How much does it cost to build a website?

Wondering why a website costs so much? I can help you determine what you need and how to choose the right web designer for you.

Want to build a website? Wait a sec… When was the last time you checked the cost of hiring a web designer?

The thought of checking out the cost of a website may drive you back under the covers of a nice comfy bed where you can languish in the luxury of rest and relaxation. It doesn’t have to be that way …

When you have a good grasp of what an effective website entails, investing in your website will be a much easier decision.

It’s important to understand what a web designer does and how they support your journey as a business. But first, you need to determine what your goals are for your business, your long term objectives and what your budget is. Once you’ve nailed that, you’re ready to invest in your website.

It’s also important to recognize that price and end-product should not be the differentiating factor. If you want to attract more of your dream clients then hiring a web designer who understands the impact of good branding, strategic engagement and supports your customer journey could be your edge.

Let’s dive into some of the factors that affect cost and some of the things you can do to ensure you are investing wisely. This post will leave you feeling empowered and ready to choose the right web designer so that you build a beautiful website that creates the results you are looking for.

How much does it cost to hire a web designer to build a website?

So you’ve decided that it’s time to invest in a website, but when you research the cost, the pricing range varies drastically. You think to yourself, how can there be that much of a discrepancy in price? What makes one web designer so much more expensive than another web designer? Can it really be that difficult? Isn’t it just a matter of dragging images and content around on a page until it looks pretty?

Not all websites are created equal!

Websites can range anywhere from less than $1,000 to way more than $10,000.

What factors affect the cost of a website?

Once you have determined the goals of your business, this will drive the features and functionality of your website. The complexity of your website will determine the cost of your website.

On the lower end of the spectrum, you can consider a basic brochure website that describes what you do and how you help along with a bit about you.

The higher end website starting at $5,000 and above delve deep into who you want to attract, the results you are looking for and amplifying your brand.

Simply put, it’s a numbers game.

When the budget is low, your web designer only has a limited number of hours to set up your framework, install plugins, determine the design and esthetic, optimize content and images, develop your website, test and launch. Additional customizations and strategies to optimize your results are extra.

When you have a higher budget, you can afford to consider who your ideal client is, their buying journey and how to optimize your website to get the outcome you are looking for.

If you want a website that is tailored to elevate your brand and attract dream clients, be prepared to invest more.

Maybe you’re happy just to get online. If so, then you can save money (Tip – you’ll want to ensure you are attracting the right clients to your business).

Below we’ll explore the four areas that impact how much your website will cost.

Custom Website Design

Designing a website is similar to designing your kitchen. You can choose from the box store selection where you will need to adjust your expectations to fit what they have and compromise on the outcome you were hoping for. Or you can bring in a custom cabinet maker to create your dream kitchen. Imagine a kitchen that makes you smile every time you walk into it – the esthetic is perfect, the flow is seamless and you can create gourmet meals with ease.

As you can imagine, creating this sensation takes time and skill. The same applies to a custom website.

Should you invest in a custom website?

If you’re anything like me, it’s rare that I like anything of the box. I always want to tweak it, make it more functional, make it more beautiful. You see, I love being surrounded by beauty but also believe in being practical and pragmatic so that I have ease in my life.

While it is possible to find a template that satisfies a portion of your needs, you need to ask yourself if that is enough.

Does it easily support adding the custom features you need?
Will it accommodate additional sections to build trust and authority?
Will it support additional elements to increase engagement on your website?
Can it be customized to amplify your brand authentically and in a way that sets you apart in the marketplace?
Does it support your marketing needs such as freebies and newsletter signups?
Does it give you ample design freedom to add visual elements to convey your brilliance and captivate your audience?
Is it extensible to expand as your business grows?

Tip

The real question here is do you want to compromise on your results or do you want to stand out from your competition?

If the answer is to create a design that sets you apart, then be prepared to invest more time and more money.

Or maybe you just need to create an online presence for now, then simply choose a designer who at least understands how to create a design that attracts the clients you want to work with and that will grow with your business (this means they need to understand your goals and vision for your future).

Website Branding

Imagine that you are the proud owner for a new website that you are confidently sharing with friends and new acquaintances. You can’t wait for those new clients to be reaching out to you through your beautiful new contact form. And in a moment, you are fraught with disappointment as you discover that you are attracting the wrong buyers.

This happened last year after I presented information on “Create a Brand you Love so you can Love the Clients you Work With”. As soon as they learned what branding fully entails, they realized they should have invested in branding. Their entire brand was targeted to the wrong client.

I hear from prospects all the time that they love their branding, they love their colours, fonts and visual design. Unfortunately, your business is not just about you and what you like, it’s about your clients.

According to Robin Risher Roffner, CEO of Big Fish Marketing, your brand is about forming a relationship with your customers. By replacing the word “brand” with “relationship”, it becomes easier to understand that your brand is certainly more that a graphic logo and the colors you’ve selected to represent your business. It’s about shaping the world’s perception of your business and emotionally connecting your ideal client with your service.

Your brand is about how the world perceives your business. You want a brand that feels very true to how you interact. When you understand how you draw people in, you will attract the “perfect fit” clients.

Should you invest in branding for your website?

