How much should a website cost? Some small business owners have no idea. They don’t understand what goes into it or why they see some advertised on the internet starting as low as $500 per site. Small businesses only have a certain amount of money to spend each year on marketing so I can understand how it may be tempting to go with a company who is quoting you less for a site, but your website is the single most important communication platform for your company. You don’t want to skimp out on it. The good news is if you do it right the first time, it should last you the lifetime of your business. You can add, change and edit it along the way – but you won’t have to start from scratch ever again. Bottom line: Paying to do it right the first time will actually end up being cheaper in the long run.
It doesn’t really matter what type of business you have, you need to have an up-to-date, nicely designed, relevant website. It doesn’t have to be 1,000 pages or overly complicated. You simply need an online presence. Anyone under the age of 60 can tell if you’ve updated your website in the last decade. If you haven’t, it’s time. If I go to a website and it’s outdated, I am immediately turned off to the company. I’m not alone –
83% of consumers visit a company’s website before making a purchase decision
and once they’re there – it takes them less than 1 second to form an opinion about it and your company. So whether you need a new website or are updating an old one, you can see why it’s important to spend money on this item. Even if it’s the only thing you do all year, invest in it – you will see a return. It doesn’t make sense to do a so-so job now, just to redo it in a year. That will end up making your website cost more.
So what about price? A lot of things will determine the cost of building your website. Here are just a few:
- How many pages will your site be? Do you just need a one-page site or a landing page? Typically these types of sites tend to be one long-scrolling page without a ton of copy. These are usually used to have the consumer complete one task: sign up for a newsletter, download a file, enter an email or make a phone call. A site like this would be linked to online advertising or social media offerings.
- Does your site need any additional features? Most small business sites are under 20 pages total and provide a lot of information including: About, Team, Mission/Vision, Testimonials, Blog, News, Contact. These sites will be more expensive than a one-page site but the cost goes up as you add unique functionality like: store locators, interactive maps, online memberships or e-commerce.
- What will you be providing? If a company can provide the copy and/or photography – this can help lower the costs. You will certainly want a web expert edit the copy for SEO and consistency, but if you can give them a draft to start with, it will probably save you a few dollars. Same goes with photography – if you have good quality photos (not low-res photos), you can save hours on image research.
Website cost will vary based on complexity, but it’s worth the investment. Once your site is up and running, work with an agency (like us) that can help you promote the site to reach a broader audience. Whether you are running a social media campaign or digital advertising, you will be able to see the effectiveness by the number of clicks and visits to your website – providing a ROI so you aren’t just blindly spending your marketing dollars.