Curious to know what your small business website should cost? Building a website can sound like an expensive investment for any small business, but that doesn’t mean that should scare you off. If done properly, your website can bring in more revenue than if you don’t have one at all! But how much does it cost to build a website? And what are the factors to consider when determining the price of your project?
The average cost of building a new website for a small business is quite varied. You can of course build your website for free (and get what you pay for), however, a professional website build can often range between $2,000-$10,000 just for the initial build. This number can vary greatly depending on many different factors including:
- The complexity and features of the site
- The size of the company
- The amount of content required
- Whether or not the site needs e-commerce capabilities.
Furthermore, after your initial site is built, there are maintenance and upkeep costs to consider that recur monthly or yearly.
Here are some of the additional factors you should consider when budgeting for your website:
- Domain name and hosting
- Initial web design and development
- Content strategy, copywriting, and photography
- Web marketing services (SEO, SEM, social media)
- Third-party integrations (payment processing, CRM systems)
- E-Commerce functionality
Domain name and hosting
Domain name and hosting are the two main essentials that you need in order to have a website. A domain name is your website’s address on the internet, and you need hosting in order to store your website’s files.
Many companies will offer a free domain name when you set up your hosting with them, but it’s important to do your research to find the best deal. Be sure to compare prices and features, and ask around for recommendations.
Hosting can range from as little as $5/month to $100/month or more, depending on the size and complexity of your site. When choosing a host, be sure to consider things like bandwidth, storage space, and customer support.
Initial business web design and development
Once you have your domain and hosting sorted out, you will have three main options to actually build your website.
Build your business website yourself
Cost: Low – Free – $200 to get started
Time Investment: High
Learning Curve: High
Quality: Depends (on how much time you’ve invested in learning)
If you’re not entirely sure that hiring a professional is the right choice for your business, this option can be an inexpensive way to test out how well it goes.
You’ll need to decide whether you want to build the site yourself or use WordPress (or another content management system). If you choose WordPress or one of the other popular CMS. If you’re busy with other aspects of your business, you may find it easier to hire a web design company that already knows how to use the system. It can make your small business website cost less in the long run.
Buy a theme for your site and change the content
Cost: Medium $50 – $500 (themes and templates can still be costly and require custom development anyway)
Time Investment: Moderate (you will still need to learn how to use the tools anyway)
Learning Curve: Medium (this gives you a decent starting point but it is still brand new to learn)
Quality: Low-Medium
When it comes to buying themes, there are a lot of options out there. You can find free themes on sites like themeforest, paid themes, or even templates that require custom development. The cost of these themes can vary greatly, but on average you can expect to pay between $50-$200 for the theme itself. When starting with a theme, be sure to account for the time that you invest into learning the tools. If you have nobody in-house that is a developer, this is usually more of a headache than it’s worth.
Hire a professional to build your site for you
Cost: High $2000 – $10,000
Time Investment: Low (you’ll put in some work upfront to source the designer and teach them about your business needs)
Learning Curve: Minimal (we handle the headaches of coding and other technical aspects, you just provide us with your content)
Quality: Great! (they are professionals, after all)
This is our favourite option. Not only does it give you great peace of mind knowing that your site is in good hands, but it’s also the most cost-effective. You can expect to pay between $2000-$10,000 for this service depending on the complexity of your website and what type of functionality you need (e-commerce anyone?).
Content strategy, copywriting, and photography
When it comes to building a website, content is key. You need high-quality, original content if you want to rank well in search engines and keep visitors engaged. This can be a time-consuming and expensive process, depending on who you hire to help you. You will also need to decide whether you want to continue to produce monthly content once your site is published. This does impact your small business website cost, so consider the following carefully:
Content strategy
If you’re not familiar with the term, content strategy is the process of planning and creating content for a website. This includes things like developing a content calendar, creating style guidelines, and writing copy. A good content strategist will help you produce high-quality content that is both relevant and engaging for your visitors.
Copywriting
Copywriting is the process of writing persuasive and interesting text for a website. This can include everything from website content to blog posts, landing pages, email marketing campaigns and more. This is usually done by a content strategist or in-house copywriter (if you have one).
Photography
When it comes to website photography, there are a few things to consider. You can use stock photos (there are even free options like Pexels or Unsplash). If you need great premium animations and icons, you should check out Creattie. You might also want to use authentic images of your real business. Either way, the most important factor is the quality of the images. You’ll want to make sure that you’re hiring a photographer who knows how to capture the right shots for your website.
Another thing to keep in mind is the cost. Hiring a professional photographer can be expensive, but it’s worth it if you want high-quality images that represent your business in the best light.
Web marketing services (SEO, SEM, social media)
When it comes to web marketing services for small businesses, the cost can vary greatly depending on what type of services you need. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $500 and $5000 per month for marketing services. This includes things like SEO, SEM, and social media marketing.
