The Internet has created a major impact on how businesses from almost all industries operate in their respective niches, considering the need to operate on the online arena as well. Many have come to realize the importance of having websites for their brands, products or services, which now serve as a portal for reaching out to an even greater marketing audience through Internet marketing.
Technology in this modern world is being driven at a very fast pace that web projects and Internet marketing solutions have become even more complex, powerful and feature-filled. Many businesses do not have the manpower with sufficient skills to perform all these in-house. The only options left are hiring an Internet-savvy professional to be part of the company for the job or outsource web projects and Internet marketing activities to external providers.
To help you decide if outsourcing web projects to a 3rd party provider is a wise decision or not, Digital Marketing Philippines presents the following guide that will give business owners an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing web projects.
The Pros of Outsourcing Web Projects
For many years now, several business owners are outsourcing web projects to 3rd party providers, including website design and Internet marketing activities. Take a look at the following list of advantages to see if outsourcing will also work for you and your company:
1. You can gain access to a team of skilled individuals
There are many aspects to web projects that would each require a different skill set. Seldom will you find an individual possessing all the skills required, and if you do find someone, that person can only work on one aspect at a time. Outsourcing your web projects will give you access to a wide selection of skilled individuals that can perform the task you need – including design, development, maintenance and marketing.
2. You can gain more cost savings
With outsourcing, you either pay 3rd party providers on a per-project basis or pay only for the hours rendered with your web project. You don’t need to pay commissions or full-time salaries. On top of that, your fees not only pay for the man-hours rendered but also for the skills, knowledge and experience your in-house staff may not have or are not trained for.
3. You can gain more customization for your web projects
Unless you have skilled and qualified manpower that can perform the job, most web projects like website design and development rely on ready-made DIY templates available in the Internet. These templates are often static and leave little room for customization. Outsourcing your web projects to professional web developers can produce customized output that matches what you really want and envisioned, including an image that reflects your corporate branding.
4. You can gain more functionality from your web projects
Aside from limited customization options, DIY templates for web projects also have limited functionality that can deliver the features exactly as you want them to be. 3rd party providers most likely have the programming skills and technical know-how to integrate external functionalities, features and services that you want incorporated with your web projects.
5. You can get better SEO for your web projects
Whether you are setting up a new website or starting out on a new Internet marketing campaign, working with 3rd party providers gives you access to people with the skills, technical know-how and techniques to gain better search engine rankings for your web pages. These providers continually develop and enhance their knowledge and services, getting up to date with the latest techniques in attracting targeted traffic that they can apply on your web projects.
6. You can get better support services for your web projects
The services 3rd party providers can deliver usually do not end with the completion of a particular web project, but can be extended through ongoing support services, upgrades, and troubleshooting to keep your online operations running as smoothly as possible.
7. You can get protection from employee turnovers
One of the problems with working with in-house staff for your web projects is employee turnovers. Employees or in-house consultants may resign or move on to other companies or projects, leaving you with no one running your web projects. Outsourcing web projects to a well-established 3rd party provider protects your company from such eventuality.
The Cons of Outsourcing Web Projects
Outsourcing your web projects to 3rd party providers may seem like a better proposition for your company and something that you could look more closely should you decide to take on this path for your online projects. But before finalizing your decision, it would be best for you to also look at the following disadvantages to outsourcing, to further guide you in making a wise and informed decision:
1. You may encounter problems with communications
Many companies outsource web projects to 3rd party providers located overseas where English is not their native language. You may encounter difficulty in communications including the possibility of making mistakes because of misunderstood instructions.
2. You may encounter delays in completion
You may not be the only customer your 3rd party provider may be working with, potentially causing delays in completion for your web projects because of their overwhelming work load servicing multiple clients.
3. You may encounter issues with quality
It is a given that you can gain cost savings by outsourcing web projects, particularly with 3rd party providers located overseas. If this would be the first time working with a particular provider, you are at risk of receiving work for your web projects that are at sub-par quality from what you may have expected. However, it doesn’t mean that you’ll receive inferior quality when working with relatively cheaper 3rd party providers. The key here is to find an established provider with a proven track record in delivering good quality web services at affordable prices.
4. You may encounter security and privacy leaks
An integral part of outsourcing web projects to 3rd party providers is providing them with access to private and sensitive company materials and information. Unlike in-house employees, you’ll have less control on how this information is handled securely, putting you at risk of leaks or copyright claim issues.
Other advantages and disadvantages with outsourcing web projects to 3rd party companies can still be added to the lists above. The more important part here that business owners should understand is that issues on cost savings are not the sole focus point in deciding whether to outsource web projects or not. There are other factors that can be considered when making an informed decision and it would be to a business owner’s greatest advantage to carefully study and weigh the pros and cons of each of these factors.
Jomer B. Gregorio is a well-rounded expert when it comes digital marketing. Jomer is also known as a semantic SEO evangelist and practitioner. Check out our Digital Marketing Services today and let us help you in achieving positive and profitable results for your business.