Cost of a New Website: General Considerations and Hidden Costs

We’ve had many clients and friends ask about the cost of a new website. Your website is a reflection of you and your business, so getting that part right is often a hugely crucial factor in making your business a success. But it’s hard to know how much you should spend in order to create a site that is appropriate for your business. Here are a few considerations you should think about when estimating a reasonable cost of a new website.

Questions for Determining the Cost of a New Website

• There isn’t really a dollar amount that we feel like is the “right” amount, but we are often surprised to find out that small business owners will spend thousands of dollars on a fancy new site–in most cases, that is too much! If your website is primarily for marketing and informational purposes–with a basic 5-page-or-so setup, focus on making it clear and easy to navigate–you don’t need the bells and whistles.
• Instead of focusing on how much it costs to get the new site up and running, people should worry more about the “cost” associated with maintaining their site. If you have your web guru a large fee to make even the smallest updates, the cost of a new website is suddenly much more than it looked like at first.
• Given that consideration, we strongly recommend having a site that you can update yourself.
• If you are looking for a website company to build your site, definitely look for a low cost of a new website, but also ask whether they offer low-cost monthly maintenance packages. Something like $30/month is reasonable to expect.

If you have any questions about setting up a website for the first time or building a new, better site for your business, we are always happy to talk. Contact Niki at [email protected] for a free consultation.