McHenry Times

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.

• 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 Trustà 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.
• Examplesà Skilled web designers will include information (like a video) about how the company’s products work.
• Contact Informationà 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/Serviceà Professionals will let users know how the products/services can save them time, money, etc.
• What Makes the Company Stand Outà 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!

Original source can be found here.