How much does a website cost?
Digital marketing is an unregulated industry where a website cost could be anywhere from $500 – $50,000+. And whilst we don’t recommend spending at either end of this spectrum, there are a variety of factors that influence how much you will pay for your next website.
The number of pages / additional features
Just like the number of rooms and features in a home affects the cost of a new build, the number of pages and extra functionality affects how much a website cost could be. It comes down to the project requiring more time to execute. Most websites start with 4 pages including text and image pages, and a contact form. Anything above the additional website cost will incur extra fees and depends on what your business needs. The right web team will recommend the pages and features your business needs to get the most from your website. The wrong team will simply build what you ask for; and since you’re not a website expert, is that really what you want?
The agency’s experience
When you’re engaging the services of an experienced web design team you’re not simply paying for their direct time to build your website. You’re also paying for the experience, lessons and learnings they’ve learnt along the way. Of course, the more experience your web team has, the better your website will be when it comes to not only design and functionality, but how smooth your project runs and the client experience overall. Ironically, the more experienced your team, the quicker your project will often be completed. At Birdcage, we have 7 years of experience as an agency and our web team have years stacked on top of that. It’s why our client’s websites are always a cut above the rest.
Can your website accept payments?
A service-based website where the end goal is a booked appointment requires far less work to create than an eCommerce site with 50 products, merchant facilities and a customer portal. Plus, eCommerce sites generally require increased security features, hosting power and maintenance. Overall eCommerce sites always cost more than most service-based websites since that’s the start and end of the purchasing process.
Is it Search Engine Optimised?
Did you know search engine optimisation (SEO) is technically a separate activity to the build of the core website itself? Many businesses assume SEO comes standard with a website build, but it’s a completely separate set of skills. Fortunately, for Birdcage clients, on-page SEO is included as a standard to ensure your business can start ranking on Google. But if you’re in a competitive market or you want to increase your online search presence you’ll require an ongoing SEO campaign focused on on-page optimisation and link building. It’s why we also support clients in ongoing SEO campaigns.
Is it designed to make you money?
What we mean by this is; is your site conversion rate optimised, i.e. is your website optimised to make more conversions? For service-based brands, the end goal is a lead (ideally a booked appointment), but for eCommerce brands, we want to make the final sale via the website. Using marketing psychology and User Experience Design, we conversion-rate optimise all our clients’ websites to maximise how much money their website can generate for their business.
Your website is your most important marketing tool
Since 2015, when Birdcage first launched, we have always said “your website is the heart of your digital marketing”. It’s where the conversion event should happen, and it’s where all roads should lead to.
If it’s been more than 12 months since your website has been updated – it’s already outdated. Not only has Google recently released a new algorithm update that affects any current search engine optimisation, but what we know about how customers use websites has also changed.
First, ensure your website is findable on Google. Then, you must ensure it has a clear user journey to take visitors from browsers to paying customers.
Birdcage creates show-stopping, money-making machines
If you’re ready to upgrade your online presence, book your cost-free discovery call today.
