Many businesses hire freelance web designers to help them with web design projects. Don’t hire a freelance web designer because it also comes with many risks. Freelance web designers are skilled professionals who create websites and other client designs. They can make or break a company’s website by creating visually appealing layouts or using cheap tricks with flashy effects to deceive the viewer. It’s a common misconception that to succeed in business, you need the services of an experienced web designer and developer. With so many freelancers, choosing the best one for you might be difficult. But before you even consider hiring a freelancer, there are at least ten reasons to don’t hire a freelance web designer.
10 Reasons not to hire a freelance web designer
These are things to think twice before hiring a freelance web designer:
1. Anybody may claim to be a designer.
You should know that anybody can claim to be a designer, so don’t hire a freelance web designer. You must first understand what to look for when hiring one. Look for designers who have a portfolio of their work and experience. Don’t hire a freelance web designer if you didn’t ask them how they would approach your specific project and how they would solve any potential problems along the way.
2. They don’t have the skillset you need.
A lot of freelancers cannot determine if their skills match your needs. Freelancers tend to be generalists, meaning they can do a little bit of everything—but not necessarily everything well. If your project needs specific skills and experience, look for someone with those qualifications instead of relying on a freelancer who will try their best but may not be able to deliver what you’re looking for.
3. They don’t understand your business.
Given that they do not know your company’s vision, they do not understand your business or product, and they do not understand what is important to you in terms of customer experience. This means that they may make design choices that are not in line with your goals. When building websites, you must choose a web designer who understands what you do and how to make your website work for you.
4. No accountability
Freelancers could disappear at any moment, leaving you in the lurch with no way to contact them again or complete your website. Once you pay them, they go off and do whatever they want, only to disappear when you need the project done. There is no guarantee that they will finish working on your project, which could lead to further delays and issues with getting things done correctly and on time.
5. Uncertain about your objectives
If you don’t know exactly what your site should look like or what features it needs, don’t hire a freelance web designer. You will end up paying more than if you did it yourself because the freelancer will have to invest time in research before starting from scratch to create the website. Plus, there is no guarantee that the website will be what you want unless you are very specific with your requirements upfront.
6. Different time zone
Most of the outsourcing website designers probably have time zone differences from you that might make communication difficult. This implies that it can take them several hours to respond to a problem with your website before they can solve it. Don’t hire a freelance web designer if their schedule differs from yours, as this could mean days before resolving the issue.
7. You might not be able to secure your website.
Risk losing control over sensitive information when you share it with someone outside your company. They could hack it, and they might leak information about your company to the public. Sharing sensitive information with someone outside your company could be stolen by a competitor or used for malicious purposes. This could lead to identity theft or other issues that could cause severe problems for your company in the long run.
8. Limited tools
They won’t be able to give you the most accurate or helpful feedback about how to improve your site if they don’t have access to specific tools, or if those tools are out of date. Thus, freelance web designers are outdated for software companies and website developers to catch up with the latest trends in design and technology, and it’s not always worth waiting for them.
9. Freelancers don’t have backups.
Freelancers don’t have back-ups, so you don’t have back-ups. When you hire a freelancer, you’re not hiring a team; you’re not hiring someone who has access to your data and can quickly jump on a project when your regular designer is busy. Therefore, you can’t go to someone else and ask for help because there’s no one else.
10. Freelance designers only work on one job.
Don’t hire freelancers with a limited skill set because there is still plenty to accomplish, including SEO, branding package, and other marketing strategies. They may be good at designing a website, but they may not have the skills to manage and update. As a result, many freelance designers look for jobs that allow them to use their skills in one area while also allowing them to move on to another position if the project is complete.
Takeaways
Don’t hire a freelance web designer if there is no clear direction on what type of content or information you should include on your site. Not all freelance web designers are created equal. Before deciding that hiring a freelance web designer is the best course of action, you should consider several factors. Ultimately, ensuring that your freelance web designer is right for you will most likely be a mix of skill, price, and personality.