Website Cost
As a small business your probably wondering what would be the ideal website cost?
Building a website is no longer a “nice-to-have” for businesses; it’s an absolute necessity. Whether launching an online store, establishing a professional portfolio, or showcasing your brand, understanding website costs is crucial for proper budgeting and success. But how much does a website cost? The answer depends on numerous factors, such as the site’s complexity, features, and design choices. To help you plan effectively, we’ve broken down the core expenses of creating and running a website. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clear idea of what to expect and how to stay within your budget.
Building an online presence surely has a price tag, whether you hire a web design agency or do it yourself. Once you have budgeted for a website, you must consider online advertising.
A Website Cost will vary.
It is impossible to give a good starting point for the costs of designing a website. This is because they vary drastically depending on the kind of website you want to create.
What must be considered in the cost of a website?
When designing a website, three main categories decide its initial costs: design, functionality/development, and storage. Then, three main costs come into play later: the cost of space, the domain name, and web hosting.
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Web Design Costs
Every business will need to have a budget for the initial costs of design. The company may need a custom solution to ensure the website’s functionality. The total website cost so far would be nearly $2000. The average price would be $1750, with a few stock images adding $150.
Content
If we assume that the business has a writer? Writing should be relatively light. With the average wage for writers around $48,474 per year, dividing that by the number of weekdays in a year and the average workday, we get an hourly rate of $20 – $50 per hour. We can assume that it would take at least two days to complete all of the basic writing, meaning the cost to write the website’s content would be $350 and upwards. The business might then decide to put the writing through quality checks. The starting price to do this through an agency is $100 per page. Based on a 5-page website, the total cost of the website is now $2500 plus., but with proper cuts, this can be reduced.
Functionality
The website’s functionality would vary depending on the type of business and the website needed. Of course, there may be additional costs if a website has issues that must be corrected. For example, an integrated e-commerce solution with existing systems could cost thousands of dollars. However, if a standard CMS (Content Management system) is used with the basics and little customization, the cost could be minimized.
The non-initial Website Cost of Development
Website costs could get carried over later, especially once they go live. These may include:
- Cost of space. Suppose the business uses a dedicated server, where the basic 42U rack has a square footage of 28.92 feet. We can double that and think it takes up the total space since Seattle’s average annual rent per square foot is $43.40. We can then multiply the server’s square footage, 57.84 square feet, by the rent cost. This makes the property cost to run a server for a year around $2509.9, higher than most other cities would cost, which is also the total for the non-initial costs. Of course, rather than not having your server, you could use hosting companies where the hosting ranges from around $100 plus per year. The average for the nation is $ 1343.6232, almost half the cost.
- The non-initial cost is the domain name. We can assume that the business would use a new domain name, making the yearly cost around $12.50. The first year of running the website is now $2522.40.
- The following non-initial cost is web hosting. Suppose it has already been established that a dedicated server is being run. In that case, it costs around $1200 if we go by the average cost of electricity in America, ¢12 per kilowatt-hour, $662.3 a year. But in Seattle, electricity is around ¢0.6 cents less than the average, ¢11.4 per kilowatt-hour. The yearly cost of running a server in Seattle is $1166.8, and a non-initial total of $3722.4.
What is the total Website Cost?
We can now calculate by combining the non-initial and initial costs, making the total cost for the first year of a website running about $7198.79. It is a relatively high price tag but it isn’t all that high for a medium business. This would be a considerable investment for small businesses, and the best option will be to opt for a third party to do the work.
What about the possible cuts from earlier?
With many cuts, the total can be reduced to around $250 for the first year. That is, if you design the website yourself, write content, and rent a shared server instead of running a dedicated one.
Bringing down a Website Cost – Is the cost worth it?
It’s only worth having a dedicated server if your business generates the revenue to support the expense. An alternative would be to opt for third-party vendors. So the final website costs to a small business will range from around $2000.
Be it a dental practice, school, professional, or any other business, we at Visualwebz LLC will work with you to keep website costs low. We can build a plan based on your budget. We have experience in WordPress development and have been building, maintaining, and strategically carrying out online marketing since 2008. Call us today at (425)-336-0069, and we will provide you with the exact website cost needed for your business to get online.
