One of the most common roadblocks for non-technical people to get into online marketing or start an Internet business is the issue of finding IT talent and in particular locating someone to design your website. Most small businesses outsource web design because it is too technically challenging to do it in-house. Outsourcing has pros and cons but if you can locate the right person and they stick around long enough you can establish a fantastic relationship.
In this podcast I briefly discuss the use of audio on websites and then describe some steps you can take to outsource your web design requirements.
[ Download MP3| iTunes | Soundcloud ]
Yaro,
Excellent episode. You definitely gave me some great ideas and had some good points.
Especially for me as in my business I focus on providing web services to independent professionals and small businesses that aren’t so technically saavy.
I’m always looking for new points I can use to easy explain technical solutions in a non-technical manner. I definitely have a few new ideas for my ad copy!
Thanks and keep up the good work. I love your blog and your podcasts.
Hi Yaro, nice podcast… thanks for sharing the wealth. Also great job with the new design, it’s a smart layout. I searched for wicked streaming but couldn’t find it. There were a couple of shady shareware sites that claimed to have the download but they all led to error pages.
Also on the topic of blog design… Is it me or does the business of custom blog design seem pretty much untapped? I’ve searched out blog designers on the web and found very few, maybe 3-4 worth checking into… All, coincidentally, are right out straight with work.
Good podcast, although I would avoid hiring friends. Not because I hate them, but IF something goes wrong you don’t got a messed up project but you can lose a good friend aswell. So I would look in my social network but not to close in it.
Today is actually my first day I’ve seriously tried out podcasts. And its been amazing. You can listen to it and do your work at the same time. Even while I have a kicky dual screen setup I could not read a blog and do my work at the same time.
Anyway, cheers
I agree that going with a freelancer vs. a “company” can save money if you can find someone with talent, but I’ve never heard of a reputable designer/developer who can produce even an interactive interface for a couple hundred dollars. Why not? At a business level, this doesn’t make sense? Let’s say it takes 16-20 hours to understand the goals of the website and to create an interface for it. It’s both pretty and there’s thought into the architecture, etc. If it’s a couple hundred dollars then that means that the freelancer is making $10-$12/hour? Perhaps my interpretation is wrong when you said that “companies will charge $2000-$5000, but you can get a freelancer to do the same thing for $250, $500 dollars?
Most companies/agencies will charge $100 / $125 an hour for design (some are much higher, but this is an accurate average in Canada) So if an agency costs (as you say, thousands of dollars) and a freelancer can produce the same thing for a couple hundred dollars which works out to a very low hourly rate, you’re misleading people who read your blog. Bottom line readers, as the old saying goes “you get what you pay for.” If you’ve got a good freelancer, they will be in demand and will be able to charge accordingly.
Thanks for the podcast, Yaro!
I have benefited a lot by listening to your audio files so far 🙂 Thanks again.
Hi Yaro,
I too am from Australia (Perth), nice to hear an Aussie voice on the internet. Most unusual.
A very interesting and educational podcast. From where I sit (very little knowledge on podcasting) it was most enlighting as if offered practical solutions to what keeps many novice podcasters awake at night.
I’m in the printing industry and I have come across a number of graphis designers who sell web design with the backend knowledge.
Your podcast addressed that issue nicely.
So, thanks Yaro. You never knowe may bump into each other some day.
Cheers,
Peter
From our experience, web design is very much a service industry. Clients always get into price comparison scenarios and its nearly always apples vs oranges. As web designers & developers, we need to constantly be involved in a continuous education process, both ourselves and with our clients. Like some of you I agree that blog design is a huge untapped area and using WordPress can really bring development cost down a lot.
Have only used audio once and didn’t go that great!
For a one man band I already finding doing everything that needs doing difficult. Yes I wish I had of found outsourcing mush sooner.
Will heed your tips on audio if i ever get back there.
Today is actually my first day I’ve seriously tried out podcasts. And its been amazing. You can listen to it and do your work at the same time. Even while I have a kicky dual screen setup I could not read a blog and do my work at the same time.
You know what, i really don’t think it is that important is the work done in-house or outsourced. As a web design agency owner my advice to people in choosing a design company is to look at portfolio, see what work they have done, how optimized… visit their office maybe.. also make sure they are more than 3 years in market.