How Much Does a Website Cost?

how-much-does-a-website-cost

That is one of the first questions I get when meeting prospective customers during our initial consultation.  That is a very tough question to answer since there are so many factors involved. Websites range from free if you build it yourself using a website builder service to a million+.  Here are a few things that factor into the cost of the site.

Who is Building it?

The price is going to differ from a Large Corporation to a Small Boutique Firm, large companies tend to have more overhead, thus tend to be a little more pricey. Another option is a Freelancer, this person usually has less overhead bring the price down but not offering the same support.

There is also the option of you building it yourself. That is how I created my first website for my first business. I taught myself how to do it, it is amazing some of the things you can learn on Youtube these days.  Just keep in mind if you go this route or a cheap option you will get what you pay for.  Some businesses can get away with a one page website or an “Online Business Card” as I like to call them. These businesses would normally be a street food truck or something that only needs an online presence for those searching directly for it. Although doing it this way has some downsides. Some of the cheaper websites tend to not be found very well on the Search Engines, or even as bad as not being found when you type in their business name. You think it’s funny but I see it all the time.

What does it do?

If you just want a website to be an online brochure then the cost is going to be less than the cost of a website that is built to be found and to SELL products/services.  A lot of people think that you can just put up a website and the people will come rolling through the doors.  This is not true at all.

Another thing to consider is what are the functionalities of the website.  For example does it have large amounts of pages and needs a very robust search function? Does it have to be mobile friendly? Will people have the ability to buy right from your site? Does it need a database where clients, customers or resellers can login?

Different functions will add up the time and  of a website. For example a directory site is going to cost you a whole lot more than a site for a Small Business.

Various different functionalities on your website will add to the costs.

Simple Vs. Graphically Appealing

Do you want a site that is very simple or something that when people go there they are amazed? For me the sites that I find I tend to like best are websites that are simple and don’t have things flying around everywhere distracting me. When I am on a website I am there for the content not to be entertained, well I guess there are times when I am looking up Hockey Highlights.

But what I mean is that Graphics take time to create so if you want a website that stands out, with tons of custom work, you will have to pay for it.

I am sure by now you know the answer to the question “How much does a website cost?” the answer is IT VARIES! It’s not about how much it costs more about what functionalities you need right now and also plan for down the road as to what you might need later.

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