How Much Does a Website Cost? A Complete Breakdown…
1. Domain Name
Your domain name is your website’s online address (e.g., www.yourbusinessname.com). It’s often the first expense of setting up a website.
Domain Registration Costs
Registering a domain name typically costs between $10 and $20 annually. Some registrars, like GoDaddy or Namecheap, might offer discounted rates for the first year, but be prepared for slightly higher renewal fees.
Domain Extensions
The pricing also depends on the domain extension you choose, such as:
- .com (most popular and usually affordable): $10–$15/year
- .org, .net: $12–$20/year
- Specialty extensions like .tech, .store, or .ai can cost $30–$100/year or more.
Pro Tips:
- Check if your domain registrar offers free WHOIS privacy protection to safeguard your data.
- Consider buying your domain in advance for multiple years to lock in lower prices.
2. Hosting
Web hosting is what allows your website to be accessible online. Hosting companies store your site’s files and ensure they’re available 24/7.
Types of Hosting and Costs
- Shared Hosting ($5–$20/month) is ideal for smaller websites with limited traffic. However, performance may dip during high-traffic periods because users share resources.
- VPS Hosting ($20–$80/month): A Virtual Private Server offers a middle ground, providing better control and faster speeds than shared hosting.
- Dedicated Hosting ($80–$300/month): Best for high-traffic websites that require exclusive server resources.
- Cloud Hosting ($10–$200/month) offers the flexibility to scale resources up or down based on demand. It is perfect for growing businesses.
Add-on Costs
Hosting plans may appear inexpensive initially, but specific add-ons (like SSL certificates or automated backups) can add $5–$50 per month.
Pro Tips:
- Some platforms, like WordPress.com or Squarespace, combine hosting with their services, simplifying the process.
- Always check hosting reviews for uptime and customer support quality.
3. Design
The design of your website plays a significant role in creating the right impression for your audience. Costs for website design vary depending on whether you go with a DIY approach or hire professionals.
DIY Design Costs
- Website Builders ($10–$50/month): Platforms like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify provide customizable templates and drag-and-drop tools to create beautiful designs without coding.
- Premium Themes ($30–$300 one-time): For CMS platforms like WordPress, premium themes come with advanced design features and customizability.
Professional Design Costs
- Freelance Designers ($500–$5,000): A skilled freelancer can create a customized look for your website based on your brand.
- Agencies ($5,000–$20,000+): For businesses looking for a high-end, fully customized design, agencies will deliver top-notch results.
Pro Tips:
- If you’re just starting out, premium themes on platforms like ThemeForest are budget-friendly and versatile.
- Professional design is worth the investment if brand consistency is a priority.
4. Development
Building a website involves more than just pretty visuals. Website development focuses on creating functionality behind the scenes, from interactive forms to e-commerce features.
Development Costs by Complexity
- Basic Websites ($1,000–$3,000): Includes simple layouts and limited interactive features.
- Custom Websites ($5,000–$30,000+): This may include tailored functionality, e-commerce, or multifaceted web applications.
- Hourly Rates: Web developers typically charge between $50 and $150 per hour.
Pro Tips:
- Use open-source platforms like WordPress or Joomla to save on development costs without compromising flexibility.
- Plan your website’s functionality in advance to avoid costly revisions during development.
5. Content Creation
They say “content is king,” and that’s especially true for websites. Quality content not only engages users but also improves your search engine rankings.
Typical Content Expenses
- Written Content ($50–$500 per page): Rates vary depending on the writer’s experience and the complexity of the content.
- Visual Content ($50–$1,000): This may include stock images, custom illustrations, infographics, or professional photography.
- Video Content ($500–$5,000): Video production can be costly but highly effective for driving engagement.
Pro Tips:
- Use AI-powered tools for content assistance (e.g., Jasper, Grammarly) to save time and polish your copy.
- Platforms like Canva or Shutterstock are excellent for affordable visual content.
