Top 8 Benefits of Hiring A Local Web Design Company

1. Local Expertise

A local web design company has the unique advantage of understanding your local market better than an outside organization or an organization that may be overseas. Having a firm that is familiar with local trends, local competitors and customer preferences can make the website design process smoother, faster and ultimately more successful for your business.

2. Personal Relationships

Working with a local web design company also allows you to develop relationships with the people working on your project. With larger companies, there is often more of an impersonal relationship and it can be difficult to get answers or changes made quickly. Some larger bands tend to have multiple layers of design managers, graphic designers, admin and account reps, which can cause delays. With a local group, you'll be able to work with people directly and build rapport with the individuals you trust designing and managing your website and marketing.

3. More Flexibility

Local web design companies tend to be more flexible and open to customizations and changes than a large corporate organization. Whether you need something very specific or just have some ideas for a website design, working with a local team allows them to make those changes quickly and efficiently, without having to worry about adhering to corporate regulations or in-house processes.

4. Better Value for Money

Local web design companies are typically more affordable than larger organizations, and offer better value for money. In addition to saving money on your website design project, you'll also save time and effort due to their superior local knowledge and experience.

5. Improved Quality of Service & Support

A local web design company will be able to provide better service and support than a larger organization. With local teams, you'll have access to real people who are available on the phone or through email, who understand your goals and objectives and can help troubleshoot issues quickly.

6. Increased Accountability

When working with a local design team, you'll have more accountability. Local teams will be more likely to take responsibility for any changes or issues that arise with your website design project and can quickly rectify them. With larger companies, it's often difficult to get resolution on a problem because of the bureaucracy and layers of corporate structure.

7. Enhanced Communication

An effective website design project requires effective communication. With a local team, you'll have more opportunities for direct and face-to-face communication with designers, developers and marketers which will help to ensure clarity of goals, objectives and expectations throughout the process.

8. Networking & Referrals

Finally, having a local web design company on your side can be great for networking and referrals. You'll have the opportunity to build relationships with other local businesses who use the same service provider, which can be highly beneficial in terms of marketing and networking. Many web design companies have personal relationships with business owners in the local market and can help support your business with referrals and advice. Likewise, you can use your contacts to help the web design firm gain new business.

Cons of hiring freelancers on Upwork or Fiverr

While companies can decide what is best for their business, there are some potential drawbacks to using freelancers from Upwork or Fivrr. These platforms tend to have a more limited selection of talent and it can be difficult to find experienced professionals for complicated web design projects. Having personally hired many freelancers on these platforms to see the quality that they may offer, here's some cons that I discovered:

No Guaranteed Long Term Support

Freelancers may help design and launch your website, but they may not be around in the future or edits, upgrades or website emergency problems. What if your website forms stop working or you have a site wide issue? What if you need to add multiple new pages or features? It's very likely your freelancer may not be available to help with these issues in the future.

Limited Communication

Many freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr don't provide any direct communication between yourself and the freelancer, making it difficult for you to have a better understanding of their qualifications or experience. There is also limited direct communication between freelancer and client which can cause issues when the project requires further clarification or direction.

Lack of Quality Assurance

When working with a freelancer, there is no guarantee that they will deliver quality work as expected. Many times you may end up spending your money on unfinished projects or low-quality designs that do not meet your expectations. Additionally, there is no one to hold the freelancer accountable for ensuring that their work meets project requirements and standards. Issues that could occur include plagiarism, using images that are copyrighted, duplicating other web designs and more.  If you decide to hire freelancers, make sure you have methods to scan the internet for these potential violations.

Hire Local Web Designers

Searching for a local web designer? Deciding between a local web design company, larger national companies or a freelancer from Upwork or Fiverr depends on the nature of your project and your personal preferences. However, if you're looking for a reliable and secure solution backed by customer service, then hiring a local web design company may be the best choice. With local companies, you can expect better communication, quality assurance and longer-term support that is often not available from freelancers. With this in mind, it's important to do your research when considering any web design project, no matter what route you decide to take.

About The Stack Group

The Stack Group is an Agawam, Massachusetts-based web design and digital marketing agency with over 15 years of experience. We provide a full range of services including website design, development and maintenance, SEO optimization, content creation, social media marketing and more. We truly want whats best for businesses when it comes to their web design and marketing needs and it's our honest opinion that, even in this world of advanced technology and communication, hiring local web design firms gives you the best overall value and peace of mind when it comes to growing and supporting the digital side of your business.