Many companies that are considering getting their website done are faced with the choice of using a freelancer or in using a web agency. This coupled in with finding a good agency at the right price can make the problem quite a big one.
There are ups and downs to each, as follows:
Working with a web agency
Pro’s
Website design companies do have more ‘stability’ than working with a freelancer. Generally being more accountable for the work they do.
Web agencies normally will have a larger portfolio of clients and thus will be able to allocate more resource as and when needed
Experience – as web agencies have a number of people working for them, they can often draw on additional internal skills as and when required (whether it is for design, SEO etc.).
Cons
The main one would be cost; due to the higher overheads agencies do tend to be more expensive.
Working with a freelancer
Pro’s
Cost is a big one, freelancers do tend to be cheaper due to lower overheads.
Flexibility – due to the nature of their work they do aim to please and as such, may well be more flexible in terms of work loads and timescales
Cons
Resources tend to be a restricting issue with using freelancers – due to them only working on their own they only have so many hours in the day to contribute (as they will manage other clients)
As you can see there are pros and cons to both, so it really needs to be a judgment choice as to which you decide to use – based on your business and own particular circumstances.
There are a few things however that would be more defining factors that would aid in the decision making process.
Location – so you can organise regular visits to run over face to face
Experience – If a designer knows about your industry/market then this can make all the difference
Cost – all designers charge differently and costs vary massively.
One other slight problem, is that there are thousands and thousands of website designers dotted around the UK of all shapes and sizes that choosing the right one can be hard. If anything due to the time consuming nature of going through all websites, submitting queries and then chasing responses.
Price comparison is popular these days with many websites offering quick and simple ways of comparing quotes and saving valuable time in searching around and chasing down responses.
