How Much Does a Website Cost?

Many business owners and executives understand they need a website, but they often do not understand all of the other components of an inbound marketing strategy. So, they do a search on Google for something like “web design Greenville SC“, find us and reach out if they think we might be a good option. Nearly 30% of the leads we get through organic search come from prospects thinking they just need a website.

Most business people are savvy enough today to know that they must have a website. They talk to other business owners and executives, surf the internet and know they need help. They just don’t know exactly why they need it or what they should get from it. As a result, the most common question we get from these prospects is “How much do you charge for a website?“.

The problem with this question is that it only focuses on the one-time project cost for web design, and the answer is going to depend on the value they expect to receive from the site. A website is a tool. It does a job. What job do you need your website to do? How much is a new customer worth to you? If the Lifetime Value of a Customer is $50,000, you should really be asking yourself “how many new customers can I get from my website?” — but, that’s a topic for another day.

Today, I want to focus on this one question since nearly everyone asks it.

How Much Does a Website Cost?

So, a prospect finds us online and we have a conversation. Within a few minutes, it usually leads into “What do you charge for a website?”. Of course, you know the standard answer — “it depends”.  A common misconception is that a website is a commodity. You go to the website store, find one you like, plug it in and you’re done. Sure, you can get a DIY website for only $12.95 per month. The problem is it’s like putting up a roadside sign in the desert. You got a great deal on the sign since you made it yourself, but no one knows it even exists.

I regularly have prospects tell me they have quotes for a web design project that range from $2,500 – $50,000. “How can that be?” they ask. The answer is really quite simple. Professional web design that is part of an overall digital marketing strategy requires a complex level of planning. The freelancers and small shops quoting low-end prices are focused solely on cranking out new sites, not on lead generation and conversions, and certainly not on long-term partnerships that truly grow your business. On the other end, you have large agencies that simply don’t do small project work, and if they do, they expect you to pay their premium.

We no longer build one-off websites for new clients. It’s simply not worth it and I feel it’s a bad proposition for companies in the long run. Instead, we’re focused on developing Inbound Marketing strategies that drive leads and sales. The website is one component of that strategy, albeit a very important one. Think of it this way: your website should be your best salesperson — it works 24/7!

So, how much are you willing to pay a really good salesperson who works 24/7? 

How Much A Website Costs

I’m not going to end this post without giving you some point of reference. I have no problem telling prospects where the cost for our web design projects start. It either gets us to NO real fast (which is a good thing), or it allows us to move on to more pressing questions. Our one-time project cost for a typical B2B website starts at around $7,500. It can certainly go well above that, but that’s the starting point. The cost includes:

• Detailed project planning
• Extensive research
• A marketing strategy
• Custom web design
• Professional copywriting
• and more.

What your business needs is a really nice site that sells and supports all of your different inbound marketing components. To find out how Waypost can partner with you to help you accomplish your business goals, give us a call at (864) 288-6162 or contact us online. Not ready to talk yet but still want to learn more? Download our FREE e-book, “25 Website Must-Haves For Driving Traffic, Leads, & Sales.”