So how much should I really be paying for a business website?
No point dancing around the issue – if you’re spending under five figures on having your website developed, then you’re getting an absolute bargain (and probably not in a good way). FIVE FIGURES! we hear you gasp. Yep. Depending on the web developer and the scope of your actual website, a beautifully designed, fully capable website should cost you between $10,000 and $20,000 in order to be effective.
But what exactly is an effective website and why are they so valuable?
Reason #1 – Effective websites abundantly promote your brand online
Because the internet is a global entity, the reach your brand and your website has is (almost) infinite, so it’s the perfect platform to advertise and gain new customers. Websites are also particularly useful sales tools because they’re (a) convenient, (b) provide instant results and (c) accessible 24/7.
Reason #2 – Effective websites allow your business to get noticed (easily!)
The proper application of both SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) techniques on your website (two things we’re great at) will not only drive more traffic, it will improve your website’s visibility in organic search engine results, including in its Google rankings.
Reason #3 – Effective websites build reputation and credibility
Great websites allow customers to learn about your brand and understand the services and products you provide. Using testimonials and online chat features can also establish trust, enhance your reputation and allow you to develop a direct form of communication with those you’re wanting to target the most – your customers!
Reason #4 – Effective websites generate more conversions
Websites are increasingly becoming the critical primary sales tool companies need to not only create more web traffic, but lead to more sales conversions (and therefore enhance your bottom line). Unlike physical bricks-and-mortar stores, websites provide round-the-clock access to your customers, meaning they can buy online and/or request services from you anytime they darn well feel like it! And that ultimately means more sales potential.
Forget the cost, it’s all about value.
Still not convinced?
OK, so we’ve given you four fairly valid reasons why great websites are so effective, and why the cost of a website is worth reconsidering. However, regardless of whether you spend $8,000 or $80,000 on creating one, it’s their value not their cost that really means something. And that can be a tricky thing to gauge.
So here’s a simple exercise that might be the penny-dropping moment that might change your view on things. Replace the word ‘website’ with ‘salesperson’, and imagine that this amazing salesperson has made a truly exceptional mark on your business over their 12 months with the company. In fact, they seem to be a one-in-a-million employee too because they’ve also:
- Cold-called millions of customers and directed them to your site.
- Fulfilled their customer’s needs, provided sound advice, showcased your product and then asked for the sale when appropriate.
- Talked to hundreds of customers every day, at the same time, and given each and every one of them their undivided attention.
- Known everything about your business from day dot and can pitch it perfectly every time.
- Been able to be anywhere in the world at any given time, including multiple places at once (without an expense claim in sight!).
- Proven their worth over and over, and the longer they work for you, the cheaper they get.
- Not eaten or slept, ever. Their sole purpose in life is to promote your business and talk to your customers.
- Worked 24/7 for the last 365 days.
- Committed to your business forever.
Now, that’s value.
Why Can’t I Build My Own Website?
Well, you most certainly can, and many people do. Online website builders like WIX and Squarespace have dramatically increased in popularity over the last few years, and they’re super-easy to use. Many allow you to simply pick a generic template, insert your content and drag and drop your own images. That’s all you need, right?
W.R.O.N.G. The low start-up cost of many of these cookie-cutter-website builders may seem like a benefit at first, however an effective website is so much more than just the shiny elements of a website design.
Great websites need to be functional, customisable, employ tailored SEO strategies, and they should consistently enhance a brand’s reputation. In a nutshell, there’s no point building and maintaining a cheap website if it’s not going to expand your customer base and increase your business’s income.
How Much Are You Prepared to Invest?
Let’s go back to our previous salesperson analogy. If you happen to choose the wrong employee, things can go very badly very quickly (we’ve all been there).
So start thinking about your business website like you would a new employee. What are the most important things you want that employee to achieve? And what would you expect to pay someone who achieved all of those things? Basically, your website can and should bring in the dollars if it’s built and managed correctly. And in order to add value to what you do, you need to invest in it, right? $20,000 now sounds pretty cheap I bet!
If you’re still not convinced, instead of asking yourself, “How much should a website cost?”, start asking yourself “How much is my business worth?”
Engaging a Professional Agency Gives You Access to Multiple Professionals!
Working with us here at Soak Creative, you’ll not just gain access to website designers, but content creators, SEO experts, e-commerce specialists, branding wizards, social media marketing strategists and more.
