Creating a professional website: freelancer, agency or website builder?Creating a professional website: freelancer, agency or website builder?

To create a professional website, you have three routes: do it yourself with a website builder, hand the project to a freelancer, or go through a web agency. All three produce websites, but not the same ones, nor with the same effort on your part. I'm a freelance developer, so I'm not neutral: I'll tell you honestly when I'm not the right option. If you haven't read the seven steps of a project yet, start with how to create a professional website: choosing who builds it comes after the goal and the content.To createcreate a professional website, youyou have three routes: dodo it yourself with aa website builder, hand thethe project to a freelancer,freelancer, or go through aa web agency. All threethree produce websites, but notnot the same ones, nornor with the same efforteffort on your part. I'mI'm a freelance developer, soso I'm not neutral: I'llI'll tell you honestly whenwhen I'm not the rightright option. If you haven'thaven't read the seven stepssteps of a project yet,yet, start with how to create a professional website:: choosing who builds itit comes after the goalgoal and the content.

Online website builders let you assemble pages from templates, without writing code. You pick a theme, drag blocks, publish. It's fast, the subscription is monthly, and you stay in control of everything.Online websitewebsite builders let you assembleassemble pages from templates, withoutwithout writing code. You pickpick a theme, drag blocks,blocks, publish. It's fast, thethe subscription is monthly, andand you stay in controlcontrol of everything.

• You're testing an idea and want an online presence this week.You're testingtesting an idea and wantwant an online presence thisthis week.
• Your site is mostly a business card: one page, contact details, a few photos.Your sitesite is mostly a businessbusiness card: one page, contactcontact details, a few photos.photos.
• You have time and want to learn to lay out pages yourself.You havehave time and want toto learn to lay outout pages yourself.

The time you spend has a cost, even if it appears on no invoice. The site stays with the platform: if you stop the subscription, it disappears, and moving it elsewhere often means starting over. The design starts from a template others use too. Finally, search ranking depends on what you know how to do: the tool provides the fields, not the strategy. The basics are in my article on how organic search works.The timetime you spend has aa cost, even if itit appears on no invoice.invoice. The site stays withwith the platform: if youyou stop the subscription, itit disappears, and moving itit elsewhere often means startingstarting over. The design startsstarts from a template othersothers use too. Finally, searchsearch ranking depends on whatwhat you know how toto do: the tool providesprovides the fields, not thethe strategy. The basics areare in my article onon how organic search works.works.

A freelancer is an independent professional who builds the site personally. You talk to the person who designs and codes, from the first call to launch. Decisions are quick, communication is direct, and nothing gets lost between a salesperson, a project manager and a developer.A freelancerfreelancer is an independent professionalprofessional who builds the sitesite personally. You talk toto the person who designsdesigns and codes, from thethe first call to launch.launch. Decisions are quick, communicationcommunication is direct, and nothingnothing gets lost between aa salesperson, a project managermanager and a developer.

• A single contact who knows the whole project and the code.A singlesingle contact who knows thethe whole project and thethe code.
• Lighter overheads than an agency, so the budget goes into the actual work.Lighter overheadsoverheads than an agency, soso the budget goes intointo the actual work.
• Flexibility: an adjustment is discussed and done without going through several departments.Flexibility: anan adjustment is discussed andand done without going throughthrough several departments.
• A clear specialty: some freelancers do WordPress, others custom builds, 3D or search optimisation.A clearclear specialty: some freelancers dodo WordPress, others custom builds,builds, 3D or search optimisation.optimisation.

A freelancer works alone: availability is limited, and a very large project needing a designer, a copywriter, a developer and an ads specialist all at once is more than one person can carry. Always ask what happens if they're unavailable, and make sure you get the access to your site and your domain name. It's your website, not theirs.A freelancerfreelancer works alone: availability isis limited, and a veryvery large project needing aa designer, a copywriter, aa developer and an adsads specialist all at onceonce is more than oneone person can carry. AlwaysAlways ask what happens ifif they're unavailable, and makemake sure you get thethe access to your sitesite and your domain name.name. It's your website, notnot theirs.

That's the model I chose: I design and code every site myself, custom-built or on WordPress, and I remain your contact after launch. My projects and client reviews show what that looks like in practice.That's thethe model I chose: II design and code everyevery site myself, custom-built oror on WordPress, andand I remain your contactcontact after launch. My projects and client reviews show whatwhat that looks like inin practice.

An agency brings several trades under one roof: art direction, development, copywriting, search optimisation, sometimes advertising and social media. You usually have a project manager as your contact, who coordinates the team.An agencyagency brings several trades underunder one roof: art direction,direction, development, copywriting, search optimisation,optimisation, sometimes advertising and socialsocial media. You usually havehave a project manager asas your contact, who coordinatescoordinates the team.

