If you’re looking to create a website for your small business, you’re probably wondering how much it’s going to set you back.
While we’d love to give you some simple figures and call it a day, website costs are more nuanced than this. Needs differ so much that it’s pretty much impossible to throw a one-size-fits-all website quote out there — but that doesn’t mean we don’t have answers for you.
Read on to get a better idea of what to expect when working out your website budget.
You’ll need to factor in basic annual costs
There are a few costs that come with any website. They are:
Domain name
You’ll usually buy a domain name (your website address) before you build your website. Prices can vary depending on the popularity of the address and domain (e.g. “.com” or “.com.au”), but you can expect to pay between $10 and $80. You’ll also need to renew your domain subscription annually — otherwise someone else might take your URL name!
Website hosting
Someone will need to host your website in order for it to stay online. This can cost between $5 and $30 a month, so this is a regular expense you’ll need to take into consideration. This’ll usually be taken care of by whoever builds your website. But if you’re unsure, it never hurts to ask.
SSL certificate (optional)
If you’ve always wondered what the green padlock is that sits next to a website’s URL, it’s basically the site’s security certificate. Any website storing financial details, usernames, and/or passwords on your website, will need security in place to prevent hackers from stealing this information. An SSL certificate offers you this protection. Expect to pay between $100 and $200 annually for your certificate.
It also depends on what your website is for
When you’re working out your marketing budget, a good first step is to understand what you want out of the end product. Understanding your website’s functionality, design needs and overall complexity can help you to develop a ballpark figure.
To give you a clearer idea, below are some basic website types and related costs for complete builds.
No-nonsense business website: $2000 – $6000
If you want to convert customers and create product or service awareness, you’ll often just require a clean, simple and informative website. These are the cheapest websites as you won’t need a lot of functionality to connect with people on a basic level. Along with the basic costs, you’ll be allocating money towards things like copywriting, design and building the website itself.
User-friendly e-commerce website: $4000 – $10,000
Selling products or services online requires more functionality than a simple small business website. Shopping setups require a lot of features to manage – and properly cope with – constant purchases and customer demand. You’ll also need to factor in secure payment gateways, a product/customer database and a shipping solution. You might also want to consider useful optional features such as follow-up emails when customers leave things in their shopping cart without checking out.
Custom feature-rich website: $7,000 – $15,000+
Other important costs you’ll need to consider
High-quality website copywriting: $349 – $950
Although it might seem simple, copywriting is an area you don’t want to skimp on. Copywriting isn’t just a few simple words on the page. It’s about tone of voice, brand intention and making a big impact within a small space to entice time-poor and selective customers.
It’s also about the mechanisms behind the writing. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a must in a competitive online landscape. If you want to be found online, you’ll need to ensure your content is optimised to help with visibility on search engines such as Google.
Approachable website design: $500 – $5000
Creating a visually pleasing and highly approachable design is important when you’re looking to appeal to customers and separate yourself from the competition. User experience (UX) and visual design can work hand-in-hand to guide users on their customer journey and make your business memorable. Costs here can vary hugely because of the varied needs of businesses but expect to pay several hundred dollars at a bare minimum.
Ready to create your website?
Thinking about the future is often just as important when it comes to website creation. Ongoing maintenance is also necessary to remedy issues that crop up and guarantee your site stays relevant. This costs money, of course, so maintenance should factor into your budget to keep your website up-to-date.
Looking to build the best website possible? We’ve got you covered. Get in touch with our team of Melbourne-based copywriters today to find out how we can help.