How Much Should it Cost to Build a Website?

Building a website is a pivotal step in establishing an online presence, but the associated costs can vary widely based on numerous factors. This guide aims to demystify the financial aspects of website creation.

Inexpensive Option

Go onto Youtube and type ‘how to create a website’ then follow the steps until you have a basic website. Of course this won’t look as good as a professionally designed one, but you can always decide to upgrade as your business grows.

In my opinion perhaps one of the best all in one website packages is Wix. You get an easy website builder, which also includes email marketing, allowing you to have 200 people in your contacts before you have to upgrade. You’ll also likely want to accept card payments on the site so you’ll have to get the basic option which will be roughly £12.50 per month.

Or you can use WordPress the most popular, most accessible and most versatile platform when it comes to website design. You will need a hosting package and to buy a domain name:

Fasthosts: £6 per month (or £8 per month for the plus)
One: £11.99 per month

Of course there are many other options out there, but I’ve had great experiences with these.

Then once you’ve decided upon a WordPress hosting package, you then need a website design built. Now you can go at this yourself, or you can pay an expert to this all for you.

Top Tip: Photographs are usually the thing that sells a service or a product. Consider paying a professional to get quality shots.

(a bad website design with good photos is better than a good website design with terrible pictures) Make sure to put ‘quality’ in your customers mind with quality photos.

Freelance Web Designers/Developers

Rates: £20-£100 per hour
Total Cost: £500-£5,000 for a basic site; £5,000-£20,000+ for complex sites
Features: Custom design, bespoke functionality, tailored SEO, professional look
Best for: Unique designs, custom features, e-commerce sites

Web Design Agencies

Rates: £50-£200 per hour
Total Cost: £3,000-£20,000+ for standard sites; £20,000-£100,000+ for large or highly customised sites
Features: Comprehensive services including strategy, design, development, and ongoing support
Best for: Large businesses, enterprises, websites requiring high levels of customisation and support

Web design agencies charge an extortionate amount for a bespoke website, and sometimes these agencies only know how to make a good looking site and they may not know how to actually create a website that will likely convert and generate you money. Many website builders also use custom CMS (Content Management Systems) and they’ll charge you everytime you want to adjust something on the site (which you’ll have to do as they’ll be the only ones who know how to adjust it) essentially, they will rip you off big time.

Choosing Freelance SEO Serivces

You may think using SEO professional to build your website is a strange choice? But SEO professionals know the ins and out of a website, and usually have to create a large amount of pages for a content creation strategy.

Not to mention that SEO professionals also spend their entire day researching, conducting keyword research where they come across a lot of websites. So they see a lot of websites, and they know what’s most effective for that industry.

I’ve created many websites on WordPress (such as the one you’re on now!) using an easy to use website theme builder like Elementor. As its easy to use, it ensures that everyone in the team knows how to use it! This means that if anyone in your Google Ads, Facebooks Ads, SEO, content writers and yourself wants to use it, they can do it instantly and it wont cost you lots of money.

There are many many website builders out there and here are some I’ve used:

Elementor (my favourite and possible the best)
WP Bakery
Divi
Oxygen
Gutenberg
Beaver Builder
Wix
Shopify
Squarespace
Bigcommerce

Getting a website built by SEO professionals also ensures that it will be optimised for search engines (you’d be surprised by how many ‘bespoke websites’ aren’t that user or search-engine friendly; after all, once you’ve got a good-looking website, you want people to use it, right!?).

A big portion of SEO is also content creation, meaning that if an SEO company builds your site, they will likely be able to do the job much more efficiently and effectively as they know it all inside out. They can also setup conversion tracking so your websites good to start

Choosing Freelance SEO Serivces

If you’d like to have a serious discussion about website design, please do get in touch! We can create a bespoke pricing plan that suits your websites needs, consider your target market, creating high converting landing pages that speak to them, and also integrate your brand into the entire website.

Please do consider booking a free consultation whilst your shopping around for the ‘right’ website designer (and please make sure you don’t get ripped off!) Then once the websites ready, we can ensure it has a successful launch with the right marketing methods!

Conclusion

In conclusion, the cost of building a website varies widely based on the scope, design, functionality, and ongoing management needs. It’s crucial for businesses to clearly define their website objectives, target audience, and desired functionalities early in the planning process to align with the most cost-effective building and maintenance approach.

Investing in a website is investing in the business’s digital future. It’s essential to consider not only the initial setup costs but also the ongoing expenses related to maintenance, content updates, SEO, and digital marketing to ensure the site remains current, secure, and competitive in the digital landscape.

Ultimately, the right investment in a website should balance cost with value, aiming for a solution that meets the business’s current needs while allowing for scalability and growth. By anticipating both the upfront and long-term costs of website ownership, businesses can plan a budget that supports a robust online presence, driving growth and ensuring a competitive edge in the digital marketplace.

FAQs

What is the Cost of Professional Website Development?

The cost of a website depends on the site’s complexity and design requirements. Generally, a basic website may start around £800.

What is the Expected Website Development Duration?

The time depends on the sites complexity, the amount of pages etc but generally it can be ready within one week!

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About us

At Freelance SEO Services, we specialise in providing tailored, results-driven SEO solutions. Based in the UK, our team of dedicated professionals understands the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the digital landscape. We are passionate about helping businesses of all sizes enhance their online visibility, attract more traffic, and drive growth.