How Much Does a Website Cost?
Asking how much is a website is like asking how much is a “House”? Well it depends on what kind of house you want to build.
The cost of a website is driven by two things: time & the hard cost required to meet the functionality needs of the client. How complex a site do you need to meet your goals? And what does it take to create it? It drives what you need to design and build based on what you need it to do.
What kind of website do I need?
The type of site drives what you need the site to do and the features and functionality needed to meet those goals.
- Business Website
- E-commerce Website
- Lead Generation Website
- Media Website
- Entertainment Website
- Portfolio Website
- Brochure Website
Features & Functionality:
Before you can get a proposal or cost quote you want to think through what you want users to do when they go to your website. How can those things improve the user experience, engage users, and increasing your chances of doing business with that user? All these things impact cost and time to create. So if your budget is tight, then prioritize your list.
- Contact forms
- Custom application or forms submissions
- Blog/News
- Image galleries
- Catalog
- Appointments/Reservations
- Buy things
- Event Calendar
- Pay online
- Etc.
Budget vs. Getting Everything
The key to smart spending is planning. Thinking through what you want, setting priorities and then planning for what you can afford and what you ultimately want. This can be the difference between a website making you money and you throwing your money at it and getting no return.
A well-reviewed Pro can help you with this. They can help you chose what type of site you need, where to start, and how to spend your budget smartly.
What I want vs. What I need:
First of
- Plan out what the ideal site looks and works like
- Plan out what the minimum you need in a site
- Look at what a realistic budget you can afford – and remember you should see a return on your site it should be an investment, not a cost.
- Talk with a Pro to get their input adn insights
- See if you can find a Pro that fits your needs and understands your business
- Don’t try to save money, try to spend your budget to get most you can.
- Look for recommendations and try to find people online, before you go to Job boards. Job boards charge commission or lead cost. That only raises the developer’s overhead and therefore your cost. Thumbtack, Upwork, and Bark all work differently, but they all charge the Pro for the jobs or leads.
What I need to consider to know “How much does a website cost?”
The cost of a website involves several different categories:
- Domain Name
- Hosting
- Website Content Development
- Images and Graphics
- Site Design & Development
- SEO Onsite
- Ongoing Maintenance
- SEO Offsite
- Job Board Charges (can be 20% of budget) – these have to be built into the cost