In the digital era of this century, a personalized ‘website’ is the first step a business or brand takes to make an online presence. Who makes it? You can connect with a web designer and web developer for the same. But what about the cost now? Many questions might occur such as how much does it cost to build a website or how much would a designer or developer ask for? In this guide, we will learn today that the cost of a website design varies depending on some factors. Let’s have a look at those important aspects.
What Type of Website Do You Want?
First of all, the type of website you want defines the overall cost. Whether you want a site for personal blogging or your business, the price varies as per the requirements. Let’s look at some of the most common types of websites people prefer:
Personal Blog
A personal blog is one of the simplest types of websites. It has the basic features of a site such as home, about, blog, and contact. It involves basic themes and plugins to add content to the website.
Business Website
A business website is the higher version of a site for personal blogging. In brief, it has more features and pages as compared to a personal blog site. It means that along with home, about, blog, & contact options, it also requires options of services, products, testimonials, and a contact form. However, its cost can vary depending on the complexity and customization you want.
E-commerce Website
Now, if you want the website design for your e-commerce, it falls in the category of e-commerce website. It involves more advanced features to increase the site’s overall functionality. These may include product listings, shopping carts, payment gateways, security features, etc. Here, the cost of making the site will be higher than a personal or business website. But again, if you want a greater size and complexity of your online store, you will have to pay extra.
Portfolio Website
A portfolio website has come into use in recent years. Generally, artists, photographers, designers, and some professionals use these sites. Why? To showcase their work samples easily on an online space which anyone can access from anywhere. As these websites focus on showcasing the artworks of people, they need high-quality visuals and unique designs. Ultimately, their cost gets higher even than e-commerce websites.
Membership Website
Then comes one more type of website: a membership website. It requires many features like user accounts, subscription management, and content protection features. You can relate it to one of the most widely used, Prime Memberships. Yes, those are membership websites on which we stream most of the time. Again, depending on the level of professionalism and the number of members using an account, the cost varies accordingly.
After you decide which type of website you want, it’s time to focus on the ‘domain.’
Domain Name
In technical terms, the ‘domain name’ is the address of your website on the internet. Let’s understand it with a simple example of Digital Care Agency. It has kept its domain name as: ‘digitalcareagency.com.’ It means as you will open the website, this name will be displayed on the top bar. Also, keep one thing in mind: the domain name of your website is not just an address, it’s your online identity. It is the representative of your brand and impacts the visibility and accessibility of your website by the users. Hence, the domain name needs to be similar to the name of your brand or business. Otherwise, it can distract the users.
Factors to Keep in Mind While Choosing A Domain Name
Relevance and Keywords
Remember that your domain name needs to reflect the primary focus of your website. Whether you put the exact name of your brand/ business or give it the aim you have, make sure that it resonates with your goals. You can include relevant keywords to improve your website’s search engine ranking. Also, it will make it easier for the users to understand the actual goal or aim of your brand via the website.
Simplicity and Memorability
Keep it simple. Choose a domain name that is easy to spell, pronounce, and remember. Keep in mind that we need to make it easier for the users. Avoid complex words, hyphens, and numbers, that can confuse users and lead to errors the next time they try to reach out to your website.
Length
Generally, shorter names are preferred for domain names as they are very easy to remember and faster to type. Try to keep the name of the domain between 6-14 characters long.
Domain Extension
Also, the extension you choose for your website will affect the whole credibility and audience perception of your website. Some of the most commonly used domain extensions are .com, .net, .org, etc. Most websites use the .com extension because it’s the most widely recognized and trusted. Hence, it’s the preferred choice for most brands. However, you are free to choose any extension as per the industry you belong to.
Uniqueness and Brand Identity
Make sure that you don’t repeat anyone’s domain name. Keep it unique! It will help you make a distinct brand identity and avoid any potential legal issues. We suggest researching the domain name you choose to make sure that it is not trademarked already.
Future Growth & Flexibility
Go with a name for your domain that allows for future growth and expansion of your business. Avoid using such names that are too specific for a particular product if you have plans to diversify it in the future. Otherwise, you might have to pay extra then. If you choose a flexible domain name, you will stay on trend and will be able to accommodate any future changes in your business model.
How Does The Domain Name Affect The Website MakingCost?
