Outsourcing Graphic Design, What Options Do You Have?

When your in-house design team is too busy, or you don't have the budget to hire a full-time designer, it's tempting to turn to a freelance marketplace, crowdsourcing site, or hiring an agency. These solutions can work well for many types of projects, but there are many things you should consider...

There are a few different ways to find the right designer for your task, no matter what your budget. It's important to understand the pros and cons of each approach.

The first option is hiring a designer on a freelance basis. You can hire them through a freelancing platform like Upwork, Behance, or Dribbble, maybe even on their own website.

The advantage of hiring a freelancer is that you're getting one-on-one service from an expert, but it can be time-consuming and costly because first, you need to find the right person within your budget and you need to invest a lot of time communicating your task thoroughly in order to get the results you want.

Another option is going with a graphic design agency that has multiple designers working under its umbrella—there are many agencies out there with different pricing structures, so take some time researching their websites before deciding which one suits your needs best.

Hiring an agency tends to be more expensive than hiring individual freelancers directly since agencies typically charge higher rates for their services as well; however, it also means you're getting access not only to an experienced designer but also someone who can provide feedback along every step of the process (and ensure that everything gets done correctly).

Finally, there are always crowdsourcing sites like 99Designs where designers bid against each other on projects they think they can win based purely on what's been posted publicly about it so far.

This might seem like an easy way out if all you need are some logos or web pages designed quickly without having any idea yet exactly how they'll look when finished, but it might not work well if there's complex work involved or ongoing projects because those types of projects are not a good fit for crowdsourcing.

It's important before choosing an option that works best for your project to understand your budget constraints (time/money) as well as goals/needs, especially if there are already existing materials being used within company branding guidelines so new content will fit seamlessly into place without requiring any extra changes later down line once

Hiring with platforms like 99designs, also known as crowdsourcing

If you're looking to get a logo or a landing page design, but don't have the budget for a freelancer or agency, crowdsourcing sites like 99designs are worth considering.

These platforms host thousands of designers from around the world that will compete against each other to win your project. You set a price (called the prize) and give details about what it is you're looking for. Once launched, the community submits designs and you pick a winner at the end of the project.

The benefit of this approach is that you get various different concepts to choose from instead of just one delivered by a traditional freelancer. The downside is that you sometimes get inexperienced designers submitting work as they are attracted by small prices and don't necessarily understand what's required to complete your brief in full.

Hiring on freelance marketplaces

A freelance marketplace can help you get your project off the ground quickly. The best part is that you have access to a wide talent pool and high-quality services at affordable prices.

However, be sure to take into consideration the following before you hire someone through a freelance marketplace:

• Do they have good graphic design skills? Be sure to look at their portfolio and profile to make sure they are well-versed in graphic design.
• Is there a budget established? Make sure everyone agrees on the amount of money spent on this project before any work begins.
• Are your goals clear? State your goals clearly so that everyone knows what you want to achieve by investing in this service.
• Is there a timeline? It’s important for everyone involved with the project to agree on how long it will take for them or their team members to complete their work, as well as when everything needs to be finished (e.g., “We need these designs done within two weeks”).

Hiring a full-time graphic designer

If you want to hire a full-time in-house designer you need to know that this is the most expensive option, and it requires a lot of work to manage. You will have to find the right candidate, interview them, and hire them just like any other employee. As their manager you’ll have a hand in keeping them on track by assigning tasks appropriately, communicating your goals clearly, providing feedback on their work, and more.

If you’re located in the United States you can expect to pay a graphic designer well over six figures for this option (including benefits). If you are located elsewhere that number may be lower or higher depending on where you live.

A typical salary for a full-time graphic designer is $60,000-$90,000 USD per year before benefits—but that can go up or down depending on where exactly you live and what kind of experience they bring to the table.

Hiring a full-time designer might feel ideal for any company that needs regular design work. Depending on your workload and budget, you can still hire one even if you're not a big corporation. And when it comes to long-term projects or ongoing work, there's was no better solution than to have a dedicated team member who understands your business inside and out.

Some benefits include:

• The ability to be more creative because the designers are intimately familiar with your business goals, audience, and vision
• The consistency of having one person create all your designs will give you a cohesive look and feel across all visual elements of your brand
• Having access to the same designer will allow for less back-and-forth communication when making revisions

However, there are also cons:

• The cost may be prohibitive for some companies
• Hiring takes time away from other work that needs doing in order for them not only to find candidates but also to evaluate which ones have best fit their organization’s culture as well as which skill sets they possess before making an offer

You'll need someone with experience in graphic design who can take direction well. If possible, try collaborating with them on smaller projects like blog illustrations first so there's no risk involved.

A good designer should be able to balance creativity with practicality by understanding how each element works together (like colors). Once hired, make sure they understand what kind of content would resonate most strongly within this particular market segment—if they don't know exactly what type of images will resonate best then they won't deliver high-quality results!

Kapa99 gets you the best of both worlds

While you can assign one or two projects to a freelancer, it might be difficult to find someone who is consistently available or that has the time to dedicate to your project. And hiring an agency would not only take a lot of time and money, you still have to find the right agency for your budget and needs

Kapa99 combines the benefits of both freelancing agencies, and full-time hires by offering unlimited graphic design services at a flat fee that's affordable starting at $399 per month.

We know what you're thinking: something must be wrong with this picture if they charge so little, right? Nope. Kapa99 is a platform that connects companies like yours with our in-house curated network designers who will take care of all your design requests. That way, you don't have to worry about finding the right agency or freelancer - we do all the work for you!

Kapa99 is affordable and high quality, focusing on custom-made designs that are built specifically for your brand - without sacrificing flexibility or diversity!