If you’re not sure what services you need, it’s best to consult with a marketing agency. They will be able to assess your business and recommend the best course of action for getting more leads and traffic from the web.
Third-party integrations (payment processing, CRM systems)
When it comes to website integrations, the cost can vary greatly depending on what type of integrations you need. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $500 and $5000 per month for integrations. This includes things like payment processing and CRM systems.
If you’re not sure what integrations you need, it’s best to consult with a development company. They will be able to assess your business and recommend the best course of action for getting more leads and traffic from the web.
Small Business Website Payment Processing
When it comes to processing payments on your website, there are a few options to choose from. You can use a payment gateway like PayPal, or you can use a payment processor like Stripe.
Gateways are cheaper and easier to set up, but they have limited functionality. Processors are more expensive, but they offer more features and flexibility.
Another thing to consider is the cost of processing payments. Gateways typically charge a commission of around 2-3%, while processors charge a flat fee per transaction.
Which option is best for you depends on your business needs and budget. Again, it’s best to shop around a bit or consult with an expert before you pull the trigger on a new payment system.
CRM Systems For Your Business
CRM (customer relationship management) systems are a must-have for any business that wants to stay organized and connected with its customers. A good CRM system will keep track of customer data, communications, and transactions. It will also help you capture leads for your website and help automate some of the communications you will have between you and prospects.
The cost of CRM systems can vary greatly depending on the features you need. There are many free options or add-ons for most website builders to try. Basic systems like HubSpot start around $50 per month, while enterprise-level systems can cost thousands of dollars per month.
It’s important to choose a CRM system that fits your business needs. If you’re not sure what system is appropriate for you, get expert advice. They will be able to assist you in locating the solution that best meets your specific requirements.
E-Commerce Functionality
To complete purchases online, your company will need e-commerce capabilities. To run a successful e-commerce business, you’ll need secure payment systems. The cost of this functionality must be factored into the creation of an internet store by businesses.
Having e-commerce functionality can be a complex add-on, and is often a factor that can turn a $10,000 website into a $50,000 one, and greatly increase your small business website cost.
You should budget for the upfront expenses of putting this functionality into place as well as additional usage costs, such as a small, flat percentage fee per transaction. These expenses might be included in different packages with certain website development solutions. Bank merchant services, for example, can provide integrations for e-commerce and integrated physical point of sales (POS) systems.
Ongoing maintenance and support.
Once your website is built, you’ll need to budget for ongoing maintenance and support. This includes things like keeping your content up-to-date, fixing broken links, and ensuring that your website is compliant with ADA regulations.
For example, you should consider what should be done in case you’d like to:
- Add a new page to your site
- Change information (like business hours)
- Add/remove staff members from the site
- Change the products for sale
- Perform plugin updates and security checks
The cost of this maintenance can vary depending on the size and complexity of your website. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay around $50-100 per hour for ongoing support.
It’s important to have a plan in place for how you will handle website maintenance and support. This can include setting aside money each month to cover these costs, or finding a development company that offers maintenance plans.
Commonly Asked Questions About Small Business Website Costs
How much does a small business website cost?
The cost of creating and maintaining a website for a small business can vary greatly depending on the features and functionality you need. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay at least $10,000 for a basic website, and prices can go up to $50,000 or more for more complex sites. Some of the factors you should consider include:
Pro Tip: Getting your site up and running with Aland Cloud is much cheaper!
Can I build my own website?
Yes, you can build your own website, but you should consider “should I”. However, it’s important to factor in the cost of doing so, as well as the cost of ongoing maintenance and support.
Should I pay someone to build my website?
There is no easy answer when it comes to deciding whether or not to pay for a professional to build your small business website. On the one hand, it can be costly and time-consuming to do so yourself. On the other hand, many website development solutions offer all-inclusive packages that include design, functionality, and ongoing maintenance and support.
It’s important to consider your specific needs and budget when making this decision. If you’re not sure what’s best for your business, get expert advice.
How many hours does it take to make a website?
It depends on the website. A basic website with a few pages and no e-commerce functionality might take around 10 hours to make, while a more complex website with e-commerce capabilities could take 50 or more hours. You should also budget for ongoing maintenance and support, which can cost around $50-100 per hour.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is difficult to give a definitive answer on how much the cost of building a website for your small business. There are many factors that will determine this price point such as: what type of site you want (e-commerce or not), the complexity and size of your content, and whether you plan on hiring someone else to build it for you. The best way to get an accurate quote is by contacting a company like Aland Cloud who can provide more insight into our own rates.
If all of this sounds overwhelming and if you don’t have time then let us know! Our team would be happy to help assist in creating your dream website with our easy step by step process which includes everything from domain registration to hosting services
