{"id":14156,"date":"2021-08-25T19:47:20","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T23:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.multiversemediagroup.com\/?p=14156"},"modified":"2023-01-03T18:31:30","modified_gmt":"2023-01-03T23:31:30","slug":"web-design-pricing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.multiversemediagroup.com\/website-tips\/web-design-pricing\/","title":{"rendered":"Realistic Web Design Pricing in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/span>How Much is Website Design?<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Website design prices<\/strong> fall into two categories: template and custom website design.<\/p>\n

For high-quality website design, <\/strong>expect a cost between $5000-$10,000.<\/strong> This is the cost of design work but does not include the coding of the website. Website design cost has a lot to do with the number of unique pages and how elaborate the design work is. A skilled designer can charge almost any rate and find plenty of work.<\/strong> Design is arguably the single biggest consideration and expense of a custom website build. <\/p>\n

Template designs are potentially free but could cost up to a few hundred dollars. These are often great designs, and the price is lower because they sell the design to as many buyers as possible, so the cost is shared. <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/span>Website Costs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s look at the differences between discount website prices and professional website design costs so you and educate yourself and be better prepared when discussing your next website project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Discount Website Design Prices<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All discount website providers are promising amazing results, perfect website design, SEO optimization, mobile responsiveness, and pretty much anything and everything they think you \u2013 who is presumably looking into fair and <\/strong>affordable web design<\/strong><\/a> pricing \u2013 would like to hear and have in your new website project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These companies promise free or cheap websites yet manage to have millions of dollars for advertising and promotion. So if it\u2019s free, where does that money come from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discount sites are packed full of upsells, cross-sells, and advertisements. Combined with systematic implementation, outsourced labor, DIY site builders, AI, and a few magic tricks, they earn a pretty penny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what seemed cheap upfront is actually expensive since it costs you more than initially presented, and it isn\u2019t going to perform like a real professional website, so it costs conversions and sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, these discount website providers are putting all their energy into lowering the bar so far that they\u2019re at break-even for the masses and then “make bank” on the upsells when the free or cheap solution fails to provide the level of quality and service the customer anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>A selfish act…<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A great strategy for the discount website company, we tip our hats to the hustle, but in the end, it\u2019s a selfish act and doesn\u2019t benefit the customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discount web design companies typically start with a theme, rush through some content, or make the customer provide it, drop in stock media and whatever images or videos you have kicking around, slap on a contact form, and send it out the door with some pretty good margins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach is often outsourced and requires very little coding or design skill. The discount website providers are selling cheap template sites or handing off a DIY website builder for customers to do the work. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DIY website builders are like someone handing you acrylic paints so you can save money on artwork. Then charging you to clean up the mess every single month.<\/p>DIY and Waas Website costS<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s fine for your kids\u2019 room or private home, but if you need to show your stuff to the world wide web, it\u2019s probably better to get an artist involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Even more Issues with discount website pricing<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The issues become more apparent when site speed and optimization are a factor. Still, the themes are full of code bloat, and no consideration was given to the user experience, conversions, or performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Code-bloat is when a site is designed to do more than it\u2019s needed, so it fits more customers’ needs. It\u2019s the multi-tool of website design. It also happens when coders repurpose a single theme, modify it to be a \u201cnew\u201d theme, and don\u2019t take out the little bits and pieces from previous work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, that means slower sites and poorer results. It means a bad user experience and a limited shelf-life for the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security can be compromised on discount sites, too, because they often use old code or free plugins which are not supported or are outdated and buggy. They want to make margins on your account, so that\u2019s the priority. If the site goes down, it\u2019s an upsell opportunity, and if you look at the legal stuff, they\u2019re covered if anything bad happens to you or your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Content optimization on discount websites<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Content isn\u2019t strategically placed, and it is doubtful that the images have much meaning or impact on or for the brand. Is the “Call to Action” as basic as the broken chatbot in the corner, which isn\u2019t connecting to anyone? It\u2019s not a VIP experience for your customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, it looks legit in many cases, but these sites often feel lifeless, dare we say soulless.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you write content, you need to think about the audience, their experience, and their pain. When you design a website, it\u2019s the same thing. What do they want to do? What do they expect, and how can you break the mold and get them to see your offer in a new way? It\u2019s about waking up the user and giving them a valuable resource and experience that solves problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Get what you pay for, sometimes.<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, what you pay for your website really has a lot to do with what you\u2019re willing to invest in your clients’ and customers’ experience with your brand. It\u2019s about being considerate of all the factors, not just the website price but the COST it has to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there a place for Discount websites? YES! But it\u2019s not a good solution for business websites if you are trying to generate leads and give the best user experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE: For some, there are no issues with discount sites of this type\u2026 if you don\u2019t need to generate leads or sales online, you don\u2019t need an asset. Maybe the sites load eventually and show contact information and can host blogs, family photos, or whatever you like, and that\u2019s all you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By all means, work the system if you can. But it\u2019s like working with a CC company for points. Some succeed, while many fail. The deck is stacked on discount websites, so be warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Professional Custom Website Design Prices<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For companies like ours who focus on strategy, branding, data-driven results, user experience, professional copywriting, conversion-centric design, and actually creating an asset for our clients, web design pricing isn\u2019t a simple quote or a low monthly fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Website design costs vary significantly based on what the digital asset must do. Ecommerce, Multisites, Multilocation, and Advanced Features can be added later.<\/p>PROfessional website development is like owning propoerty.
add an addition or new feature as it is needed. you own it.
you can take it with you or even sell it.<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Professional Website Design Prices based on Features<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you need e-commerce, a custom user dashboard, or a learning management system. Perhaps you have multiple locations and want an interactive map or a multisite that can give them a location-specific experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some websites need heat maps and conversion tracking. Some websites need advanced form fields with conditional logic. Still, other websites require pop-up forms and videos. Maybe a chat area or integrated reviews and markup. What your site needs depends on what is expected in your industry and what you can do to raise the bar and stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Website features cost more money.<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now, it doesn\u2019t mean that all features need to be hand-coded by the greatest full-stack developers we have here in the USA (sorry Marc and Steven \u2013 we love our Full Stack Devs), but it\u2019s not always needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress is an amazing solution because many advanced features can be added via plugins, and through other people’s trial and error, you can get access to some great stuff for a lot less than the cost of custom coding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But each time you add something, your site gets bigger. It can become too much. It must be controlled, and you need to weigh your options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes a plugin will be killer, and you can go on your way, just paying for the implementation of the plugin. Other times it might make sense to do something custom after looking at the problem you\u2019re trying to solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thing about professional website design fees is that, normally, this includes time for defining the systems and tech needed to support your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>How content affects website design prices<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AI can do the writing. There is software for that, which has existed for a while but has recently become widely known. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro Tip: Ignore the hype and get a real writer who understands your industry. <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That, combined with your brand strategist and competitive research, will give you insight into what to write about, how those words will impact online visibility, and how that can change your chances of being found, appreciated, and successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>It\u2019s not about saving money \u2013 it\u2019s about investing wisely at the right time for your business.<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Writing isn\u2019t the only type of content on your website either. Think about pictures and how they can impact the experience. What about videos and sharing your core story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When people type in Website Design Pricing, they often have a picture of a site in mind they want to create or recreate \u2013 but how much of that site experience is code, and how much of that site experience is content? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about it… Are the images and copy and videos and graphics all custom? The price goes up if so, but often so do the experience and the perceived value of the company or brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need to consider content, and it\u2019s much better to work with an agency BEFORE the website is built if you don\u2019t have your content game in order. Especially if you care about SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So do you have your website content plan in good working order? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you ready to start writing and creating content for your new website (which, in turn, will save you money on your website build)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find the answer to this question, we ask you this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have a brand guide that defines your voice? Have you done detailed competitor research?<\/p>

