Hiring someone to design and build your website is a scary undertaking. Whom can you trust to showcase your business for a fair price? You’re an entrepreneur, but that doesn’t mean you have cash to burn: how much will a website design cost?

The cost of website design and creation range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. The cost of your website project depends on your needs and the person or agency you hire to do the work. It also depends on:

● The complexity of the website - A site with an ecommerce store (where you can directly sell products) will cost far more than a basic website with four pages and a blog.
● The design - Is your site a unique design created for your business? Or is it a template someone is changing a bit to suit your needs? The latter, of course, will cost far less.
● The designer/developer’s experience - Someone just getting started will charge far less of course. But a new developer might not be well versed in web design; he or she may just have the ability to write the website code.

While many people turn to online sites for inexpensive help with website design, the adage is true: you get what you pay for. Those sites rely on templates and may even plagiarize someone else’s work. While a template may seem the easy path, if you want to stand out from others, you should invest in a custom website. In fact, 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive.

Before you go shopping for a designer, figure out:

● What do you want on your website? What is its purpose or goal?
● Does your website need a database? A store?
● Is your website a brochure for you or a lead generation tool?
● Are you creating a website from scratch or changing your current site?
● What colors do you like?
● Do you want video or a slideshow on the home page?
● Look at other websites and make a list of those you love and hate and why; this will help your website team.

Tips for Hiring a Website Designer

If you want a quality website for your business, speak to multiple people and agencies and ask about:

● Portfolio - Do you like the other websites they have created?
● Experience - Choose someone who has a large body of work; they will know how to handle any problems or questions. They will know more about best website practices and today’s standards.
● Management - Can they give you a timetable? Do they seem to handle billing professionally? Is there a contract?
● Platform - Many website designers have preferred content management systems (CMS). Ask about which ones they use and whether you can update your text and images later or if you need to pay them for every change.
● Price - You will hear a range of prices. The one-man show is far cheaper than the agency. But the one-man show may only create the website, leaving you to write the text and figure out everything else. Consider the services offered.
● Maintenance - A website is never done; they require regular maintenance to keep the software updated and secure. Will the agency or person maintain the website’s software updates for a monthly fee or do you need to go elsewhere for that?

If you have questions about building a quality website for your business, contact us to learn more about our team.