Welcome to the final article in this series. Today I share why outsourcing can be a great option, a couple tips for making it work, and a few sources to find the help you may need. Handing off development of your website can be a winning play.
In addition I’ll tie the series together and explain why you should have your own website if you don’t already.
Website Outsourcing
Why Outsource?
The more properties or capital you have, the more likely it will be a good idea to outsource the design of your website. The reason for this is simple, you will save yourself time and frustration (unless you are tech savvy to begin with). If you are having lots of success with your real estate business, stick to that, and let someone else take care of your website. If you have some time and your budget is a constraint you may want to take on the task yourself.
Additionally, outsourcing is relatively inexpensive. There is a common misconception that websites are very expensive. While developing complex systems like Amazon, Facebook or The Rentables involves extensive development, the type of website most real estate investors need is really quite simple.
Outsourcing Tips
If you decide to outsource the creation of your website, here are three important tips:
1. Use a Trusted Designer and/or Developer
If you hire someone to build your website, be sure they have a proven track record. Look at their other work, get references, and check that they are credible before making your decision.
2. Stick to a CMS
Web developers can be stubborn at times and many will try to convince you they have a better system of their own or that full custom is the way to go. I recommend that you insist on working with someone who will create your site based on one of the popular content management systems outlined in Websites for Real Estate Investors – Part 3: Content Management. Sticking to a well established CMS means you will be able to edit your content with ease, have more support if anything goes wrong, and reduce the amount of work involved for both your web developer and yourself.
3. Be Clear on Scope
Your designer and developer won’t know what you want. The more specific detail you can provide, the easier it will be to work with your hired help. Be as clear as possible on design elements, which CMS you want to use, and any additional details that are important to you. This will save you time, frustration, and money when building your site.
Where to Find Freelancers
There are several online sites where you’ll find freelancers for anything from copywriting to design to development. I recommend using one of the following sites since they each have rating systems and you’ll be able to do a little more due diligence on your freelancer than you could if simply hire someone local off of Craigslist.
Conclusion
Why you Need a Website
To strengthen your personal or business brand, you need a website. The first place people go for information today is online. Before people work with you, partner with you, or do business with you or your company, many of them will check you out online. “Creeping” is now such a common form of due diligence that it is worthwhile to create your own website to present the image you want others to see.
Anyone Can Do It!
If you setup each of the required components, you can have a website up and running within a couple of hours. Tweaking it to perfection may take a little while, but it is not rocket science. All you need are a domain name, a web host and a content management system to have a great looking site to represent you or your company online.
I hope through this series I have provided you with a better understanding of what is required to setup your own website as a real estate investor. The truth is that creating your website is neither costly nor complicated and anyone can do it (including you).
photo credit: Jeffrey Beall
