How much does a website really cost? Why do web design prices vary so much?

How much does a website cost?  Whether you are an online business or a brick and mortar one, a website is an essential marketing tool in today’s digital world.

If you had contacted web design agencies in the past, you would know web design prices vary so much.  How does it really cost?

There’s no straight answer to this as it depends on what you are looking for. You must understand the components that affect the cost of a website. An understanding of these aspects will help you answer the question – how much does a website cost?

What determines the cost of a website?

Here are some of the aspects that determine the cost of web design:

• Number of pages required.
• The type of features you are looking for.
• The level of customization needed.
• Website copywriting.
• Interactive media.
• Professional photography.
• Custom imagery and graphics.
• Content management system.
• Ecommerce function.
• Database integration.
• SEO optimization.

Image Source: GoodFirms

Calculating web design cost

Your website is often the first touchpoint your customers will have with your brand. And your visitors will perceive your business based on the first impression they get within the first few seconds of landing on your site.

If your website fails to impress, your visitors will leave your site without engaging further.

So when you are looking to build your business website, don’t choose an agency based on price alone. You may receive a half-baked solution that does not deliver the results you seek.

For us at Magenta Web Design, a website is not just about spectacular design. It’s also about user experience, conversions, engaging content, SEO-optimization and several other things.

We’ve developed a pie-chart that guides us through every web design project.

To deliver a website that boosts traffic, engages visitors, converts them into paying customers and increases your revenue, we believe that we need to take care of all of the aspects listed in this pie-chart.

However, clients sometimes don’t have a budget. So we work with them to pick out a few pieces from the pie chart to build the features in phases.

So for example, Phase 1 may involve branding, web design and imagery, Phase 2 could be keyword research and SEO copywriting and Phase 3 could cover social media, web development and SEO consultation.

What’s the average cost of a website?

A decent web design agency or designer charges anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 for a 5-page website. If you are looking for a feature-rich website that is optimized for SEO and features 20+ pages, you can expect to pay anywhere between $5,000 to $6,000.

An ecommerce web design would cost you anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000 for a starter package and anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 and more for an extravagant one.

Image Source: G2

Things to consider when choosing a web design agency

• The most important thing is to come up with a road map and complete the project in phases. Your agency should display a complete understanding of the digital world and must build your site with the bigger picture in mind.
• You want to work with someone who is honest and completely transparent. Someone who can save money where possible and be honest about areas where you must spend to receive quality work.
• Hire an experienced web design agency with a proven track record. Inexperienced designers often agree to work at cheaper prices because they want the project. However, only after signing the contract do they realize there’s a lot more work than they anticipated. So they lose motivation, do not return calls and complete your project just to get by.
• The agency must have a documented approach to build a successful, effective and cost-effective website. Always ask for a work breakdown and you will see how experienced they are. If you see just 5 items in their cost break-up, you know you are working with newbies who don’t know what they are doing. Web design is a 50 to 60-step process, and you want to understand their strategy before you sign the dotted line.

At Magenta Web Design, we offer a line by line break-up on the number of hours each step would take. With some basic knowledge and common sense, you’d be able to make out a genuine quote from an inflated one.

For example, if the web designer says it would take 50 hours to build the homepage, we’d wonder if they are a newbie? In reality, it shouldn’t take more than 10 hours. On the other hand, if they quote 3 hours, it may mean that they are cutting corners one way or the other.

In conclusion

We hope this article answered some of your biggest questions about web design costs. Consider these aspects when commissioning your web design project. You don’t build a website every few months.

So be diligent and make an informed decision.

If you are looking for a stellar website that can bring in customers and boost your revenue, Magenta Web Design can help. Contact us today for a free 30-minute consultation.