It’s not uncommon for me to receive calls or emails asking “Hi, how much will it cost for you to make me a web site?” Unfortunately, this is not something that is easy to answer without more information. No offense to those who ask, but asking that question is about the same as asking a contractor “Hi. How much does it cost to build a house?”
Think about the scope of your site
There are a number of variables when it comes to designing and building a web site. What’s the scope of the site? Five or 10 pages with simple graphics and no e-commerce? Or 30 pages, numerous product photos, a complex shopping cart…? Obviously, these two web site designs are going to have significantly different prices. So a little forethought and planning is necessary to figure out the scope of your web project.
But you want “quick and easy!”
Of course, you’ll also see a lot flashy ads out there that promise “quick and easy” web sites for little money: ”Have your own beautiful web site for only $75 a year. It’s as easy as 1-2-3! Just push a few buttons and you’re online!!”
If your needs are very, very basic and you just want to “get something online” and not worry about all the other stuff, then the quick template approach may work well for you. Just keep in mind, however, that these types of sites often turn out to be a waste. They may technically be a “web site”, by the mere fact that they show online, but that doesn’t mean they will bring you business or represent your company in the way you want.
- Is the site coded in such a way that the search engines can scan and categorize it? Very often that’s not the case.
- Is the layout customizable so you can make it look like you want, perhaps matching your existing print material? Or are you limited to “put your logo here, put your text here”? (very likely the latter).
- Do you have the patience and comfort level with computers to use one of these “quick and easy” systems? We all know, of course, that “quick and easy” (coupled with lots of exclamation points!) often means just the opposite.
So, long story short, when you see statements on the web sites of professional web designers saying something like “Each client and their needs are unique. Your final price is determined by the scope…blah blah blah”, the web designer is not trying to scam you. We genuinely do need more detailed information about your web site needs before being able to give you a price.