Small Business Website Development

May 3, 2022 | By: Scott Lard

In today’s world, a quality internet reputation and presence are essential to running a successful business — even for small businesses. From establishing a presence on social media pages like Facebook and Twitter to optimizing your business’s website for users, having quality content online matters in the eyes of customers. When business owners look into updating their existing website or launching a new site, there are many options to choose from. One of the biggest questions business owners have around website development is whether to go with a freelance web designer or a larger website development firm. 

Here, we’ll go over the importance of your business’s web presence and why you should choose an established web developer over an individual designer. 

Houston Small Business Web Development

Importance of Web Presence

For many small businesses, the question of when they should invest in a website is a common one. The answer is that it’s never too early to start working on establishing your web presence. A key way to do this is by launching a website or updating your existing website. Quality website creation allows potential clients and customers to access your business from anywhere at any time. Customers rely on small business websites to access information on businesses, shop for products, and stay connected. 

Small Business Web Development

Freelance Designer vs. Website Development Firm

When choosing someone to help create your website, there are various types of website designers and developers to choose from. One option is to work with an individual freelance designer. Although this can seemingly be cost-effective and more personal, many companies overestimate the skillset of a freelance web design professional and underestimate the cost of ongoing management or break/fix support throughout the life of the website. In addition, business owners may not be aware of the benefits of working with a reputable web design firm, including how individual and personalized their services can be. 

Below are just a handful of the many benefits that established website development firms have over freelance designers, including: 

  • Advanced Skill Sets – Website development companies offer a wider array of skills and knowledge compared to individual designers. From HTML to javascript, full-service web development firms have an understanding of all the hardware, software, techniques, and frameworks required for top-notch web design. This means they can handle your project from start to finish, without a need for outside help.
  • Sophisticated Project Management – Experienced web development teams have project management down to a science, eliminating the micro-managing and guidance that may be required from your team to manage freelance workers. When working with a web development team, there is a designated project manager who will guide you through the process and handle the ins and outs that you don’t want to spend your time on. 
  • Long-Term Security & Support – Another example of a benefit associated with a website development firm is their full-service approach to web design, which often includes ongoing attention to the management of your site and ensuring your website’s security in the long term. With freelancers, often their advice and attention to your website’s security and overall needs ends when the site is launched.

These are just a few of the many benefits associated with having websites designed by a firm as opposed to a freelancer. 

Find Website Development Experts

Website development services come in many forms from free lancers to design companies and the difference in getting quality results can really depend on this as well. We recommend that you use an established company or at a minimum a freelancer with a good record that can show you some examples of their work as well as provide several references.

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