How Much Does A Website Cost?
Something that often comes to the minds of business owners and executives is website cost. However, the answer to the question, ‘how much does a website cost?” isn’t simple. Many factors will influence the cost of a website design, such as your budget, objectives, and hosting cost.
On average, a site can cost anywhere from CAD 5,000 to 15,000 upfront, and more complex projects can exceed CAD 100,000. You may pay more or less since the cost to build a website will significantly depend on the needs or requirements of your business.
Let’s take a look at the main factors that contribute to the cost of creating a website. That way, you can consider all of it before moving forward.
1. The Web Development Team
The team you choose to develop your website will undoubtedly influence the success of the project.
It’s best to work with a team with in-depth web design knowledge and the tools required to support the project.
For example, at Helium, we’ve accumulated lifetime licenses for the best WordPress plugins. Our clients never have to worry about additional fees or fixing a plugin that breaks. Every plugin gets updates for life, which decreases the maintenance costs of owning a website.
Additionally, less experienced web developers can overlook certain vital aspects of a website design project. For instance, an inexperienced team may dismiss the use of psychological triggers in imagery and copywriting to increase user engagement and conversions.
Further, consider working with a team that specializes in or has experience creating websites in your niche – though you can expect to pay a bit more for such specialization.
2. Size and Functionality
In general, the bigger the project, the more you’ll pay. For example, a simple website with 5 to 10 pages may cost $5,000, while something with 50+ pages will increase fees.
It’s also essential that a website is designed for future expansion. In most cases, that means integrating a content management system (CMS) like Wordpress. Some designers and developers will charge more to configure CMS, while others include it with every project.
Also, if a significant part of your sales process is dependent on the site, it may affect cost. Functions like registration systems, a member’s area, forums, built-in calendars, etc., are all functionalities that will influence website cost.
The same goes for CRM, ERP, and other advanced system integrations – cost will vary greatly depending on how well the given systems you want to integrate interact with each other.
In some situations, it’s easy to accomplish certain functionalities, such as installing pre-built connectors. In other instances, connectors or plugins have to be built from scratch.
3. The Process Used to Build the Site
The process behind the design project can influence website cost.
Something simple can quickly turn into a complex nightmare if the process behind it is sub-par. For example, using the wrong framework, CMS, poor communication, or overestimating requirements can increase the time required to complete a particular project.
That’s why great designers and developers have a tested and proven process in place, allowing them to produce incredible work every time.
Further, the entire process of design is more than having a quick meeting to discuss details. You may have to meet with your web designer several times, and it’s worth it to ensure success.
The plan for these meetings may include but is not limited to the following.
- Gather information about your business and price range for the project.
- Determine the goals of your website and functionality requirements.
- Address any SEO (search engine optimization) concerns.
- Collect basic audience information for further research and persona creation.
- Set expectations about the project.
- Review design concepts or sketches.
- Feedback sessions.
While all of that is bound to influence website cost, the investment is worth making. A great website can help you achieve your goals more efficiently, and the more thought and process involved, the better the final product.
4. Content Creation
Content creation (text, video, and photo) is a very time-consuming process. Yet, it’s an important aspect of a website and marketing communications in general.
Content helps brands build connections with consumers and drive favourable actions on their websites. Without content, promotion or marketing doesn’t happen, so you’ll need it.
If the web design agency creates your content, the website cost may rise, and that’s probably for the best. You see, content creation is an art. Not everyone can do it well – a high-level understanding of effectively conveying the intended message while keeping the audience engaged is needed.
Good content is relevant, useful, and actionable. It takes about 3 to 8 hours to produce one page of high-quality content, depending on the purpose, length, and the amount of research time required. Most business owners don’t have that kind of time to spare.
And as alluring as it is to try to create content yourself, it’s worth having professionals do it instead. Website design agencies often have partnerships with content creation firms. Since the agency will already know a lot about your brand, they are usually the best people to go through for content.
So How Much Does a Website Cost?
The cost of your website hinges on what you want to do—specifically, the desired functions, content, process, and overall project size. Before taking the next step and contacting a web design agency, consider your business needs right now. For example, a new company doesn’t need an Amazon-level site to start. You can continually improve the functionality of your site as the business grows.
Consider Helium for your next project. We can guide you from strategy to execution, helping you achieve your objectives. We’ve helped many small businesses develop a robust online presence and grow their revenues. Schedule a quick chat today.
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