April 19, 2016

How Much Does it Cost to Build a Website?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked by business owners and marketing directors. The old phrase “you get what you pay for” essentially answers the question. But it’s never that simple. And that answer isn’t exactly helpful. There are many different aspects designers and developers consider when pricing a website. But how much YOU should spend should be guided by how important YOU think a website is to your business’ goals. (Stacked against how much time to you want to dedicate to shopping around for the lowest price).

How important do YOU feel your website is to your business?

Regarding providers, as with most other services one pays for in life, value should be proportional to skill level. Rates and skill levels are related just like they are in most other businesses. If one company is charging $250 per hour to build your website while another is only charging $50, you would expect the more expensive option to be more elegant, more advanced, and more effective. Yet, websites can be extremely complicated, especially under the hood. So it’s not always apples to apples.

Yeah yeah yeah, pal. Give me the straight numbers ↓

spend as little or as much as you want!


before you start shopping:

When undergoing a website design (or redesign), start by identifying your goals and objectives with your team. Think about considerations such as:

  • how to best incorporate your brand’s aesthetic
  • interactive visual elements like video, rollovers and animation
  • total number of pages and organization of site pages
  • effective visitor paths & flow through various sections of the site
  • specifying target actions for visitors
  • identifying any special backend functionality your require
  • maintenance and support post-launch
  • marketing the website, SEO and building traffic

Then discuss your overall goals and objectives with potential providers. Generally speaking, there are three types of service providers in the industry: Freelancers/Solo Practitioners, Boutique Designers/Marketing Firms and Advertising Agencies. Below are three general summaries of each type of provider, to help you make sense of what your options are.


independent website contractor

Bottom Line: Less than $10,000.


shutterstock_267584456

Bottom Line: $15,000-$75,000 (depending on the size/scope).


shutterstock_148105850

Bottom Line: $100,000+.

These explanations are intended to provide some basic descriptions to help you compare different types of providers. Of course, you may stumble across a brilliant and highly capable freelancer, or a top-level, white-glove large agency at a great rate. But in our experience, somewhere in the middle is the right place for most, assuming you are a small- to medium-sized business, looking to make your mark with a unique, custom-branded web design.

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