Marketing Executive at Xenia Tech – an offshoring development agency based in London, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We are experts in Web/App development. With an industry-standard outsourcing process, we have been making great products since 2017 for clients all over the globe.
It’s official. You need a website. The pandemic has resulted in the launch of over 85,000 online businesses in the United Kingdom alone and has led millions of consumers to begin making purchases online for the first time.
Businesses around the globe are hard at work either revamping their online presence or making their maiden voyage through the world of e-commerce, despite having to navigate historic labor shortages.
As outsourcing web development has grown increasingly popular in the U.K, Canada, and the U.S. in recent years, a record number of entrepreneurs and business owners are searching offshore to find cost-friendly solutions for their online empire heading into next year.
Below are a few pros and cons of outsourcing web development for UK agencies overseas in 2022.
6 Must-Do’s When Outsourcing Your Web Development Overseas
Research
Research can sometimes feel like a job in itself. Countless intimidating hours spent scrolling through unfamiliar websites, looking up terminology, comparing prices, and praying that you’ll find a developer that can create a website within your budget. It’s tedious work, but thorough research can save a lot of headaches in the long run.
Even if you’re completely new to the world of web development or have zero ideas where to start, it’s a good idea to get your bearings in order before dedicating finances to the project.
Ask questions, read reviews, and visit offshore development websites to get a better understanding of the process.
Know your project
Have a clear vision of what you’re looking for prior to reaching out to a potential developer.
Creating sketches, making an outline, or even just doodling on a cocktail napkin are great ways to get your creative juices flowing. Designing and the sketching of concepts is perhaps the most fun part of the entire process, and it doesn’t have to be fancy.
What colors would you like incorporated into your design? Will your website be text or image-heavy? Even a faint idea of your vision will help in the long run.
Communication is Key
Hiring offshore web development agencies is cost-effective and undoubtedly offers more value than hiring domestically.
But there’s a small chance you’ll run into both time and cultural differences along the way.
Clearly communicating your expectations, timeline, and price is vital to the web design process. This can be made more difficult with time zone differences. Be sure to have a system in place that accounts for these possible setbacks.
Skip the Emails
The events of the past two years have led much of the world to quickly adapt to working online.
It’s also diminished the importance of email.
We’re not saying to get rid of this time-tested line of communication entirely, but don’t hesitate to video call or open up communication via direct messages. As stated above, communication is key, and there are numerous ways to keep in touch with developers other than long-winded emails.
It’s Alright to Start Small
It may be tempting to upload hundreds of images and website sketches for the offshore agency to sift through. However, it might be best to start small and increase the workload over time.
Doing so will you give a better understanding of how the agency operates. Breaking up the project into small tasks will also allow for easier problem-solving and communication.
Sign-A-Contract
Make certain that all obligations from both parties are on paper and signed. While 99% of offshore agencies are legitimate organizations operating as a business would domestically, it’s always best to have legal paperwork.
A few elements to look for:
- Does the price include maintenance?
- Can I make my own edits?
- What’s your SEO process like?
6 Definite Don'ts When Outsourcing Your Web Development Overseas
Don’t Go with Choice #1
Hiring an offshore web development agency to design your website is an investment. And if you’re joining the ranks of other business owners that are quickly launching websites in the face of the pandemic, you’ll want to get it right the first time.
Avoid the temptation of forking over cash and signing a contract after clicking the first Google search result. Rather, research and make sure that you’re getting what you wish for at a value price.
Don’t Forget to Read the Fine Print
If all goes according to plan, you’ll find an amazing offshore web developer at a fraction of the price that you’d find domestically.
You’ll be handed a contract which you’ll sign….
...after thoroughly reading through the fine print and ‘terms and conditions.’
Sure, this should go without saying, but take the time to read the entire document prior to signing, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. As the customer, the final say is yours.
Don’t Be a Poor Communicator
Everyone in the web development process will benefit from excellent communication. Luckily, outsourcing is made possible by new and exciting technologies that also make it easier than ever to stay connected.
Both pirates will without a doubt have questions and concerns to ask each other, and failing to stay in contact can delay and extend a project past deadlines.
Be mindful of communication lines and exercise proper communication skills to help the process run smoothly, and don’t be a poor communicator.
Remember that a website is an extension of you and/or your business or enterprise, so sharing your vision with developers is a vital step to being fully satisfied with the final design.
Sure, it’s easy to put the control in the developer’s hands (after all, that’s why you’re paying them for, right?) but get involved! Share ideas, choose texts, add bells and whistles. A trustworthy and professional developer will allow you to be part of the design process.
Don’t Make It Complicated
It’s easy to envision a website full of splendid color, with hundreds of images, transitions, gifs, and sound effects.
However, adding minimal amounts of extras might make more sense.
Designing minimally isn’t just in style, it’s also practical. If you start with a simple design it’s easy to add elements as you see fit. This is also more cost-effective than stacking everything in all at once and then paying to remove them later.
Don’t Wait
The pandemic has unbalanced the world in ways thought unimaginable a few years ago. However, there’s one constant that remains; industries are making permanent moves online.
The change has created a situation where the average individual is both working and shopping online, and the sooner your business can join them in cyberspace, the better.
Conclusion
The time to have a bustling online presence was 2019, and organizations that fail to make the move are surely in for a surprise in 2022.
As the pandemic has led so many to re-think how they operate a business, it will be exciting to discover how industries adapt in the post-COVID world.
