How much does it cost for a website?

The Internet has made the process of setting up a business easier, cheaper and faster than ever before. Most business owners view having a website as essential.

But just how much does a website cost? And how much should you spend on a website so it delivers what you need, without paying over the odds?

My personal guide to how much a website costs

I’ve experienced what it’s like to invest in a website. Eight years ago, before Jammy Digital was born, I paid a company £1400 to design me a website for my first business. This was a huge amount of money for me at the time. After stock, it was my biggest investment.

However, my return on investment was pitiful. I barely made a thing from the website and what I did make was mainly from kind friends and family who felt a bit sorry for me.

Why am I telling you this?

Ultimately, I’m going to tell you what I tell all my clients and potential clients. My service and price might not be right for you, and that’s okay. There are plenty of options when it comes to website design, all with their own pros and cons.

I don’t want any client or business owner to experience what I did eight years ago.

Why do you need a website?

It’s tempting to start researching or contacting web designers straight away. Before you start looking for a solution you need to identify what you want to achieve from your website. Every website should have a purpose aside from being just another online business card.

You need to be sure that your site is generating a return on investment. It shouldn’t be written off as a business expense. Your website should come equipped to provide enquiries and sales on an ongoing basis.

Here are a few ideas for your own website purpose…

• Collect website enquiries
• Increase the number of phone calls you get
• Sell your digital products online
• Showcase your work
• Increase donations
• Build an online community
• Promote your event
• Share your knowledge & expertise
• Build an email list of prospects

You may need your website to do numerous different things but it’s important you know what they are before you build your website.

Your website should be crafted around the overall purpose of your business. So every aspect of the website’s design, copy and usability should be focused on driving your end user to do what you want them too.

What do you get for your money?

Self-build DIY services like WIX, Godaddy, Weebly etc.

Approximate price: free – £20.00pm

Building your own website using a service such as Wix, GoDaddy or Weebly is an attractive solution to many business owners, bloggers and entrepreneurs. And it’s easy to see why, these websites are usually free or cost very little on a monthly basis.

Limitations with Self Builders

As attractive as these low cost websites are, they do come with some limitations. The first one being design. These services work by getting you to choose a template from a selection of prepared designs. This means you’re usually working within the limitations of that particular design.

The good thing is, these website builders are generally very easy to use with their ‘drag and drop’ features.

Attractive Designs

Some templates are very attractive. Some not so much. And some are downright awful! But from personal experience, I’ve had a lot of clients’ approach me having tried a DIY service and failed to get anything remotely like what they want.

Some of my clients have had success by starting out this way, but as their business has grown they’ve wanted something a little more tailored.

How Search Engine Friendly Are DIY Websites?

There’s also the small factor of SEO. There’s a lot of talk about DIY builders and what impact it has on your search engine rankings. Does it work? Or does Google dislike DIY builders?

If you’re thinking of building your own site using this method then make sure you consider this beforehand to prevent any headaches later on.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f5fbff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” inside_shadow=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]

Pros and Cons of DIY Websites

[/dropshadowbox]

 

What to do before investing in this option:

• Research what people say about the company. Forums are a great place to see what people are struggling with!
• Look at what others have done with the templates. Templates look great when designed by a professional, so check them out after a novice has looked at it!
• Check the other costs – URL, hosting, email accounts, help from a coder/designer if you need it etc. It all adds up!

A Basic Business Card Website

Approximate fee: £99 – £500

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of website design companies in the UK who offer website design packages within this price bracket. Unlike the first option, these are suitable for those who simply don’t have the time or skills to invest in building their own website.

These websites generally display your information, just like a business card. They are usually built using pre-made html templates.

They tend to be very basic in terms of design and they’re not usually built with SEO in mind. That doesn’t mean they won’t rank highly in search engines, it just means that certain things won’t have been considered before or during the build. This means it might take a lot of work on your part to get the site up to scratch once it’s been built.

The low cost might be appealing to some but there are a few things I recommend you ask before hiring a company.

Firstly, does the website come with an easy to use CMS (content management system). This enables you to easily update your website once it’s been built. The likelihood is, you won’t be able to edit anything extensive, but you should be able to edit the text and images with ease. If not, the company may charge you for this, so you’ll need to ask them how much they charge in order to avoid costly headaches in the future!