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you want to attract dream clients to your business?
Do you want to attract prospects who can afford your services?
Do you want to create an authentic and elevated experience for your visitors to captivate and connect with them?
How do you want your visitors to feel when they visit your website?
How do YOU want to feel when working with your new clients?

When your website reflects who you are and resonates with your ideal client, it builds trust.

Your visitors will believe you can deliver the results you promise. They will get excited about working with out. And they can imagine how life will look after working with you.

Tip

By now you have a better idea of what’s important for your website. If you're comfortable and have the time to be corresponding with clients that are not ideal for now, then you may be able to delay this investment.

If you want attract your ideal client to your business, someone who can afford your services and someone you are excited to work with, you will need to invest in some level of branding.

Website Features

Although branding can have a big impact on the cost and success of your website, the complexity of your website can have a huge impact on the price of your website. The features implemented on your website should be driven by the goals of your website so you can prioritize needs over wants, and results over nice-to-haves.

Following is a list of features that can drive up the cost of your website:

Newsletter signup to build your list of leads.
Freebie/lead magnet to drive traffic to your website.
Blog with engagement strategies to build trust and authority.
Logo design that creates a memorable brand.
Integrated calendar so that clients can easily book you.
Additional pages that support your products and services such as testimonials, FAQs, portfolio, resources page, events pages, custom contact/intake questionnaires.
Custom sales pages that supports your customer journey in a way that empathizes, entices and compels visitors to buy.
E-Commerce shop to sell your products and services.
Membership sites that create trust and connection with your community.
Course website that creates passive income for your business.
Update social media platforms to elevate your brand.
Branded newsletters to connect with your followers.
etc.

Tip

Prioritize. Invest in what you need then decide on the nice-to-haves.

If you want more features, expect to pay more. But also expect that it will require more input from you and collaboration with your web designer. With this, you can create a compelling user experience that makes it easy to work with you.

If you are happy with a basic brochure site, then you can phase in the extra features in future projects. Be sure to let your web designer know of your vision for your future so your website can be designed to grow with your business.

Website Strategy

Researching the cost of your website can be a daunting task. With the wide range of pricing and trying to understand the benefits of your website investments, it’s enough to send you back to a brick and mortar only business.

Investing in a website is like building a home.

Would you hire someone to build you a home that didn’t have a plan? This is a huge investment in your business and you want to ensure that you have a solid foundation. You wouldn’t go out and purchase your windows and doors until you knew how many rooms you needed and the style of house you wanted. You wouldn’t pour the foundation until you explored what your needs and vision were for the house. Are you planning on having a family? Will you be entertaining a lot? How do you envision using your back yard?

The same applies to your website. When you have determined what you want your website to do for your business, then you can explore what is needed on your website, their priority and how best to execute it.

Consider asking these questions to determine whether the cost of strategic design is of value to you:

Do you want to attract your ideal client?
Do you want to keep your visitors engaged?
Do you want to build trust and authority?
Do you want to create a guided journey to the point or purchase?
Do you want to reach more people and transform more lives?
Do you want your website to evolve and grow with your business?

Building a website involves more than picking a template, adding content and images. You need a plan and a strategy so that your site is intentionally designed to create an effective marketing platform for your business, allowing you to reach more people and transform more lives.

Tip

First try to understand the outcome you want from your website, and why you want it, then finding the right web designer in your price range will become much easier.

You might think that cost is the most important aspect of pricing out your website. But if you aren’t getting the outcome you want from a cheap website, you may be wasting your money.

Remember, your intentions and vision will change as you go through your web design journey. They key is to have a phased path of progression so that your website can expand with your business.

If you do not plan on growth in the near future, you may be ok with a purely informational website and a lower price point. However, if you want to explore strategies that allow you to reach more people and transform more lives, expect to pay more for your website.

How much does a website cost at Simplicity and Design?

My pricing is based on my passion to help you succeed and transforming your business with an intentional approach to web design.

There’s more to web design than simple creativity.

My approach combines a natural love for beauty with a deeply intuitive understanding of your vision and mission for your business and the strategic expertise needed to make your site as functional as it is compelling.

If you would like a beautiful and effective website, with in-depth strategy and intentional design, my approach might be a good fit for you.

I help coaches, healers and creatives, just like you, create an intuitive vision for their business and their website and use it to explore possibilities. We begin with a journey of discovery to clarify your needs and goals. We explore using visual elements to convey your brilliance and captivate your audience, authentically and in a way that sets you apart from the market place. My work creates an effective marketing platform for your business, allowing you to reach more people and transform more lives.

Yes, I am on the higher end of the market, with my projects starting at $5,000, so I can provide you with the outcome you are looking for.

Take a look at my full approach and pricing here.

How much will your website cost?

Now you know what to look for and what will impact the cost of your website. You can understand why some designers charge a little and why some charge a lot.

What you decide is right for you will depend on the outcome you are looking for and your priorities.

Still have more questions before investing in your website?

I get it, hiring a web designer is a big investment and you may have more questions. These posts will help you get more clarity on your decision:

Ready to get started?

Hopefully you are ready to make a decision and get your website started. The first step of your journey is a conversation.

If you would like to learn more about a custom website, you can contact me for a free consultation. During our time together, we’ll explore your vision and what’s possible for your business and your website. Our work together starts with a custom proposal once we’re both excited to work together…

This call is simply where the magic begins!