Continue reading to learn:
- Whether building a website on your own, hiring a freelancer or working with a marketing agency is the best option when it comes to website design
- The factors that can alter the project’s cost
- The benefits of working with a web designer
These days, it’s critical for business owners to have an engaging website. According to Finical Holdings, 76% of Americans are online shoppers. So, how can you cash in on this trend?
This article will show that how you hire a web designer matters. We’ll overview three popular options among business owners: doing things on your own, hiring a freelancer and working with a marketing agency. Continue reading to learn the pros and cons of each option.
DIY Websites: A Good or Bad Idea?
So, should you hire a web designer or do it yourself? It’s important to note there are pros and cons of building a website on your own.
Advantages of DIY Website Design
Building your own website is the way to go if you’re looking to save money. By going this route, you’ll potentially save thousands of dollars that can be allocated to other business expenses. However, what’s cheap now might end up costing more in the long run.
Who knows a business better than the business owner? People who know what they want their website to look like and what details to include typically take things into their own hands. Sometimes, the best way to capture the vision you have is to do it yourself!
Disadvantages of Doing Things on Your Own
Many business owners have designed their own websites over the years. Software like Wix.com and Squarespace simplify the process so people can save money and time by not hiring elsewhere—at least, this is the hope.
In reality, software like this provides short-term solutions to long-term problems. Most DIY websites aren’t designed to last. There’s a strong possibility you’ll have to restructure things in the future. Furthermore, trained web designers know what they’re doing. Mistakes will likely pop up if you’ve never designed a website before.
Yes, you’ll save money by designing your own website. Yet, this isn’t always the right move. Professional web designers know what a website needs to succeed and are less likely to make mistakes.
Is Freelance the Way to Go?
Hiring a freelance website designer is another option available to business owners. As you’ll see, the cost of hiring a freelance web designer depends on a few factors.
Reasons to Go the Freelancing Route
Although hiring a freelance website designer is more expensive, the advantages are hard to ignore. These professionals know how to create a user-friendly site. Freelance web designers are also aware of best practices that keep users engaged.
Here are a few things web designers typically put on sites that keep people coming back:
- Credibility and Trust: Users want to know they can trust the company they’re interacting with. So, freelance designers will purposely put the company’s credentials (i.e., government approval, third-party validation, etc.) on the website to establish this trust.
- Examples: Skilled web designers will include information (like a video) about how the company’s products work.
- Contact Information: You might not realize the importance of having contact information on your website. Designers will be sure to include this.
- What’s the Value of the Product/Service: Professionals will let users know how the products/services can save them time, money, etc.
- What Makes the Company Stand Out: A hired website designer will use your site as an opportunity to show users what makes your business special.
The Downside of Freelance Web Design
Freelance employees charge more than in-house employees to pay for incentives they don’t receive from contractual employment. The overhang typically covers things like health insurance and equipment. Freelancers also set their own prices, so it’s hard to boggle them down. Most freelance web designers charge $30-$150 an hour, with the median cost being $75 an hour. These numbers can add up fast if there’s a lot of work to do!
Other Elements that Affect Freelance Pricing
Their Experience Level
Freelance prices are also subject to change based on the designer’s experience level. A new website designer usually charges around $30-$40 an hour. These lower prices might be indicative of the person’s skills, so it’s best to hire them for simpler jobs. People just starting in the industry might not be able to do things experienced professionals can.
Design and Development
If you hire someone who’s strictly a web designer, they’ll focus on aesthetics. Web designers know how to make a website visually appealing to users. Conversely, web developers build the functional aspects of the website. A great metaphor is that the designer creates the button, and the developer makes the button “clickable.” There are web designers that are also developers. Though, keep in mind that developers charge around $100-$180 an hour.
Ultimately, you must decide whether hiring a freelance web designer is worth the investment. Your company’s website will likely look more established if an expert takes over.
Partnering with a Marketing Agency
The final alternative to website design is working with a marketing agency. Read more to unveil why this option is the most beneficial.
The Benefits of Hiring a Web Designer Through a Marketing Agency
Why hire a web designer through a marketing agency, you ask? Where you hire a website designer is critical to your site’s success. Web designers who work for marketing agencies are skilled at their work. They bring their marketing knowledge to each project they undertake. Unlike websites designed by yourself or freelancers, web designers working for a marketing agency optimize their content for search. These professionals use industry expertise to create content that performs well in search engine rankings.
Web designers working with a marketing agency also create quality content that’s hard to find elsewhere. Your writing skills will be on full display if you build your own website, and they might not be up to par with professional writers. Freelancers might also produce less-than-optimal content because they have no one looking over their work.
Most marketing agencies also provide client training when they design a website. After they change the site, they’ll show their clients how to use it and make changes if they want. Having a website designed and having no idea how to operate it is no good. Make sure you hire a team that’ll walk you through everything, so you aren’t stuck when they leave.
Professional web designers can also fix issues that arise. Don’t spend hours trying to figure out why your site’s malfunctioning. Instead, contact your web designer to resolve these problems and maintain the site as needed.
The Not-So-Bright Side of Working with a Marketing Agency
There are so many advantages to working with web designers through marketing agencies; it’s hard to imagine there are any negatives. But alas, even the best things in life have flaws. Working with a marketing agency is the most expensive option of the three discussed in this piece. Why?
The Cost Depends on the Project’s Scope
The price of a website design will depend on the scope of the project. If the job is complex, you can expect to spend more money. Things like project difficulty, page count, commitment level, and the amount of client training needed will affect the cost. So, you need to have an idea of what you want to be done before hiring someone, or the project might expand outside the range of your budget.
Hourly Rates vs. Flat Fees
Website designers can either charge by the hour or a flat fee. Most business owners prefer a flat fee because this number is less likely to change. Agencies like Frontier Marketing offer clients an all-encompassing rate of what they can expect to spend. Keep in mind that the number can change if you decide to expand the project’s size and page count. Though, if you stick within the project’s scope, the amount will remain the same.
The positives of a marketing agency partnership far outweigh the negatives. Although it’s a more substantial initial investment, the quality of work and increased conversion rates will prove to be worth it.
We’ve learned there are several answers to the question: how much does it cost to hire a website designer? The cost is contingent on multiple factors like how you hire a web designer.
Doing things yourself, hiring a freelancer and working with a marketing agency all have their pros and cons. But, ultimately, partnering with a marketing company is the way to go. These professionals will use their marketing knowledge to their advantage while building your website so it’s optimized and does well in search rankings.
Build a Relationship with Frontier Marketing Today
The team at Frontier Marketing will treat your website as if it were our own. We know what it takes to develop a successful website that best aligns with your company’s values. We’ll keep your brand voice in mind while creating a site that appeals to users. All services are in-house, and we offer competitive pricing options that are standard in the market today. You can check out our web design portfolio or give us a call at 847-254-0837 to discuss how we can bring your website to the next level!
