How Much Does Web Design Cost? 

Today, the development of the internet is becoming more complex and gaining more potential. It has also become an extremely valuable way for business owners to reach a larger audience through web design. People spend most, if not all, of their time on the internet – whether it is using a service, watching a movie or TV show, or reading the news. There is no shortage of methods for businesses to take advantage of the possibilities the internet has to offer, and the best way to start on the right foot is by designing a website in your price range. 

But how much does web design cost and how do you choose which custom web designer to use? Custom web design can be expensive if you need a specific type of website, and adding features like apps, a customized domain name, or extra storage will add to the price. You can certainly get a website design for free with basic features, but to truly get the most out of your custom website design journey, you will want to put down some extra dollars to make it the best website it can be. 

In this article, we’ve listed the best custom website designers, the website design prices, and the basics of how to start your own website. Taking advantage of the online world and knowing how to manage it will allow you to soar to heights you have never known before in the business world. 

website designers

The Price of Website Design

There are a few factors to consider when looking at website design prices. 

First, you must decide whether you want to design the website entirely yourself or if you want to hire a website designer. Sites like Wix, WordPress, or Squarespace are all easy-to-use custom website designers so you can make your site exactly how you want it. They are free to start with and upgrades are available for advanced customization, security, and SEO tools at an additional cost. 

What type of business you have will greatly influence what features you include on your website and how much you end up paying. Let’s look at different types of websites and the costs that come with them.

Price by Website Design

Types of 

Websites

Website 

Builder

Web Hosting Advanced Features  Web Designer
Blog  Free  $23-$49/month  $15-$1,000
E-Commerce  Free  $34-$64/month  $25-$4,200
Event  Free  $23-$49/month  $15-$1,000
Portfolio  Free  $23-$49/month  $15-$1,000
Other  Free  Avg. $23/month  Avg. $300

 

Blog Websites

A blog website is one of the cheapest options out there as it does not need any advanced functions or features. While a standard blog won’t cost you anything, you will need to buy a customized domain name and unlimited storage to post all the photos and videos you want. 

E-Commerce Websites

Starting an online store is the best way to make money from the 2 billion people in the world. Expect a small monthly fee in order to incorporate features like connecting your own domain, accepting payments online, and really get the full assistance that custom website designers have to offer. If you want to hire a website designer, note that this can be on the pricier side because e-commerce websites have so many nooks and crannies that it can get complicated and take a lot of time. However, there are e-commerce website templates available that can make the workload lighter and easier. 

Event Websites

An event website is helpful if you are advertising your event, whether it be a wedding, a concert, or a webinar. Event websites are great because they are for a specific event, and once the event is over you won’t need the website anymore. This means less money you have to invest in the website design! Having your own website domain will cost you about $14/month. If you want to add a bookings feature so customers can buy tickets or schedule appointments, that will add another $17/month to your website design price. 

Portfolio Websites

A website that acts as an artwork portfolio is a great, convenient way to showcase your work as an artist. Portfolio websites mostly consist of photos and videos, so you will need to invest more money in a larger amount of storage. Wix, for example, charges $18/month for 10 GB of storage including an hour of video. 

website design prices

Additional Features to Consider in Your Website Design Price

Keep in mind any additional apps and advanced features will make the price go up. While you initially might want to disregard any more features, they are worth considering because they can aid in the growth of your business: 

SEO Tools

Search engine optimization is the process of adding keywords to your website in order to gain more online traffic when people search for that specific keyword through a search engine. Check out Wix SEO for more information on what SEO tools are out there for your convenience. Don’t skip on SEO — learning the best keywords to incorporate into your website will give it more exposure on the search engine result page when people search for that keyword. Use Google Adwords Keyword Planner for help choosing the right keywords. 

Analytics Tools 

Measuring your site’s performance is crucial so you know where to improve and what is going well. Analytics tools include functions like website traffic, bounce rate, clicks and page duration, and so much more. Knowing this information will help you make better business decisions. Wix, for example, has a built-in analytics dashboard that is free during your first year of use. There are many other programs to choose from, however, like Google Analytics. These can add to the price of your website design. Google Analytics is free, but for more advanced features you will need to purchase GA 360 for $150,000 a year. 

