Are you a professional marketing firm or other company looking to hire a web designer? Perhaps, you should consider freelancers for the job. With the rise in demand for employment, there has been an increase in the number of freelancers globally. Just because someone is a freelancer doesn’t mean there’s a skill set drop off, web developer freelancers can be equally or greater talented than professional web designers.
Today, you can hire a freelance web designer, and still have the work done professionally and delivered in time. Are there benefits of hiring freelancers rather than full-time employees? For some industries, there are. Let’s explore this further.
What Is a Freelancer?
A freelancer is a self-employed individual that does not work for any company for long term. They are 1099 contractors, rather than W2 employees. So, you never have to worry about payroll taxes or providing employee benefits.
The quality of freelancers varies significantly. Some with no experience start by offering cheap services, which are often poor quality. There are established freelancers that charge more but offer remarkably high-quality work. Oftentimes, these are the contractors that have gone to school for web design and development.
Why would you hire cheap services? You wouldn’t, if you want a quality service.
Quality is expensive, and search engines are so demanding regarding quality. When hiring a freelancer for web design, the contractor must understand the language of search engines and Search Engine Optimization.
SEO is an essential part of web development and must be considered in every phase of web design. So, whether you hire a full-time employee, or a freelancer, make sure they know their SEO game!
5 Advantages of Hiring a Freelancer over Full-Time Employee
Here are benefits of choosing to hire a freelancer for your web design projects instead of hiring a full-time employee:
1. Freelancers VS Full-Time Employees: Affordability
Freelancers prefer to work from the comfort of their homes. So, hiring a freelancer means no overhead costs for you, such as office space, supplies, furniture, etc… You don’t even have to worry about providing free Wi-Fi. Many freelancers offer affordable, top-notch services virtually, across the world.
Hiring a full-time employee for web design projects is costlier. Not only are the overhead costs your responsibility, but these employees, based on labor laws, require other employment benefits. Not to mention, you’re responsible for payroll taxes for employees, but not freelancers.
2. Freelancers VS Full-Time Employees: Response Times
With every web design project, there must be a plan and process. A full-time employee knows the right process to follow with their clients. But it usually takes longer because they have to assign tasks or share some information with different staff members.
For freelancers, you deal with one team member for every inquiry. This saves time since the contract doesn’t have to pass information to anyone else. Plus, you can easily reach them if you need to be updated via email and other online tools.
3. Freelancers VS Full-Time Employees: Reputation
The success of a freelancer depends on their word of mouth and the ability to attract new clients and businesses. So, their reputations are very important to them. They only need to be skilled with modern technologies and the latest web design trends. That way, they can appeal to and satisfy clients.
Employees survive on the reputation of the company for which they work. And, if you’re unlucky enough to have a “bad employee,” your brand’s reputation won’t matter to them one bit. Your freelancer’s determination to stay reputable will reflect in the completed work, making your brand look good at the same time.
4. Freelancers VS Full-Time Employees: Small Organizations
Many larger web design companies work with full-time employees because they have to handle bigger projects and provide scalable services. But, for smaller companies, having multiple full-time web designers on staff can be too costly for operations.
Freelancers are flexible and open to offers, which are generally negotiable. They are perfect for small projects or if you have a low budget and can’t pay for the services of full-time employees. Many are even perfect for large projects, especially if it’s not long-term.
5. Freelancers VS Full-Time Employees: Delivery
The freelancing market is highly competitive today. These contractors must provide high-quality work and deliver it on-time to keep up with the pace of the market. Failure to meet deadlines creates a bad name for the freelancer. So, good contractors work hard to meet standards and deadlines.
A good employee will do the same. However, this will definitely cost you more.
Freelancer VS Full-Time Employee: Which Should You Hire?
Choosing between a freelancer and full-time employee depends on your company’s needs and the scope of the web design project.
If you have a small project that can be handled by one person, freelancers are the best choice. They are flexible and most work with reasonable budgets. These contractors can handle all the services web design firms and other small business offer. Yet, you’re not responsible for their:
- Overheard costs
- Payroll taxes
- Medical insurance
- Other employee benefits
A business with complex needs that requires a wide range of services may need full-time employees. However, if your company is a startup or a small business, you may not need to spend money paying 40-hour per week employees.
The Best Way to Hire a Web Designer for Your Smaller Project
Before you start your web design project, consider the essential feature of web design and development which is marketing and SEO. Some people only look at these aspects after they are done with the design process. Marketing is essential. And SEO is a major part of every phase of the web design process.
Both full-time employees and freelancers specialize in their fields. So, it’s essential to go for the right fit for your web design project. You want a web designer that knows coding, as well as SEO. Local trade college students are educated and trained on all of these aspects, making them great candidates for web designing jobs.
F.I.R.S.T. Institute is a web design school located in Orlando, Florida. They have built an outstanding reputation in the local community for providing businesses with skilled intern students and graduates to hire for their projects. Learn how to become a web developer.
Hiring a graduate through F.I.R.S.T. Institute means gaining a full-time employee you can count on to get the job done right. Working with a tight budget? Why not speak with the Career Development Advisors at F.I.R.S.T. about hiring an intern instead?
Give F.I.R.S.T. Institute a call at (888) 9-FIRST-1 to discuss hiring a graduate or starting an internship for your web design project. Or, click here to contact F.I.R.S.T. online now.