Have you created a customer avatar<\/a>?
Have you done any brand discovery<\/a>?<\/p>(Links to free resources – a bonus for staying on the page this long)<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>If you haven\u2019t, and if that\u2019s all news, work with a small agency like ours or get busy.<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t build a strategic digital asset without a strategy, and you can\u2019t make a professional website at any cost without knowing who you are building for and why. Yes, you know your product but a professional website design company can go a mile up, look at the big picture, and map out a course of action that will create the biggest impact for your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you\u2019re actually paying for with professional website design<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brand Strategy<\/strong>: Understanding your business as it relates to your customers, competitors, and the market. Defining your plan of attack.<\/em><\/p>

Architecture<\/strong>: Tech stack, UX\/UI, story, structure, and content all need to be mapped out.<\/p>

Design<\/strong>: Turning wireframes and chicken scratch into artwork showcasing and applying the above into a great experience.<\/p>

Coding: Development of everything into something that functions and is presentable online.<\/p>

Optimization<\/strong>: Adding content and copy and meta and schema etc, to the site to get it functional<\/p>

Launch and Support<\/strong>: Your site can\u2019t perform well on a discount hosting account. You need good servers, CDNs, security, backups, and consistent updates and improvements on code, plugins, and content to keep your site alive and healthy.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These things cost money. How much really depends on what you need. What you need is based on your competitors and your market. How you approach that challenge without going broke is based on your strategy.<\/strong> Just think about it.
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<\/span>When to Avoid Cheap Ass WaaS Websites (at any price)<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some cheap-ass website companies offer DIY builders at break-even rates so they can upsell you everything under the sun (looking at you Wix, Weebly, CheapAssWeb [.site], Web[.com] et al.) while doing little to no work on your account. There\u2019s a time and place for this, but here\u2019s a final note on when you should avoid what some call the \u201ccheap ass websites\u201d you can find from time to time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n