Website Development - Digital Marketing Agency vs Freelancer

Finding the right talent to help you with your company’s rebranding, getting a new website, or having the old one redesigned can be a bit of tedious work, especially if you’re a start-up or mid-sized company. As much as possible, you don’t want to spend too much money, but you also don’t want to compromise the quality of the work. So the question is, should you hire a freelance designer or developer or just an actual agency?

To help you decide, here are a few pros and cons to consider before making that final decision.

Freelancer

Pros

The number one reason almost all start-up and mid-sized companies hire a freelancer to do their project instead of working with an agency is the COST. Hiring a freelancer would only cost you half of what you would pay an agency for the same job, or even less.

The reason why Freelancers are less expensive than agencies is that they work alone and have less overhead. But not all freelancers are cheap; some of them know what they’re worth and the difficulty of the work, so they want to be paid the right price, but still less than what it would cost you with an agency.

Another good thing about freelancers is that they are able to turn projects around rapidly and typically specialize in a particular discipline or style.

A freelancer can be a great fit if the work is clearly defined and needs to be executed quickly on a limited budget.

Cons

Trustworthiness

Can I trust this person to give them access to my company’s website?

What if they leave bugs on my website that don’t start acting up until 3 or even 6 months after they’ve been paid?

What if they steal my company records?

These are some of the questions the client has in mind when hiring a freelancer, since usually there’s no way to tell who you are actually working with. And if they really did plant a bug on your website or decide to stop the project and run off after being paid, you have no one to blame and no one will take responsibility for what has happened.

Quality

With one person working alone on the project, the final result will most likely be heavily influenced by the freelancer’s preferred style and personal limitations. For example, if you hired a freelancer to create an e-commerce website for your business, he may be good in the back-end but has limitations when it comes to creativity in design.

Commitment

Some, if not most, freelancers have a main job and are just looking for project work to bring in extra cash for them. They have no real investment in whether or not the project is done at its best quality. They can just decide to stop the project and run off with the initial payment.

Workload

Freelancers can only handle a limited volume of work since they work alone; this means they are not always available when you need them, and without project managers, they may struggle to meet deadlines and maintain quality on their own.

Agency

Pros

Working with an agency means you will have a multi-disciplined team paired with internal quality control taking care of your needs. You can be assured that your project will have the quality and professionalism you’ve paid for.

And, yes, there is still a small possibility that the developer from an agency could plant a bug in your website, but it is very unlikely. But if that happens, you know who to blame and where to reach them.

Another good thing about hiring an agency is that they’re usually a one-stop shop, meaning they don’t just have a team of designers and developers but rather a full marketing team that includes copywriters, etc.

Cons

Since an agency has a team that’s dedicated to the completion of your project, their prices tend to be a lot higher, which is the number one con of partnering with an agency.

Another one is longer project timelines. Timelines are longer because the project must be handed off to the specialists. For example, one project often needs a web designer, account manager, copywriter, illustrator, videographer, and sound designer.

Both

Quality of Work

When it comes to the quality of work, both can give you quality work, depending on the agency or freelancer you are working with. A freelancer can give you quality work since they will be able to work on your campaign from the point of view of your potential customers. Most, but not all, freelancers aren’t jacks of all trades and have limitations. He might be good on the back end but has limitations when it comes to design.

Conclusion

If you are on a limited budget, need a quick turnaround, and are able to provide very clear specifications for the project, consider working with a freelancer. Look for Reputable freelancers who have a portfolio of their past projects to make sure they can provide quality work.

But If you are concerned about strategy, messaging, branding, and consistency, working with an agency is the best option. Rest assured that you’ll be getting your money’s worth.

If you need professional help with any digital projects, Go4Global is here for you. We do website design and development, mobile app development, Search engine Optimization, E-commerce Website development, and more. You may call us at +1 (747) 283-4767, email us at go4globaldesign@gmail.com or use our contact form