Building a website, designing graphics, developing online content \u2014 these are all jobs that fall outside the scope of your business\u2019s usual line of work, but they\u2019re no less important to keeping your business running. Digital marketing is a key part of how small businesses today find and keep customers, and without it, you\u2019ll struggle to stay competitive in today\u2019s small business economy.
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Unfortunately, many small businesses can\u2019t afford to bring on full-time staff to manage their web-based projects. Labor is the biggest cost of doing business in nearly every industry, and most business owners are looking for ways to cut labor costs, not add to them.
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That doesn\u2019t mean you have to choose between growing your business and preserving its bottom line, however. There are other ways to get the help you need to run your business\u2019s web-based projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also known as independent contractors, freelancers are self-employed professionals who work on a contract basis. Since freelancers aren\u2019t considered employees, businesses don\u2019t have to pay payroll taxes or offer benefits as required for W2 employees. Even with freelancers\u2019 high rates relative to employee base salaries, this can represent significant cost savings for small businesses. However, businesses must comply with IRS guidelines in order to classify workers as independent contractors.
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Typically, freelancers work in professional fields like programming and development, design, and branding and marketing. These are some of the freelancers you might hire for your small business:
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Although underutilized by small businesses, hiring part-time workers can be a smart way to staff your business on a budget. That\u2019s especially true for ongoing projects; while freelancers work well for occasional or time-limited work, permanent employees are best when you want to build a long-term working relationship.
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Part-time employees can be significantly more affordable than full-time staff since businesses aren\u2019t required to offer health insurance coverage to part-time employees. Although many businesses opt to offer fringe benefits or a reduced benefits package to part-timers, this still costs less than a comprehensive benefits package.
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If it feels like you can\u2019t find part-time help, it may be because you\u2019re not posting openings where part-time job seekers are looking. Major job boards like Monster and Indeed can be hit or miss when it comes to hiring part-time employees. You\u2019ll have better luck if you look to popular gig economy apps. These apps are also a good choice when you need a hand with a one-off task and don\u2019t want to spend a ton of time screening and hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve decided what type of help to hire, there\u2019s one more big question to answer: Will your new staff work on-site or off? Allowing freelancers and part-timers to telecommute can lead to bigger cost savings for businesses watching their bottom line because you\u2019re not furnishing an office space, and many remote employees already own their own tech.
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However, there are challenges to hiring remotely, too. Many business owners find that collaborating with remote employees requires changes to their workflow and adds costs in the form of communication and collaboration software. This shouldn\u2019t discourage you, however; not only are many software solutions inexpensive, they could improve coordination across your entire team, not just remote staff.
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Today\u2019s business owners have a lot more options for hiring than in the past. When you can\u2019t afford full-time help to fill gaps in your business, you no longer have to do it all yourself. With the availability of freelance, part-time, and remote help, you can staff your small business affordably, no matter how big or small the task at hand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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