How much should my business website cost?

As you can imagine this is a question we get asked a lot. Unfortunately, it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ answer, as one style of website does not work for every industry or business. As with pricing up a new car or laptop, it all depends on the complexity and spec of the product. The specification will affect the amount of planning, design, development and testing time that is required for the new website.

Below we have outlined the process and what goes into creating a new site, highlighting the factors that can increase the cost.

Planning

The planning stage of a website build is a very crucial time. It is important because the client gets to lay out exactly what they expect from the project, both in terms of design and functionality. As the agency, we make clear what we expect from the project and client, in terms of acquiring assets, feedback and deadlines. The general rule of thumb for any project is the more organised we can be at this stage, the more cost and time-efficient the build will be in the end. We know things might need to change during a website build and we are agile in our process, but planning really is key.

Design

A website design could take anywhere from two days to two weeks, depending on the detail the designer needs to provide, so you can see why costs can vary. A two-day design job could be as simple as a homepage and content page layout for a £6,000 brochure site. A brochure website is like a digital version of a printed brochure, it gives your company a web presence and way for prospective business to get in touch. A two-week design job could be as extensive as multiple page layouts, specific design for different areas or bespoke design of an eCommerce area costing from £30,000.

Development

The functionality you require for your new website will also be reflected in the build time and cost of the project. A brochure site could take as little as two weeks to build, including a simple homepage design and contact form. Whereas a site with multiple page layouts, bespoke video placement, a secure user area and booking system could take up to two months in the build process.

Testing

Once a site is built it goes through testing, so the more functionality there was in the initial build, the more there will be to test, especially when it comes to booking, ordering and tracking functionality when integrating with 3rd party systems. We test across a number of browsers and devices to ensure every website looks great across platforms.

Hosting

At mso we have two hosting solutions. The first is ideal for simpler, smaller sites that are not expecting huge numbers of traffic. For sites like these being placed on a shared server, rates typically range between £250-£300 per year. Dedicated server hosting is offered to larger websites with greater traffic numbers that may have secure areas, so the hosting cost can increase. Included in our hosting costs are the server and system updates, but this is very important to check with your provider because these could be included at an additional cost.

Delivery & Maintenance

After the delivery of a new website, maintenance is often an afterthought. However, the maintenance of the site is just as important as the initial build. It is how you will update your website and keep it looking brand new. We offer maintenance hours at mso, so you can buy a block of hours and use them as you wish for design and functional changes. It’s important to know these costs exist prior to the website build so you can factor these in.

Forgotten expenses

During the creation of a new site, there can be tasks (and their costs) that may not have been factored into the initial build but are related or impact the website project. These often include Branding, Photography, Videography, Copywriting and SEO. If these projects are required and planned alongside the website build, not only will it be more time-efficient but you will also know the clear costs from the start.

So in answer to the initial question, ‘How much should my business website cost’ it really does depend on what the job entails, as a website can vary from £6,000 to £30,000+ in price. However, if you plan effectively this can keep costs and time down and you know what to expect in future to keep the site maintained. If you would like to discuss costs for your new website please get in touch and give us a call.