Every brand prefers a secured domain name by registering it with a domain registrar. This is a very crucial step when you step down to make an online presence. It ensures that your chosen domain is exclusively yours and it’s protected from use by others. And, this is what for which you need to pay while making a website. Also, the extension you choose adds up to the overall cost. Each extension comes with its pricing. But as the .com extension is the most widely used (as it’s secured), it can also be more expensive due to very high demand. On the other hand, other extensions including .net or .org can cost you slightly less. Generally, the cost of domain registration is an annual fee. But prices can vary depending on the registrar and the popularity of your domain. You might enjoy some additional services from some specific registrars. These may include domain privacy protection and email hosting. Ultimately, it can add up more to the overall cost. But always keep in mind that if you invest in a secure and professional domain name, it’s going to help you make an unbeatable online presence.
Web Hosting
After the domain name comes the ‘web hosting.’ It’s where the files of your website are stored and made accessible to others on the internet. Yes, you need to pay for hosting as well. It depends on the type of hosting service you opt for. Let’s have a look at some of the common hosting services available to choose from:
Shared Hosting
If you want an economical option, you can go with shared hosting. It’s where multiple websites share the same server resources. As many websites are using the same server, its cost may be less.
VPS Hosting
VPS hosting stands for ‘Virtual Private Server Hosting.’ It’s like making your private server and offers more resources and better performance than shared hosting.
Dedicated Hosting
If you go with dedicated hosting, it will provide an entire server for your website. As a result, the performance will be the best but at a higher cost.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is a flexible approach. It scales resources depending on the needs of your website. Its price may vary depending on usage.
Website Design
Now comes the expense of web design. And, it is a very crucial component of the overall website-making cost. It also depends on the type of design you do with. Let’s say if you choose DIY (do it yourself) templates, it can cost you less. On the other hand, if you hire a professional web designer offering varied web design services, it will cost you more. It depends on the complexity of your design and the number of pages you need.
Website Development
After website design comes the web development part. It involves converting the design made by the designer into a functional website. Yes, it involves the coding part solely. And, the cost will depend on whether you use a website builder yourself or hire a developer. Website builders are a cost-effective option with varied options available such as Wix, WordPress, Square space, etc. They provide drag-and-drop interfaces and reduce the overall web developers’ cost. On the other hand, if you want a more professional website, hire a professional developer. But it will also come with a higher cost. If you require a simple website, it will cost you less (as the working hours will be less). While if you want a complex site, it can take more time and more cost.
Content Creation
After the development of the website comes the part of creating content. And, what kind of content would you want for your website? A high-quality one that’s very important to engage visitors and improve SEO. The costs of content creation include the following:
DIY Content
If you prefer writing your own content, it won’t cost anything but time. For DIY content, you can invest in good grammar and SEO tools like Grammarly or Yoast SEO. Although you can save a lot by doing it yourself, the subscriptions to these tools will charge you.
Professional Writers
If you don’t have time to do the content creation part yourself, you can hire professional and talented writers. Generally, they charge per word or project basis depending on the experience and expertise they hold.
SEO and Marketing
After all these steps, you need to invest in SEO & marketing as well. It will ensure to drive traffic to your website. The SEO and marketing costs include:
SEO Tools
If you use SEO tools like Semrush, Google Analytics, or others, their subscription cost will add up.
Professional SEO Services
If you hire an SEO expert or agency, it will work dedicatedly towards improving your website and providing conversions. However, the cost will depend on the scope of services and the competitiveness of your industry.
Online Advertising
Later on, if you decide to invest in the marketing of your website, it will also add up to the expenses. You can advertise online through Google Ads or social media ads. Their prices also vary depending on the budget you are dealing with and your goals.
Maintenance and Updates
After making the website, you cannot afford to just stay idle and let it work. No, it won’t work this way. Indeed, you will have to focus on ongoing maintenance and updates of the site as well. They are necessary to make sure that your website stays secure and runs smoothly. You can handle updates and maintenance by yourself as well. Its costs will be minimal but you will have to put up the factor or proper time. On the other hand, you can also consider hiring a professional for website maintenance. The expert will charge you depending on the level of service you require for your site.
Additional Features
Depending on the purpose of your website, you might also need additional features. These may include email marketing integration, advanced analytics, e-commerce features such as inventory management, or advanced payment options.
Conclusion
In brief, the cost to build your website depends completely and solely on your needs and preferences. But before directly delving to get a website, it’s important to understand the different components of the cost. Ultimately, you will be able to budget effectively and make informed and wise decisions for creating your website.
Are you on the lookout for a website for your brand or business? You can consider Digital Care Agency as your trustworthy partner to amaze the heights of success in the industry. We have a team of talented experts with 9 years of experience of serving our clients with web design services in Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Edmonton, Miami, San Diego, and Orange County. You can find cost-effective solutions by partnering with us, with our WordPress services ranging from $300-700 and Shopify services between $500-1000.
So, are you ready to take a leap with us and make your ‘brand’: an online icon?