• The project is large: many pages, several languages, integrations with your internal tools.The projectproject is large: many pages,pages, several languages, integrations withwith your internal tools.
• You need several skills at the same time, and fast.You needneed several skills at thethe same time, and fast.fast.
• Your company requires formal procedures: tenders, approval committees, framework contracts.Your companycompany requires formal procedures: tenders,tenders, approval committees, framework contracts.contracts.

More contacts means more coordination, so longer decision times and a cost that includes the structure: offices, sales team, project management. Also check who actually does the work: some agencies subcontract development to freelancers. That's not a problem in itself, but you should know.More contactscontacts means more coordination, soso longer decision times andand a cost that includesincludes the structure: offices, salessales team, project management. AlsoAlso check who actually doesdoes the work: some agenciesagencies subcontract development to freelancers.freelancers. That's not a problemproblem in itself, but youyou should know.

The right provider depends on your project, not on a general rule. Go back to the goal of the site and who will run it, then ask yourself these questions:The rightright provider depends on youryour project, not on aa general rule. Go backback to the goal of the site andand who will run it,it, then ask yourself thesethese questions:

1. Must the site bring me customers, or just exist? To just exist, a website builder is often enough.Must thethe site bring me customers,customers, or just exist? ToTo just exist, a websitewebsite builder is often enough.enough.
2. Who will update the site? If it's you, you need a technology you'll be able to use: that's the WordPress or custom question.Who willwill update the site? IfIf it's you, you needneed a technology you'll bebe able to use: that'sthat's the WordPress or custom question.
3. How many skills are needed at once? One or two: a specialised freelancer. Many, in parallel: an agency.How manymany skills are needed atat once? One or two:two: a specialised freelancer. Many,Many, in parallel: an agency.agency.
4. What kind of relationship do you want? One person you can reach directly, or a team with a project manager.What kindkind of relationship do youyou want? One person youyou can reach directly, oror a team with aa project manager.

• Live websites you can visit, not just screenshots.Live websiteswebsites you can visit, notnot just screenshots.
• Verifiable client reviews, on a Google Business Profile or on their site.Verifiable clientclient reviews, on a GoogleGoogle Business Profile or onon their site.
• A real business: in France, name, SIREN number and address can be checked in the government's business directory.A realreal business: in France, name,name, SIREN number and addressaddress can be checked inin the government's business directory..
• A detailed quote: pages, features, content, search optimisation, timeline and what happens after launch. My article on the website quote explains how to read one.A detaileddetailed quote: pages, features, content,content, search optimisation, timeline andand what happens after launch.launch. My article on thethe website quote explains howhow to read one.
• Ownership: the domain name, hosting and site should be in your name, or transferred to you at the end.Ownership: thethe domain name, hosting andand site should be inin your name, or transferredtransferred to you at thethe end.
• Personal data: if the site collects forms, the provider must know the basics of GDPR.Personal data:data: if the site collectscollects forms, the provider mustmust know the basics ofof GDPR.

The right provider is the one who tells you what you don't need.The rightright provider is the oneone who tells you whatwhat you don't need.

Price follows the same logic as the choice: a monthly subscription for a website builder, a quote for a freelancer or an agency, depending on pages, features, design and content to produce. Always compare what's included rather than the amount alone: a cheaper site that isn't optimised for search or has no maintenance often costs more later. I explain what drives the cost of a showcase website in a dedicated article.Price followsfollows the same logic asas the choice: a monthlymonthly subscription for a websitewebsite builder, a quote forfor a freelancer or anan agency, depending on pages,pages, features, design and contentcontent to produce. Always comparecompare what's included rather thanthan the amount alone: aa cheaper site that isn'tisn't optimised for search or has nono maintenance often costs moremore later. I explain whatwhat drives the cost ofof a showcase website inin a dedicated article.

Test with a website builder if you're starting out and the site has no commercial stake yet. Hire a freelancer when the site has to work for you and the project fits in the hands of one specialised person. Choose an agency when the project needs a whole team at once. And if you're torn between the last two, ask for both quotes: how each one answers your questions will tell you more than the price.Test withwith a website builder ifif you're starting out andand the site has nono commercial stake yet. HireHire a freelancer when thethe site has to workwork for you and thethe project fits in thethe hands of one specialisedspecialised person. Choose an agencyagency when the project needsneeds a whole team atat once. And if you'reyou're torn between the lastlast two, ask for bothboth quotes: how each oneone answers your questions willwill tell you more thanthan the price.