Hiring agency vs freelancers vs do it yourself –
Despite the widespread digitization in the world today, there are certain crafts that still require freelancers to render their creative inputs. This includes a variety of projects like writing, art, photography, content creation, and several other services that require a dash of creativity.
We have several independent freelancers who offer their services through online and offline platforms. They can be hired for some projects or bulk projects all at once. On the other hand, there are several agencies that have teams of people working together for such projects. You can get in touch with an agency to cater to all your orders. However, in this age, with so many tutorials online for DIYs, sometimes one tends to think if they can tackle the project at hand all by themselves.
The real tug of war lies at agency vs freelancer or perhaps even in house projects – which is the more efficient option? Read along to understand the pros and cons of each of these and then chose your pick to optimize project efficiency.
AGENCIES
Pros:
- Hiring agencies can be an efficient way of overcoming these drawbacks. If your project is one that does not need too much communication with the actual person handling the task or there is a bulk of work that needs to be obtained in a deadline, then perhaps a professional agency is likely to be the better choice for you.
- If your work needs to be abided by a tight deadline, Hiring agencies can be efficient.
- You can get a number of services under one roof, and thus it saves your time that you would have spent otherwise, searching for freelancers.
- You get proper documentation and guarantee before starting work with an agency.
- You could get some discounts if you dealt for longer and bulk terms.
Cons:
- The drawback here lies in the commission agencies charge, which is the buffer amount you will need to pay.
- The protocol that you would have to go through is stringent and is time-consuming as well.
FREELANCERS
Pros:
- Independent freelancers are often available with cheaper services in the market.
- By hiring freelancers, you can not only get to directly interact with the creative brains behind your project but also save the commission fee that an outsourcer would have charged otherwise.
- In terms of efficiency, it can perhaps be faster to interact directly, communicate efficiently, and thus produce better results.
You’re not bound to carry on a long term with a freelancer if you don’t like his or her service.
Cons:
- There is an issue of handling bulk work that can be a problem for freelancers.
- There is generally no solid documentation.
- You would have to search for a different freelancer for different projects and can’t expect all types of service from one person.
DIY
Instead of hiring an agency or freelancer for your projects you could even do it yourself. If your project lies well within the area of what you can execute, you can consider doing it yourself. There is a plethora of information online, including tutorials and inspirations that can help you save money as well as have complete control over the creative decisions regarding your project. The only drawback with do it yourself projects when they are complex artistically or creatively, and some professional insight might be needed.
Thus, it is fair to say that what is most efficient for you truly depends on project demands and what you expect out of it. The answer can be different for different people. In general, it will be best to keep within a stipulated budget and analyze if the chosen party (whether it is an agency vs freelancer, or perhaps yourself) is in a position to produce good quality work for the project. The medium which fulfills these needs most easily is perhaps the most efficient for your project.
