Americans generate 3,138,420 gigabytes of internet traffic per minute.
With that amount of online activity, it’s vital for small businesses to have an online presence — you could be missing out on an unprecedented amount of sales leads and new customers.
Have you taken stock of your business’s web potential lately? Maybe what’s holding you back is the question, “How much does a website cost?”
Have no fear! Keep reading to learn more about how to navigate the cost to build a website for your business and join the growing number of companies who’ve embraced hosting a website. Check out the best web hosting plans to build a successful website at a lower price.
Table of Contents
Purpose of the Website: Informational, E-commerce, or Both?
Are you planning to write a blog? Do you need to sell merchandise? Maybe you’re looking for a competition website design (a website that hosts raffles, lotteries, and giveaways).
An informational website, for example, will be much less expensive to build than an e-commerce shop because of all the extra layers you need for a digital storefront (credit card payments, a shopping cart feature, shipping services).
Here are a few key factors that affect the cost of building a website:
- The complexity of the design
- The functionality needed
- The amount of content
- Whether you need a custom domain and hosting plan
Types of Websites: Static or Dynamic?
There are two major types of websites that businesses can build, and each has a different cost associated with it.
Static websites are the most basic and cheapest to create, as they’re simply a series of pages that you upload to the internet one time and do not change.
Dynamic websites are more expensive to build but offer more features and you can update them more easily. They usually need a content management system (CMS) and a customer relationship manager (CMR) to function properly.
The target audience for a website also affects its cost. A website aimed at consumers will have a higher price tag than one aimed at businesses, for example.
Additionally, the more complex and customized a website becomes, the more expensive it will be to build and maintain.
The Cost to Build a Website: Ongoing Maintenance
The cost of building and maintaining small business websites can be daunting, especially for those that are just getting started.
Ongoing maintenance and updates are necessary to budget ahead of time, as they can add more than $500 – $1,000 per year to your bottom line.
The cost of maintaining a website includes:
- Web hosting fees
- Domain name renewal fees
- Software and security updates
- Content updates and revisions
- Marketing expenses
Choose the Right Building Blocks
Taking a look at the cost to build a website for your small business can be the first step toward reaching new customers and growing your business.
However, it’s important to make the right choice when selecting a web developer and to take the time to plan and finish your project successfully.
Ready to take the digital leap? Join the fold and invest in a website for your business today!
If you’re looking for more than just website building tips, be sure to check out the rest of our business blog for more guidance and ideas on growing your small business!
