 How
Much Does a Web Site Cost?
You need three things for a functioning web site: a domain
name (the address where you web site can be found), a
hosting company to house your site, and the web pages
themselves.
The domain name will cost you about $35/year. It used to be
that there was only one place to obtain a domain name:
Network Solutions. Now there are competing registrars;
some are cheaper than Network Solutions, but may not be
as reputable or easy to work with. We can handle domain
name registration for you, or if you’d like to do it
yourself, we can advise you.
Web site hosting is not terribly
expensive, but it’s a cost that recurs monthly. The
industry average is about $25/month, but there is a lot
of variation depending on what options are offered. It
doesn’t help you to get a cheaper hosting price if,
for example, you need an email newsletter and they
don’t offer list servers.
Your largest initial outlay will be for the design and
construction of the actual web pages. This is also where
the greatest variation is found and depends on two
things.
First, you need to determine exactly what you’d like your
web site to accomplish for your business - all web sites
are not the same. Do you want a simple “brochure”
type of web site that presents information to your
viewers? Or do you have something with more
functionality in mind? Do you want, for example,
customer feedback forms? On-line credit card
verification? A database connected to the site? A
shopping cart? The list of possible options is very long
and each involves programming code that takes time to
develop and test.
Second, you need to decide what you’re willing to pay to
have the site look professional and attractive.
Eye-catching graphics, good page design and text that is
well written and arranged so that it is easy to read
will go a long way towards holding your viewers’
attention and creating the impression that you are a
serious, competent enterprise.
You can get a fairly professional looking site that costs
nothing to very little by using a hosting company that
will design your page for free if you agree to host with
them for some period of time. If you’d like to go this
route, look at a selection of sites the company has put
together. They’ll often have a “template” look to
them, with standard backgrounds, buttons and graphics,
which you may or may not like. Also read the fine print
on your contract. