Thousands of people search for “web designer near me” and similar terms every month. So how important is it to find a local web designer? My goal isn’t necessarily to convince you that you don’t need a web designer in your neighborhood. Or maybe it is…
Let’s just look at why people search for “web designer near me” and the advantages and disadvantages.
Why Not Search Local?
It’s natural to search local for services. Think about other services we search for:
“plumber near me”
“marriage counselor orlando fl”
“dentist near me”
It’s natural that we would search to hire website designer in the area. Why not right? Here are some of the clear advantages of working with a local web designer:
Advantages of Working with a Local Web Designer
- Local knowledge – If you’re a business targeting the local area, a web designer that works and lives in the area will have a good feel for your audience and geographical area.
- Face time – In our ultra-connected world, some good old-fashioned face-to-face can do a lot for a working relationship like providing clarity in communication and creating trust.
- Know where they live – Lots of people lose track of their web designers over time. If yours is local, you should be able to physically knock on their door if needed.
Those are some clear advantages, but let’s take a look at advantages of broadening your scope which will also bring to light some of the disadvantages of limiting your search to a small area.
Advantages of Searching Nationwide or Worldwide for a Web Designer
- Access and choice – Depending on the size of your local area, you may have access to only 4-5 web designers and maybe more than 100 if you’re near a major city. Open up the bidding nationally or globally, and you magically have access to thousands of providers with experience building sites in your industry
- Cost savings – You may find an affordable web designer in your area, but you will definitely find a web designer in your price range if you’re getting quotes from providers all over the world. Many people find providers overseas to keep their web design costs VERY low.
- No meetings – Sometimes meetings are necessary for certain website projects, but they are often overkill and getting things done over the phone and by email can speed things up drastically and save precious resources.
There are tons of project management tools in the market you can choose from. It’s knowing your options and what’s the best for your business. You also have options for Cheaper Management Tools!
How Does Web Design Happen Remotely? Don’t I NEED Someone Local?
Yes, a website project can get done without meeting face to face. So you don’t ABSOLUTELY need a local web designer. I’ve built over 200 websites in the last few years, and I’ve only met face to face with 3 of these clients!
So how does it happen? I’ve actually coordinated entire website projects only by email, but usually there is at least an initial phone call to talk about the scope of the project so we’re on the same page.
The communication will be determined by the preferences of the website designer and the client. Email and phone are the obvious defaults. I typically use Dropbox to organize and streamline the transfer of files, but there are other projects management tools like Basecamp and Trello that can be utilized to centralize communications and file sharing.
Even if phone calls or face to face meetings are part of the process, all the content has to become digitized at some point, so making that the first step can often jump start your project.
Search “near me” AND Globally
An easy solution would be to search both locally and globally. Search Google for “web designers near me” and contact a few local options. But also search nationwide and even globally if you’re comfortable with that option.
The best way to find web designers all over the world is by posting a project on a freelance site like Upwork.com or Freelancer.com. If you give the details of your project, you can have 30+ bidders on your web design project in a matter of 24 hrs. Reviews, feedback scores and portfolios are provided so you can qualify and rank all the bidders.
Find your best option globally and compare to your best local option. Weigh the pros and cons and get started on your website project.
You may want to check out my questions to ask a web designer to help in making your final decision!