Secondly, you’ll need to make sure the website is mobile/tablet friendly. Almost 50% of web searches happen over a mobile or tablet. Google have actually said they will favour mobile friendly websites in mobile search results! If your website isn’t mobile/tablet friendly, you’ll be missing out on potential customers.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f5fbff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” inside_shadow=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]

Pros and Cons of a Business Card Website

[/dropshadowbox]

 

What to do before investing in this option:

• Make sure the website comes with a content management system. Even ask to see how it works beforehand. If it doesn’t, be clear on how much it will cost to update your site.
• Check that the website is mobile/tablet friendly
• Check what is included! Will you get a blog, social media integration, URL, email accounts, hosting, images (stock photos cost) etc.

A template website using WordPress / Joomla / Drupal.

Approximate Fee: £399 – £1200

Sometimes, website designers will build your website using pre-existing templates on WordPress, Joomla or Drupal.

These kinds of websites usually achieve a more polished and professional look than those who go for the DIY or basic options. In fact, I used to use this method for some of my clients, as it was an affordable alternative to the more expensive options. However, even though the website looks better, it’s still a template, and therefore still quite restrictive.

The appeal of this option is you get a decent looking website (designer depending, obviously) along with the easy-to-use CMS of WordPress, Joomla etc.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f5fbff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” inside_shadow=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]

Pros and Cons of using Wordpress Template

[/dropshadowbox]

What to do before investing in this option:

• Ask the designer what they can do with the design, how much can they change to tailor around your needs?
• With any design company – check that the website is mobile/tablet friendly!
• Check what is included! Will you get a blog, social media integration, URL, email accounts, hosting, images (stock photos cost) etc.

A Custom Made Website

Approximate Fee: £999 – £5000+

Many web design agencies and even some freelancers will charge within this price bracket for a custom built website, myself included.

At this price, you should expect more for your money than the three options above. Your website should be designed in line with your branding and should appeal to your target market.

Your home page should be completely bespoke, along with your standard pages and perhaps your blog/contact page.

The agency or freelancer can often spend a lot of time in the research and preparation stage, making sure everything is to your liking and set up for ultimate conversion. Every element of the design should encourage your reader to do something, such as contact you, fill in a form, or hit that buy now button.

You may also get added extras to the option above, such as a bespoke blog, email marketing integration or even copywriting and on-page SEO.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f5fbff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” inside_shadow=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]

Pros and Cons of Custom Made Website

[/dropshadowbox]

 

What to do before investing in this option:

• Ask the web designer what their process is. Will they show you a version of their design before you invest? Or will you receive different design versions to choose from?
• Ask if the website also comes with a CMS
• Check what is included! Will you get a blog, social media integration, URL, email accounts, hosting, images (stock photos cost) etc.
• Will you need to provide the stock images or will they provide some of them as part of the service.

Big Project Website

Approximate fee: £5000 – £100,000+

This option is suitable for those looking for the ultimate bespoke website design service. You may find you need every single page of your website to be tailored to your needs. Or you may need a website that fits within your business’s internal processes.

These websites are generally very technical and intelligent. They have a large amount of functionality and attention to detail…hence the price tag. You’re paying for a knowledgeable and experienced team of people who can build you every single thing you need from scratch.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#f5fbff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” inside_shadow=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]

Pros and Cons of Custom Made Website

[/dropshadowbox]

 

What to do before investing in this option:

• Consider whether you really need this level of support and technical help
• This is a big project, I’d certainly recommend meeting the agency!
• Put a full proposal together and go out to tender. It’s more time consuming but it’s worth it to get the right company for you.

Final thoughts.

You may be tempted to head over to Google and type in “cheap web design” and try to save some money in the short term. I would ask you to consider the REAL cost of getting a cheap website. What will a basic online presence do for your business in the long run? The amount of business you lose from not having a high quality website may leave you worse off.

On the flip side, think about your average sale amount, how many customers will you need to pay for a £5000 website. If the numbers seem out of reach then it may be worth going for one of the cheaper options to begin with.

My advice is to spend some time doing the research and find a web design company you can rely on, someone who truly understands what you want to achieve and can build a website that performs well and delivers a return on your investment.

Over to you

What is your experience of hiring web design companies? Have you found it to be an easy process or have you had a few catastrophes along the way? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.