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A business website is a direct reflection of the stature of the company it represents. It’s purpose is to promote revenue generation. The look, feel, and function of the site should center on that objective. Naturally, you want to get the most for the least – ‘You get what you pay for’ as the old adage goes. With that, clients usually start with the question “How much does a website cost?”

The factual answer to that question is “It depends”. Building a website is like building a house. The number of bedrooms, baths, stories, square feet, style, and quality will drive the answer. In addition, there’s are ongoing costs such as taxes, insurance, and maintenance/repairs. Business websites are no different. Ongoing website costs include domain name renewals, content changes, advertising, hosting, and technical support. Sites that maintain currency and viability evolve with the business – those that don’t age in place and arguably cost more.

So now that you know the basics, let’s double-click to learn more. Designers and developers charge rates by the hour or by the project. In either case, a solid plan is needed from which they are to work. The more comprehensive the plan (scope), the more accurate the price. Problems come into play with something called scope creep. That’s when you (the customer) begins to add bells, whistles, and changes not included in the original plan. So at this point, you should know what the cost drivers are.

Bandwidth simply allows more traffic to travel quickly and efficiently on your site. An interstate can move more cars than a gravel road. Adding features like video or audio streaming will require autobahn-like bandwidth
Disk Space is generally associated with the size of your site. The more photos and files, the more disc space is required. This adds to the bandwidth requirement – which adds to the initial and ongoing cost
Like the ones mentioned above, special effects like flash animation will also add to the bandwidth requirement. In addition, viewers computers and internet connections need to be able to perform at the speeds required of high-bandwidth websites
One of the bigger costs is for e-commerce. Special security and processing software is needed to effect an on-line sales transaction

In summary, be prepared to pay for a domain name(s) (which must be periodically renewed for a fee), design (look, feel, function), development (actual production costs for bells/whistles), hosting (keeping your site up and operational for the many visitors), maintenance (technical support), and enhancements (changes to content and advertising material). So back to the “How much does it cost” question…

It really boils down to rates and the amount of time it will take to actualize the plan. The provider can quote a rate per hour (and they vary greatly), but you (the customer) have no way of knowing just how long it should take to do the actual work. Your objective should be to see the kind of work the provider has done for others and decide if that’s a fit for you. If you have a well-documented scope document, you can request proposals from several providers to obtain a range. Generally, you should throw out the lowest and highest and go with one in the middle. However, developing a firm scope document is like nailing Jell-O to the wall. In real life, good designers will suggest better ways during initial discussions – which will impact scope. So in the end, you will decide what’s best for you by simply going through the process and going with your instincts.

Things that you should look for in a provider include:

Reasonable rates
A collaborative approach
A structured development methodology
A viable portfolio of currently-operational sites
A sound reputation of delivering on time and within the established budget

In summary, your website should have a target market. It should make it easy for customers to find information they need in order to do business with your company. Good websites are simple yet sophisticated. They give customers information and, in turn, they should give you information that you use to continuously refine and optimize your business. Remember, a website is working for you while you sleep.

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