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How Much Does a Website Cost?

The most common question asked of web developers is "how much will my website cost?" It's a fair question but hardly one that can be answered with any degree of certainty until you have clearly defined your goals and objectives.

Any web design and development company that has predefined rates or quotes you a flat rate without taking considerable time to learn your business and your objectives...simply doesn't understand your business and your objectives.

A website should be an investment in your company. Therefore, as an investment, you should expect to see some measure of return on your investment. In other words, a smart investment will make you money. A poor investment will not make you money.

How much you choose to invest is up to you. As a result, how much your website costs is also up to you. Just realize that like all investments, your return is proportional. E.g. if you spend $1,000 on a website and make a 100% rate of return, you make $2,000. If you spend $10,000 on a website and make a 100% rate of return, you make $20,000. More is better. Of course, this example assumes you're investing in a website that will yield positive results.


You Get What You Pay For

Ever got something cheap (or even free), and it turned out to be not such a good deal? Exactly.

There is no shortage of cheap labor or tools in this business. From interns to offshoring to do-it-yourself web design templates, there's something for every bootstrapper looking to save a buck. Heck, your kid probably has his own website.

If you want to save money with cheap help or even build your own website - knock yourself out. If that doesn't work out, contact us.

Just remember, your website is the face of your business. If you wouldn't feel comfortable sending your kid out to land a new client or sell your product, don't let him design your website. There's a lot more to it than a few pictures and some code...especially if you want to do it right and make some money.

A Note About Web Content

The cost of a website depends on the features, design, and content you want on it. Among all these factors, content is by far the most expensive and precious. For most every site, high quality and unique content is what sells - not flashy graphics. Content is also a major factor in achieving high search engine rankings, which will drive traffic to your site. Content also takes a lot of time and few are good at producing it. Are you? If so, you can cut your costs considerably. If not, look to spend more for good content. The investment will be worth it.

Without a complete understanding of your business model, your market place, your customer, and the goals of your website, it is impossible to generate effective content. Consider this when selecting your web developer.

Your web developer should be a true partner who understands your business and will work with you over the long-term to succeed. If this doesn't sound like that summer intern you just met or the kid down the street, think about hiring a professional web design firm.

The Real Investment - Marketing Your Website

In reality, what you spend on making your website might be peanuts compared to what you may need to spend marketing your website.

You can have the most innovative website on the planet, but if you misjudged the market or fail to attract and keep customers on your site, you're not accomplishing anything. Conversely, you could have a very simple but effective website that gets tons of traffic and makes you money. Sounds better doesn't it?

The amount of money you can invest up front and on a continual basis to ensure your site's message is on point, has excellent usability, is targeted to the right people, and can be easily found on the Internet can have an exponential return on investment. Learn more about Internet marketing.

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