Additional Features and Apps

Incorporating apps into your website design allows for your creativity to flow and to add a sense of aesthetic while still enhancing the user experience. For example, forum apps allow you as a business owner to communicate with customers. Or, a coupon app allows you to make coupons and send them out to customers, thus creating brand loyalty. Most of these apps are free but some are not and you will need to decide which makes the most sense for your business. 

Also, if you want to hire a website designer to do all of the work so you don’t have to, that is going to cost a pretty penny. Check out this article for more info on finding a good website designer

how to start a website

How to Start a Website 

Deciding what kind of website you want is the easy part. The next step is actually creating the website, but never fear, it is actually very easy to get started. 

Choose a Domain Name

The first step in starting a website is naming it and claiming it online. Your domain name is your address and the first thing people are going to see when heading to your website. Users automatically perceive websites as more trustworthy and established if the domain name is registered. A domain name will also help search engines like Google or Yahoo decide what your website is about. This will ultimately bring in more traffic. 

Choosing the right domain name for your website is an important step. Short and sweet is a good rule of thumb here. The longer the name is, the higher chance it will be misspelled. The more complicated it is, the less likely people will even attempt to look it up, so avoid any numbers or special characters. You also want the domain name to maintain an air of professionality: it should include your own name or your business’s name. Finally, make sure the domain name is expressive of what you do by incorporating words that are related to your business. Once you have the perfect domain name, register it so it is yours forever. 

Choose a Hosting Plan

Once your domain name is registered, select a hosting plan that provides you the space to keep your website online and running. The kind of website you want will affect what hosting plan you pick. Once you have chosen your hosting plan, decide which content management system you would like to operate with. For example, WordPress or Wix, as previously mentioned, are great options with affordable hosting plans. This is an important factor in the price of your website design. The content you provide on your website is the most important part because that is what customers are going to be seeing and equating with your business. You want them to have an easy, breezy experience with your site, so picking a good content management system is essential. Make sure to include basic information about your business, as well as an attractive logo that will become the face of your website. 

How to Design a Website in Your Price Range

At this stage, you have your domain name registered and your website design platform chosen. Now, it is time to actually design your website. This is the fun part — you can decide what aesthetic and color scheme you are going for while playing around with the website designer’s features. You want your site to be eye-catching and user-friendly, otherwise, people may not stay on the site very long, which won’t be good for website traffic. Most people have not heard of responsive web design, but it is so important to enhance your customers’ experience when using your website and it is what will make them keep coming back for more. 

how to design a website

Map Out the Layout

The first step in designing your website is mapping out the layout. You want the layout to look cohesive and move smoothly as the customer scrolls. If you are designing the website from scratch, it may be a good idea to map out the layout first on paper. Or, you can use a website template, a pre-designed layout created by the website designer. This will limit the price of your website design. Wix, for example, offers hundreds of different options for website templates. Additionally, you want to decide whether to have a single-page layout or a multi-page layout. Multi-page layouts are the norm for e-commerce sites to organize everything neatly. A single-page layout is more common in portfolio and blog websites. Don’t be afraid to research website design tips – just make sure they are relevant to your website. 

Decide on Content

Now that you have the foundations of your website established, you can plan what content you want to put on your website. This will include photos, videos, text, logo, and more. 

Using your own content is crucial. It is your business, after all, and it will help create a brand voice and overall brand appearance. Remember, though, that quality over quantity is the way to go for content. Having a lot of content is great but not if it is subpar or irrelevant. You want to showcase your best content. It is also important to have your content fully branded. Your website is your online persona, so it should reflect who you are and your brand identity. 

With your content planned, you can now start laying it out according to your plan. Also, don’t forget about the SEO tools we mentioned earlier. Now is the time to buy and download them into your website design so it operates seamlessly. 

Publish It

When your website is looking how you want it to, you can finally publish it! Using a website designer is convenient because you can go back and edit or change anything you want to, whenever you want to. The process doesn’t have to be difficult when designing a website, it should be fun. The world really is your oyster when designing your own website — all the choices are up to you on how you want to present your business to everyone else. 

SEO Design Chicago as a Website Designer

When it comes to your website design needs, trust SEO Design Chicago. Our expert team of website designers is ready to customize your website to fit your price. Make your web design dreams a reality with SEO Design Chicago today!

FAQ: 

  • How much are website design prices?
  • What are different types of websites?
  • How do you start a website?
  • What features might your website need?
  • How do you design a website?

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