5 Reasons Why a Web Development Agency is Better Than a Freelancer

While it might be tempting to simply google “web designer near me,” it’s not really the case if you don’t want to risk being left with irrelevant results. Hiring a freelancer versus an agency to design a website is an important decision that can have a significant impact on the quality and success of the project. Especially for small businesses.

In this article, we discuss 5 key reasons why a web development agency may be a better choice than a freelancer and more.

Behind the Scenes of Hiring a Professional

Did you get the green light from your boss to improve the website of the company you work for? Or are you, as CEO, debating whether you should hire a freelancer to revamp your website? First off, kudos on making the decision! Secondly, many companies, when it comes to that conundrum, find themselves lost between two choices.

On the one hand, a freelancer comes as a more cost-effective and personalized solution. On the other, it’s a never-ending quandary on whether you’re getting what you paid for. Proponents of freelancer work may argue that it’s quite secure if you find the right people, but in reality, it implies risks in quality and time.

A good agency stans for its reputation, ensuring a maximum expert-driven focus to deliver the result you want while saving you time and money.

When to hire a Web Development Agency?

So, you’ve established that you’re ready to hire a web development agency. The decision to hire one often depends on several key factors. Let’s identify some objectives of this partnership. Consider that a good agency partner can totally transform your brand by sharing insights and, essentially, doing its job right. While the bad one can waste effort, leaving you with an uneasy feeling and significant financial loss. Here are the main points to consider to determine if it’s the right time to hire a web development agency:

1. Your team does not have the skills
2. The project is too big
3. You have limited time
4. Budgeting
5. Your team is swamped
6. You need support and maintenance

Your team does not have the skills

If your current team lacks the necessary skills or experience to develop and maintain the website to the required level, this may be a signal to hire an agency.

The project is too big

For large projects that require specialized knowledge (for example, integration with multiple external services and high workload), an external agency will be able to handle the tasks more efficiently than a small in-house team.

You have limited time

If you have ambitious timelines for launching new products or major updates to existing ones, the agency will be able to provide enough resources to speed up development.

Budgeting

While hiring an agency may be more expensive in the short term, it can be a more cost-effective solution in the long term, reducing the risk of downtime and costly mistakes.

Your team is swamped

If your team is already overloaded with current tasks, hiring an agency can help avoid overtime and reduce the quality of work on other projects.

You need support and maintenance

Building an effective support and update system can be challenging. Once the project has started, the agency usually offers reliable support and service.

What does a Web Development Agency do?

A web development agency does the creation, development, and support of websites and applications, providing design and interface development, front-end and back-end programming, integration with services and APIs, testing to eliminate errors and security checks, SEO optimization to improve visibility in search engines, providing technical support and content updates, as well as consultation on web presence strategy and integration with marketing tools and platforms, providing a full range of services from idea to website support.

Why you should hire a web development agency instead of a freelancer

Apart from the rather obvious reasons to hire a web development agency, here are the top 5 reasons why you should consider it:

1. Integrated approach and versatility
2. Reliability and liability
3. Stability and scalability
4. Access to technology and trends
5. Support and maintenance

Integrated approach and versatility

Agencies provide a comprehensive service that covers every phase of project development, from initial research and planning to design development and ongoing support. This approach ensures that a single provider manages all aspects of your project. At an agency, specialists are assigned to specific tasks: UX/UI designers focus on the user interface, and SEO experts handle search engine optimization. This coordinated effort across various departments enables the creation of a product that excels in all dimensions.

Reliability and liability

Agencies often feature serious project management protocols, including routine meetings, detailed progress reports, and explicit quality assurance procedures. Additionally, contracts with agencies generally include comprehensive terms of cooperation, offering enhanced legal protection for clients. In contrast, while freelancers may offer more adaptable terms, they typically cannot match the level of formal documentation that agencies provide.

Stability and scalability

Agencies provide greater stability and scalability for projects thanks to their extensive resources and broad experience across various technologies and industries. Not to mention, they have the advantage over freelancers in scaling project teams. They can swiftly expand by integrating additional specialists or leveraging resources from other departments as needed.

Access to technology and trends

Staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends can often be overwhelming, especially given the rapid evolution of web development. Many web developers find themselves constantly catching up, dedicating more and more time to research. Additionally, managing and investing in various web development tools such as frameworks, code editors, DBMS, SEO tools, and analytics—can be both costly and complex. This is why many choose to partner with web development agencies, which not only have access to these tools but also bring a wealth of experience and research to the table.

Support and maintenance

Agencies provide continuous support and maintenance for websites, ensuring they operate smoothly by regularly implementing updates, backups, and enhancements to security and performance. Many agencies offer round-the-clock support, essential for commercial sites and applications with high traffic, to address issues promptly and maintain optimal functionality.

Your biggest supporter

To sum it all up, the benefits of hiring a web development agency instead of a freelancer are numerous. An agency acts as your ally, advisor, and guide through various complex processes. Delegating responsibilities may not be easy initially, and building trust takes time. After all, it’s crucial to choose an agency that aligns well with your needs and with whom you can develop a strong relationship. Once you establish this partnership, the benefits will follow, prompting you to wonder why you didn’t make the move sooner.