There are a variety of factors that influence the cost of web design. Discover the complete web design pricing guide here.
Are you thinking about setting up a website for your business this 2020?
Creating a website is nothing like a walk in the park. If anything, it’s more like a jog in the wilderness, especially if you’re new to the behind-the-scenes of business websites.
Depending on what you aim to get, your website design costs can range from $1,000 to $100,000. We know that it seems like a very vague price range to work with. To help you, we have this web design pricing guide for businesses that want an expert’s help in web design.
- Making Your Budget Meet Your Goals
Before you start looking for professional designers, you must know your financial limits. It’s also important to have an idea of what you want in website design. After that, you need a realistic expectation of what you can get with your budget.
You also need to know some basics of running a website. For example, does your website need features like a CMS or content management system? If you don’t know what CMS is, it means you still need to learn a lot about the basics of running a website.
The more you know of what makes a website, the more you understand the costs of designing it. You don’t need to take an online course to learn these things. A quick search on Google can do the trick.
We mentioned that you need realistic goals for your website. Find out what functions and features are essential to your website. This way, you can set a budget for each function.
For example, do you need eCommerce features to process payments online? You might need your website to integrate with other software as well. Do you have time to create content for your website or will you pay an agency to do it?
Remember, the more complicated your website, the more expensive it will be. Custom websites with custom features will cost more. With that said, let’s proceed to web design prices.
- Web Design Pricing Guide
The elements of a website influence the total of website-building prices. You have to think of your website like it’s a car you’re putting in the shop to get customized. Each feature will cost you, but it’s at least better than having one that’s plain and indistinguishable.
To get a better picture, let’s break down your typical website elements and their costs.
If you’re working with a tight budget, you can start simple. In a website with a basic design, you likely have to pay for the following items:
- Domain name – $8.99/year
- SSL – $99/year
- Hosting – $15/month
- Graphic design – $1,000
- CMS integration – $500
- Third-party integrations $500
- eCommerce – $2,000
- Front end development – $1,500
- Back end development – $500
In total, for a website with a basic design, it’ll cost you around $6,125. The threshold for most basic web designs goes up to $10,000.
However, with $6,000 invested in web design, you get a team, custom design, and responsive web design. At that price, expect professional quality and hands-on project management. It’s perfect for small- and medium-sized businesses.
If you want to work with advanced features, you’ll have to pay more. The typical advanced website design will cost you anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000. Depending on the agency, you may get landing page designs, custom themes, and custom functionality.
Website designs worth over $20,000 is already quite costly. Imagine having to pay $100,000 for your website design. It’s the kind of thing only global enterprises and large businesses invest in.
- Costs of Website Maintenance and Website Marketing
Don’t forget to set aside part of your budget for website maintenance costs. While it wouldn’t cost as much, it’s still an essential part of your budget. Most of the cost here goes to hosting services, keeping your domain name, and SSL.
Also, no web design pricing guide is complete without discussing the costs of marketing your website. You must remember that your website won’t amount to much unless it gets leads and conversions. That means you need to put it out there so your target audience finds it.
The cost of digital marketing can be quite high. Some strategies in digital marketing are things you can do by yourself. For example, you can do an email marketing campaign without expensive professional help.
Some aspects of digital marketing need someone with more expertise.
As an example, let’s talk about search engine optimization or SEO. SEO is the key to your website finding its way on the first page of Google search results. Thus, you want to leave your SEO in good and experienced hands.
- Free and Cheap Alternatives
This isn’t to say you can’t create your website for free. Many free options are available out there, but you’ll see a lot of limits. From having generic templates to lacking customization, it may look unprofessional.
Resources like Wix, Weebly and Webs.com are the usual options. They’re great for practicing how to design websites in the most basic ways. If you have a small organization or you want to create a personal blog, go for it.
Be careful with sites that have “free” branding them. They may only be free at first. Another big problem with free sites is they’re often lacking in SEO, which means you’re unlikely to see your ranking go up.
Unless you want to see how it feels to dip your toes in the behind-the-scenes, don’t settle for free websites. If you’re a small business only beginning to sow seeds online, start with a website made under $1000. There’s a lot you can do without an expensive website.
As a tip, be patient. The internet has a reputation for rushing things, like learning, relationships, and more. Ironically, it’ll take a while before you see a return of investment from your website.
Not all your costs will get ROI right away. For example, ads campaigns often take time, attention, and money. Another big example is SEO, which often depends on organic searches.
Launch a Well-Designed Website
This 2020, the cost of website designs will vary by the agency as well. Because more web design agencies are out there, it’s easier to find one that’s perfect for your business. The key is to remember your goals and where your budget stands.
Don’t hesitate to refer to this web design pricing guide as you build your first site. On that note, we cover more than website-building prices! If you want to see informative content like this, check out our other guides today!