How much should a website cost you?

Price v Value

A website cost shouldn’t be judged solely by the number of pages. As with anything, it is important to understand what you are buying when you’re building a new website. This is the only way to confidently assess value.

Choosing a web designer by the quoted figure alone can actually cost you a great deal more in the long run. Sadly, it’s common in our industry for people to hop from one designer to another. Each time, hoping they’ve found the one who can just get it right this time. We hear this all the time. Chances are you’ve been in that boat yourself.

Yes, you absolutely need to be comfortable with that bottom-line figure. However, if you simply compare quotes between web designers and choose the best price, you can short change yourself in the value department.

We’ve written this article to try and demystify why this happens. And hopefully, help you to make a successful choice for your next website design project.

1. Portfolio

Take a critical look at a web designer’s work. Does their design ability resonate with you? Do you back their design ability to do a good job with your brand, product or service?

Website design does matter. It can be the difference between a sale or a bounce. The primary function of a good web design should answer one question: Can this business meet my needs? If a visitor has to work too hard to get that answer, they’ll quickly move on to the next website.

There is science behind the craft. Heading design, imagery, navigation and load speed all play a role. Page layout can make or break the message delivery. Good web design is not always about being the fanciest. It’s about communicating information effectively and without distraction.

2. Technology

Always ask, What platform will a designer use to build my new website? I know, I know, “Who cares?”, right?! You should absolutely care. The wrong choice can leave you disappointed in the long run. Would you buy a car without doing a little homework? You don’t need to know how a car works but is the price the only consideration?

There are many options out there for building your website. You don’t need to know them all. We’re just suggesting you know what you’re buying when a web designer puts a quote in front of you. It’s in your best interests.

There are a handful of free systems out there, where you yourself, or your IT guy, or some web designers will think they can pick a cool-looking template and all the hard work is done. You know the ones, you may have seen them advertising on Youtube.

Trust us when we say that there is more to building a successful website than choosing a template. Have you considered how it will rank? Do you know how to optimise a website? Does your IT guy? (Shh… some web designers don’t know the basics!). There are even some free systems out there that are near-impossible to have ranked well in New Zealand. Our advice: steer clear of these options and anyone advocating for them.

Our web design platform of choice is WordPress. It’s the number one CMS in the world for good reason. The fact that it is so well supported around the globe has opened up a world of possibilities for the platform. There’s virtually nothing that can’t be achieved with WordPress. A WordPress website can rank well out of the box, and with an expert eye, SEO rankings can really zing. Finally, if you build a WordPress site and want to move to another developer, later on, you’re free to do so. That’s not always the case. (How can you tell? If the web designer offers you their own CMS, then you’re stuck with them).

3. Content

Do you want to build your own website? Or have you got better things to do? Some designers will do the groundwork for you, hand over the keys and say, “You can take it from here, right, mate?”

Or would you prefer your web designer to actually build your website, start to finish?

Our quotes are for a full web design service. We’ll take your words and images and shape them into a finished website design. To supplement what you provide, we can draw icons, design infographics and forage for stock photography and videos.

Blank canvas? Our talented team can provide you with photography, video production and copywriting. It’s all in-house at Hart Design. From staff mugshots to drone footage, we have you covered.

It’s like buying that car. Do you want to save a few bucks by buying the tyres, engine servicing, filling the fuel tank and grooming the vehicle? Or do you expect to drive away with everything done for you by the car dealer?

Summary

If you’re feeling swayed by a cheaper price, take 20 mins to consider each web design quote with these three elements in mind: Design flair, website platform and content. Then reassess which web designer is offering you the best value for money.

Since you’ve read this far, we’ll throw in a final thought: check out a web designer’s reviews on Google. Look for the most recent comments. If you’re feeling torn between designers, other’s experiences can help give you confidence in your final choice.