obvious reason many businesses hire freelance web designers is, it may be cheaper than hiring an agency or a full-time employee for instance. This is mainly because you are hiring one individual as opposed to a number of them with different specialisms.
Agencies usually factor in their entire team of experts when quoting for a job, not to mention their software subscriptions and office space.
Another option is by using a website builder such as Wix. Research from UK Web Host Review shows that free website builders like these are very easy to learn and can offer a stepping stone for individual and small business websites. They also have a lot of nice tutorials aimed at beginners.
It Is a Specialized Service
As mentioned above, when you work with a freelance web designer, you can be almost certain that they will be focusing on your job only, as opposed to multiple projects at one go. Nowadays, the concept of Agile project management is where the trend is heading amongst many freelancers, with big projects such as website design and builds, focus and precision is key.
So as not to get anything wrong, these individuals may divide the work into smaller tasks and deliver each milestone to you making sure it is completed as per specifications, which makes for a more quality project.
Some may be better at finishing the entire project and delivering it to you, but one good trait of a freelance web designer is to keep the client informed every step of the way.
Flexible Communication
The ability to communicate outside of business hours is also a lucrative reason why many business owners hire freelancers. The flexibility that comes with it is priceless, as many freelancers usually work around your schedule as opposed to specific times and days. It’s a win-win for both sides!
These are just a few of the many benefits. The best thing for any start-up or existing business to do is to get in touch with a free professional platform service such as Bark, that can help you find the right freelance web designer near you, for any project. In 3 easy steps, you can search and get a free quote within seconds.
