Before we roll, I wish you all a very happy new year 2018.
Freelancer vs agencies? – We have always been skeptical about this and to be honest it is the most frequently asked question last year. So this post is inspired by the conversations I had with my prospective partners / clients for months.
I will certainly try to objectively present the rationale and situation for hiring freelancers over agencies in the web and mobile development and digital marketing industry.
First, before making a decision, you should ask yourself some questions about the project you have.
- What is my budget?
- How complex is my project?
- How much time do you have a week to monitor the status of your project?
If the answers to the above questions are LIMITED / NORMAL Budget, SIMPLE / MODERATE Complex, AND LESS THAN 12 HOURS / WEEK. You should probably go to a freelancer.
Explanation:
LIMITED / NORMAL Budget:
However, this is subjective, in general, freelancers have almost no overhead than a professional agency. You just pay no. hrs. freelancer works on your project. When it comes to an agency, you will obviously pay a lot more, it is “expensive”, it goes without saying.
SIMPLE / MODERATE / EXTREME Complex:
Freelancers are especially talented in a specific niche skill set and you communicate directly with the freelancer. You can explain to them what exactly you want in a timely manner, as most freelancers are flexible. Regarding the agency, there is no “me” in the team, so you will never talk to the person / team working on your project. You must contact the A / C manager / customer service manager.
However, in this context, you should make sure to validate the following before continuing:
- Communication skills of the self-employed.
- Freelance worker experience in specific technologies and previous jobs.
- Checking references with one of your current or former clients.
LESS THAN 12 HOURS / WEEK:
In general, freelancers are flexible, freelancers can tailor their hours based on their needs and priorities, including traveling to their office and operating outside of normal business hours. On the other hand, most agencies have their own working hours and that can sometimes be very inconvenient for a client, which means more planning is necessary before meetings. If you have less time to check the status of your project, freelancers are probably the best option so you can get regular updates at a convenient time.
However, in this context, you should make sure to validate the following before continuing:
- Availability of the self-employed.
- Project update frequency
- Checking references with one of your current or former clients.
“Yes,
you Really
get what you pay for in order to. “Seriously, I don’t buy it. This idiom is mostly used by expensive agencies trying to justify themselves. Paying more doesn’t guarantee the quality of your project, but if you keep a check on your project and pay what it’s worth, it’s more than enough to make your project successful with quality If you are very busy / not tech savvy, you’d better hire a consultant to do the project status validation for you.
However, make sure of the following.
- Freelancer provides at least 6 months of free support.
- The basic SEO imperatives of the page are in place.
- Checking references with one of your current or former clients.
At the conclusion of “Why and when to choose a freelancer instead of an agency?” Freelancers are the best option, but if any agency offers you the same cost, flexibility and support, feel free to accompany them and validate the list mentioned above.