Now that you’ve decided that your business needs a new website and you know what you want and need for it, you’re probably next starting to think about the price tag.
That’s perfectly fine to do.
Let’s do some back of the napkin math. Between the discovery, design, development, content, review and launch phases, I typically budget about 60 hours for a project as a baseline. And at $60 an hour, that means I typically quote clients for a $3,600 price tag.
Now, you might be taken aback by that number. Why should something that looks so simple looks cost so much?
Well, the answer is that a new website for your business is an investment, just like your car or your house. You’re going to need it to last a while for it to be worthwhile. And in order for it to last long, it needs to be built well. And for it to be built well, you need to hire the developers that are going to build it correctly the first time.
And those types of developers cost a good chunk of change. This is our livelihood and we devote our lives to these things. So of course we’re going to charge the typical market rate for one of these things. And just like a good car costs a pretty penny, so is a good, effective website.
So here’s what you’re paying for with a website, and why they cost as much as they do.
The time it takes
The main thing you’re paying for with a website is time. Websites take a lot of time to build. It’s a lot more complex than just throwing something up on the screen.
There’s the time it takes to learn about your business and what you want so the developer can build a website that works the best for you. Then there’s the time it takes to actually design the website and get approval from the client. Then there’s the actual development of the website, wrangling or creating the content, getting the client to sign off on it and then taking it live.
Yeah, it’s a lot of time. And time is money.
Plus on the development side, a large website can take a pretty long to code. When I’m building a website, I’m trying to build a website that can be supported by another developer, that is able to be accessed by all visitors and that’s good for your SEO. There are a lot of hidden things that take time but really help your website down the road.
But you’re also paying for something that’s going to save you time. You’re not having to do all of this. Instead of having to sit down for four hours a day to build a website yourself, you might just have to spend one hour a day just looking over things and making sure things are running smoothly.
That frees up your time to grow your business. And that time that’s been freed up could actually pay for the website itself.
Experience
Also, you’re paying for the experience of web design or developer that’s building the website for you.
How much do you really know about web design and development? Furthermore, how confident are you in your ability to design and develop a website that’s going to help your business.
Really sit back and think about those things. You probably don’t feel as confident as you did when you started the video.
And that’s okay. Not everyone is an expert in everything. Obviously, I’m not an expert in rocket science. Don’t feel bad if you don’t know web design or development. Just know that it’s definitely better to bring in someone who does know what they’re doing to build your website.
We web designers and developers are the experts. And while yes, you might be paying us more per hour, we’re going to get the job done quicker and better than you probably could have. It’s our job to, at least. And that will likely save you money in the long run.
Working website
Finally, you’re paying for a working website. It’s a simple concept, but it’s the truth. If you’re paying someone $50 on upwork, you might end up with a working website or you might not.
But if you’re paying someone a worthwhile rate, you dramatically increase the odds of getting a quality, working website because you’re getting a quality developer who wants to deliver a working website to you. They have a reputation on the line. That thing will be working or as close to working as possible when you get it.
And I’m not just talking about it working for a month or a year or two. If you’re paying good money for a developer, that thing is going to last you a long time.
There will likely still be some kinks here and there. Actually, check that. There will be some kinks here and there when you launch it. But your developer will be able to help smooth those over. And over time, that will save you time, headaches and money. Future you will thank you.
So if you’re worried about how much a website is going to cost you, I hope this video has put you a little bit at ease. Yes, the sticker shock can be jarring, but by paying market rates, you’re going to save yourself time, headaches and, yes, even money in the long run. It’s an investment in the future of your business.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in comments below or reach out on social media. You can also learn more about creating a website for your business over on my website. I have a bevy of resources and blog posts that can help you make informed decisions during this entire process.
When you’re ready to move on to the next step, I’ll see you in the next video.
Leave a Reply