10 Reasons to keep your WordPress development onshore

We had a client leave us for another agency a few years ago. With offices and New York and L.A., the other shop is brand name a lot of people know and our client had every reason to expect good things from them.

But that agency wound up sending the web dev work offshore and things didn’t go well. The work eventually came back to us, but the ordeal our client had to endure in the process made us want to write this post on why you really want to keep your development work here in the US – on the basis of quality control, security, communication, and even legal factors.

  • HIGH-QUALITY TALENT
    • Skilled Workforce: The US has the largest pool of highly talented web developers, ranging from self-taught individuals who might not have any formal training, to graduates of top universities and everything in between. Many of them also have valuable knowledge in areas like cybersecurity, UX/UI design, and specific programming languages or frameworks.
    • Experience: US-based developers are generally more up-to-date with the latest technologies, trends, and industry standards than offshore folks, which provides advantage as far as high-quality web development.
  • BETTER COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION
    • Time Zone Alignment: Working with US-based developers allows for better time zone synchronization, reducing the lag time in communication. This means quicker decision-making and faster iterative development.
    • Cultural Compatibility: Shared cultural understanding between teams and clients can make the collaboration process smoother. With US developers there’s usually a more intuitive grasp of client needs, expectations, and business priorities.
    • English Fluency: While English is widely spoken globally, US developers are native speakers, which minimizes potential communication issues that might arise from language barriers.
A US web developer writing code at a laptop computer
  • FASTER TURNAROUND TIME
    • Real-Time Support: With a US-based development team, clients can receive faster responses and adjustments in real time. Working across time zones with international teams can slow down processes due to delayed feedback or coordination issues.
    • Project Speed: Proximity between the client and development team can result in a quicker turnaround, especially in agile environments where iterative cycles are important.
  • DATA PRIVACY & SECURITY
    • Regulatory Compliance: US-based developers are generally more familiar with American laws, like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) or other state and federal data protection regulations. Compliance is crucial for projects that handle sensitive data.
    • Security Concerns: Keeping web development in the US can minimize the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access, especially for projects involving confidential business or government information. Offshore development can sometimes pose security risks due to the complexities of data protection laws across borders.
  • LEGAL & IP PROTECTION
    • Legal Recourse: If something goes wrong with a project, it’s much easier to resolve legal disputes with a domestic team, as opposed to trying to pursue legal action across international borders.
    • Intellectual Property: The US offers stronger protections for intellectual property. Keeping the development process in the US ensures that IP rights, copyrights, and patents are more easily enforceable and protected under US law.
  • LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP & STABILITY
    • Continuity: US-based developers are often able to provide better long-term support, ensuring the stability of your website or application post-launch. And domestic developers may be more invested in the long-term success of the client relationship.
    • Reduced Risk of Uncertainty: Working with US-based teams reduces the risk of unforeseen complications like political instability, language issues, or currency fluctuations that can occur when working with overseas developers.
  • CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARKET
    • Target Audience: US developers are more familiar with the specific needs, preferences, and behavior of US customers. This insight can be critical in designing and developing websites that are user-friendly, engaging, and optimized for the domestic market.
    • Design Sensibility: Web development often involves more than just coding—UI/UX – design is also crucial. US developers and designers are attuned to the tastes and expectations of domestic users, making their designs more likely to resonate with the target audience.
  • SUPPORTING THE US ECONOMY
    • Job Creation: By keeping web development in the US, businesses can help contribute to the domestic economy by supporting onshore talent and businesses. Outsourcing jobs to other countries can have a negative impact on the job market, particularly in tech fields.
    • Promoting Innovation: The US has historically been a global leader in technological innovation. By investing in domestic talent, companies contribute to the ongoing development of the tech ecosystem and foster a culture of innovation.
  • BRAND REPUTATION
    • Positive Image: Consumers and clients often prefer companies that support the domestic workforce. There can be a positive perception of businesses that keep their development work in the US rather than outsourcing, especially if the company emphasizes ethical hiring practices.
    • Trust: US-based developers often have reputations to maintain in their local market, which could make them more dedicated to ensuring the success of the project and meeting client expectations.
  • ACCESS TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
    • Tech Ecosystem: The US is home to many of the world’s largest tech hubs (e.g., Silicon Valley, Austin, Seattle, Philadelphia, Boston). As a result, US-based developers are often on the cutting edge of emerging technologies and best practices in areas like AI, machine learning, and web performance optimization.
    • Innovation Networks: Developers in the US often have access to a large network of technology innovators, leading to faster adoption of new tools, frameworks, and techniques.

We understand that cost is a factor in clients deciding who they’ll hire, and that US-based development teams mean paying more than offshore.

The decision ultimately depends on the specific needs of the business, but for many, the benefits of working with US-based teams outweigh the potential savings from offshoring.

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