6. SEO & Marketing
No matter how beautiful your website is, it won’t fulfill its purpose without attracting visitors.
SEO and Digital Marketing Costs
- SEO Tools ($20–$200/month): Many tools help monitor keywords and optimize your content.
- Paid Advertising ($50–$5,000+): Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and other PPC campaigns can help drive traffic.
- Email Marketing ($10–$500/month): Platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact allow for effective audience outreach.
Pro Tips:
- Focus on organic SEO first if you’re on a tight budget.
- Leverage free tools like Google Analytics to understand your audience and improve performance.
7. Maintenance
Running a website is an ongoing endeavor, requiring regular maintenance to ensure it stays functional and secure.
Ongoing Maintenance Expenses
- CMS Updates and Security Patches: $50–$200/year
- Hosting Renewals and Domain Renewals: $100–$500/year
- Technical Support: $10–$100/month, depending on the service provider.
Pro Tips:
- If you’re not tech-savvy, consider hiring a professional for ongoing maintenance. Look for packages that include both hosting and support for a flat rate.
Non-Monetary Costs Of Designing A Website
So, what variables contribute to the cost of running a website? Time, technical knowledge, and design skills may be associated with the costs of creating and running a website. For example, time is more valuable than money to some people. If busy people do not have the time to make a website, they will pay instead. Likewise, the developer will pay for a professional if they are not interested in creating and maintaining a website. Lastly, if the developer has no design skills, They will spend precious time learning.
New Web Developer
If a new web developer is willing to go through the hoops of creating and maintaining their website, there are many online resources to help them. First, a designer can improve his skills in plenty of ways. Watching tutorials online, taking web development courses, or reading blog posts specified for learning web design may be some of the many ways to learn. A new developer may also visit a designing-oriented website such as Wix.com to create their website. Websites such as Wix allow people to quickly design a website with little to no design skills for low prices. The emergence of free designing websites has eliminated the high cost associated with developing a website on your own.
Monetary Costs of Creating and Maintaining a Website
From a monetary standpoint, creating and running a website involves many costs. Financial prices may vary widely depending on the type of website you are making. The main costs of running a website may include hosting, a domain name, designing, and plugin costs. Other extraneous prices may involve paying for specific software related to the website or even advertising expenses if the developer wants to advertise on their website. Before you pay for anything, the first two things you buy include a domain name for your website and web hosting.
Search Engine Keywords and Domain Names
The more popular a search engine keyword your desired domain name is, the more expensive it will be. Domain names may also be purchased through auctions. You can buy and auction off your domain names through websites like eBay. Auctions may have the edge over domain buying services because you could get a domain name cheaper.
Lastly, you may purchase a domain name by directly contacting the owner. This method is beneficial when the desired domain name has not been active for several years. In this case, there is a good chance the owner no longer uses the domain name and is willing to sell it for relatively cheap. Hence, an independent transaction within a domain registrar like GoDaddy may require a separate fee.
Professional Website Developer
Another possible expense of creating a website is designing it. Developers may design their websites if their resources and technical skills allow it. What if a developer has the money but lacks the resources, time, or knowledge to create a website independently? Hiring professional web developers to create a website is possible in that case. One option for small businesses willing to pay to obtain a website is to visit web designers specializing in WordPress.
WordPress offers several free pre-made website themes. If people are looking for more upscale themes, WordPress offers premium themes with more functionality options. Premium themes from WordPress are more expensive than the free themes the site provides. Several web design websites also offer theme memberships, allowing buyers to access premium themes.
Hire a Professional Website Developer
Imagine a large company that desires to hire professional developers to create a new website to put things in perspective. Although a custom website is an option, it often comes with hefty prices. Hiring a professional developer may also be an option if a buyer wants a custom-made web design theme that explicitly fits their interest.
Building professional websites for large companies may require “months of planning, research, consulting, database design and implementation, software development and integration, site quality assurance and testing” (www.atilus.com). As a result, the costs of creating a website of this magnitude may range from $20,000 to over $100,000 in expenses.
Plug-in and Extension Costs are added to the Website Costs.
