Whether you only operate online or through a physical store (Or both), your website is the key to increasing your success. Because of this, it is important that you make an investment in professional web design. However, many business owners are left with the question, “How much does a website cost for a small business?”
If you are asking yourself that question, well, the numbers may shock you at first. Spending $2000-$10,000 dollars on building a website for a small business is the average price range. However, the real factor of price is the features that your business’ website has. The more custom-built components or features you require, the more it will cost you.
The cost of building a website may seem steep, but there is a lot you have to pay for in the quest for online presence. Below we will discuss what you will be paying for, what the average cost is, and much more.
The Average Cost of Creating Websites For Small Businesses
The price range we quoted earlier ($2,000-$10,000) is accurate. It is the average that includes purchasing needed components for a website, such as a Website Hosting Plan, Domain Name, Website Design, More. The complexity, size, and features all determine the cost your business will see when creating your website. Other important factors that influence your web design costs are listed below.
7 Influencing Factors Of Web Design Costs for Small Businesses
Like we said when you pay that average cost to build your website, you aren’t just paying for real estate on the internet; you are paying for the components of that real estate for it to be seen. As we said, we will be going over these components and their costs. Here is a table of 7 influencing factors of web design costs for small businesses:
- Website Hosting: $24-$120 Yearly
- Domain Name: $0.95-$12
- Design: $2,000-$15,000
- SSL Certificate: $0-$1,500 Yearly
- CMS (Content Management System): $2,000-$25,000
- Pages: $1,000-$5,000
- Functionality: $2.000-$25,000
Website Hosting
Website hosting is basically the online power company. You have to have a website hosting plan in order to light up your online store’s presence in the digital world. Web hosting companies give your website the power to become available to users on the internet.
While the average price range of website hosting is $24-$120 a year, for smaller businesses, you may only see lower costs. The most common way small business owners save money on website hosting is by utilizing shared hosting.
Shared hosting is when the company that is hosting your domain name shares the server with other websites. That is the main reason it costs so much less. You do get limited server resources with shared hosting, though. However, small sites don’t require as many resources to operate, so it works out. In the event you need more resources, you can just upgrade your hosting plan.
Domain Name
If website hosting is the online power company, then your domain name is the online street address it powers. As an example, the domain name for Apple is apple.com. The ideal domain name will be identical to the name of your company, like Apple’s.
Companies such as HostGator, GoDaddy, and Dreamhost offer domain names for people to purchase. The average cost of domain names can range from $0.95-$12. If you don’t find your desired domain name for sale, then choose a solid alternative. You do have the option of offering to buy the domain name from the existing owner, but that can be a costly course of action.
Design
Web design is an important part of your online presence, and it can come with a cost factor that scales quite extensively. It really depends on whether or not you want a simple design or high-end layout. The higher-end designs require more of the designer’s time, so typically they cost a lot more. On top of all that, you will most likely need to have multiple templates or designs for different pages, such as:
- Contact Page
- Landing Page
- Product/Service Page
- Blog Page
- More
It really makes sense that design costs range from $2,000-$15,000. Make sure that you inquire about the design costs from any web design agencies that you consider helping you build your website. Also, request different samples of high end and simple designs. This way, you can adjust your budget accordingly.
SSL Certificate
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate will protect the data of your visitors and your website itself. Though the SSL certificate is optional, it is recommended that every business owner obtains one. It shows that your site is trusted, which can offer some comfort to visitors wishing to do business on your website. Many businesses still consider it an essential part of the website. In short, it protects your brand and your business.
There are cases that the SSL certificate may be granted to your website for free. For example, your hosting company could include the certificate with the subscription for hosting services. However, if you have to opt to get one on your own, you are looking at a price tag that can extend up to $1,500 a year. It is worth it for a secure site.
CMS
CMS stands for the content management system. It is considered to be an invaluable tool, like WordPress.
Put simply, a CMS is the type of software that allows your business to update, manage, and create content for your website without any knowledge of coding. It is comparable to working with a program like Microsoft Word.
Your company can easily update and edit its website with a CMS. As an example, if you want to change your product/service prices, all you do is log into the CMS and make whatever changes you need. There is no need to contact the developer.
The average cost of a CMS ranges between $2,000-$25,000. It varies based on preference and customization. If your development and design team takes a lot of time to customize your preferred CMS, it will generally cost more.
Pages
Almost every website is different in size. The number of pages of an e-commerce store, for example, may have over 100 pages. Whereas a service-based business may only have as many as 10. Even if the different pages use the exact same layout, it will take time to build and design those pages.
There are different factors for each page that equates to a longer development time, such as Videos, Copy, Images, and More. So, even if the pages use the same template, the time it takes to design and develop will still vary. It only makes sense that the longer it takes, the more it will cost.
For 1-50 pages, which is average for small businesses, will range from $1,000-$5,000 in costs. Normally, you will be able to find tier pricing for pages. The tiers being something like 1-10 pages. If you only needed 5 pages, it would fall under the 1-10 tier, and those prices are what you’ll be paying.
Functionality
Functionality expenses are a real thing. You need to make sure that your site functions properly for it to be successful and navigational. This aspect of web design houses a range of features, most of them putting a heavy focus on e-commerce capabilities. If your company plans to accept online orders or payments, then expect to pay these expenses in your design costs.
Even if what you are providing are services that are delivered outside of the internet, accepting online payments is a convenience that many shoppers look for. It is a unique selling point for your clients, so functionality plays a huge part in almost any website.
While the average costs for functionality are $2,000-$25,000, your costs for a small business will likely cost you towards the lower end of that scale. The reason being is because smaller sites don’t necessarily need a robust payment system. Those are more common on bigger sites, like Amazon.
Is DIY Web Design Less Expensive?
The question of building a website yourself vs. hiring an agency to help you is a big one. There is a big price difference. However, the work that must be done is a factor that should be considered. With DIY web designers, you will likely pay anywhere from $0 to $300. With a professional web designer, you are looking at a price tag of $2,000 to $10,000. If you go by price alone, the choice is obvious. But, like we said, there are other factors at play that you need to consider. Here are some of the downsides of DIY web designers:
- Website Will Be “Cookie-cutter” Basic
- All of the work has to be done by you, which can be time-consuming and problematic.
- You have to learn how to troubleshoot and maintain your website.
Basically, though you may only pay (Up to) $300 for your website to be built do-it-yourself style, you are also spending the time and hard work to get it up and running. That can take away from other important responsibilities that you need to attend to for your business.
It takes time to learn how to use the builder to do it yourself. Also, you will have to study up on crucial factors, such as basic design rules and SEO practices. These web design rules and SEO practices make it possible for people to discover your website and bring you the business you need. So, that really changes the question a bit. Instead of “is it less expensive,” it becomes “Do I have That Much Time?”
If the answer to the new question is no, then you’re are likely better off investing in a professional web designing service. With a web design agency, you will have a functional and beautiful site that not only attracts more leads but prompts more conversions. The investment really pays for itself over time.
6 Website Maintenance Costs That Are Recurring
There are more costs you have to calculate, primarily the website maintenance costs. They are expenses considered to be routine, and you can see these recurring charges more as investments than costs. The maintenance is truly the backbone of your website’s security and performance. The 6 Common Maintenance Costs for Websites are:
- SSL Certificate
- Domain
- E-commerce Functionality
- CMS
- Hosting
- General Website Maintenance
As you can see, the cost of building a website for your small business is based on several different factors and calculations. You can do it yourself for cheaper, but the time spent can be just as costly as the money spent to work with an agency. When it comes to website design costs, they are really just investments into the future of your business and your business’ online presence.