One of the final financial costs of building an essential website includes all the plugins and extensions for running the site’s functionality. Plugins provide endless functionalities that may be added to a website. Many plugins for a website may be found online for free or at a low cost. For example, the Monster Insights plugin lets your website connect to Google Analytics, an application that analyzes web visitors’ actions on your site. This is helpful to the cost of a business’s website because it will allow the company to obtain valuable information in optimizing customer and visitor needs. This optimization provides more efficient use of time and resources, directly affecting website maintenance.
Backup Plugin for WordPress
On another note, a plugin that backs up your website may be essential to prevent losing your site if it becomes corrupted or hacked. A backup plugin will quickly restore a corrupted website and save a website owner some stress. A forms plugin may be another essential plugin for websites looking to generate revenue. A forms plugin allows businesses to collect customer information to provide services later. Forms and backup plugins usually require users to pay a certain amount to use their service. Although the plugins may cost money, they provide essential services to the websites that need them.
Specific And Optional Website Costs when Running a Website
Beyond a simple website, other miscellaneous costs may only be applied depending on the direction a developer wants a website to take. For example, E-commerce is “commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet”.
An e-commerce website goes beyond the cost of a traditional essential website. To create an E-commerce website, they must first buy an E-commerce business license. In addition to the license, many more functionality options must be placed on the website. These functionality options include buttons for customers to choose the product they want and a payment field for them to pay. Customers will also not pay if they do not believe their payment information is not safe.
E-Commerce and SSL
Creating an e-commerce website with all the needed functionalities may be daunting for most new developers. For this reason, many businesses decide to pay other developers to develop a website for them instead. This results in e-commerce websites requiring security seals if they want customers. According to Atlanticbt.com, running a small e-commerce website with little traffic may cost up to $12,000 annually. This cost is attributed to the year’s licensing, hosting, design, development, configuration, training, and maintenance costs.
Website Costs could also entail advertising.
Another miscellaneous cost of running a website is advertising your service or product. Promoting your website is not required, but we can’t emphasize that attracting customers requires one channel or another. For example, you can advertise or opt for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It is almost necessary to do so. Pushing through to advertising allows more traffic to your website and will generate more revenue for your e-commerce website. On the other hand, SEO will push your site to rank higher based on keyword searches. Services related to advertising include:
- Cost-per-click (CPC) pricing
- Cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) Pricing
- Cost-per-acquisition (CPA) Pricing.
- Search Engine Optimization
First, CPC pricing allows Google to charge the customer for every click on an advertisement. This pricing method would be best suited for businesses that desire a lot of traffic to their website. Next, CPM does not charge for each click of an advertisement but for every thousand views of one. Lastly, CPA pricing charges the business whenever the ad leads to a sold product. This pricing method benefits companies looking to generate revenue through online sales transactions.
SEO Services (Search Engine Optimization)
This is something to consider, especially once your website has gone live. That is, making sure that your website is prominently positioned on search engines. Any local Seattle SEO agency could assist you. When identifying reputable SEO companies in Seattle, Washington, it would make sense to do your homework and check the services and SEO pricing plans.
Wrapping It All Up with Tips for Budgeting
Creating a website can cost anywhere from $500 to over $50,000, depending on your goals, required features, and expectations for design and functionality. Here’s how to create a budget that works for you:
- Start Small: Focus on the basics first and scale up as your business grows.
- Shop Around: There are many affordable options for services like hosting, design, and content.
- Track Your Costs: Use tools like spreadsheets to keep tabs on all your expenses.
Remember, your website is an investment in your business’s future. With careful planning and intelligent choices, you can create a site that looks fantastic, runs smoothly, and drives results without breaking the bank.
Web Design & SEO Services for Small Businesses
At Visualwebz, we provide a range of WordPress (WP) web design, website development, and web marketing services to a diverse group of small businesses. We will deliver WordPress website design for large companies, SEO for startups, or an e-commerce website for a brick-and-mortar small business. Our web developers have a strong understanding of small businesses. Furthermore, we encourage you to read Visualwebz reviews and see why our customers are happy with our work and outcomes.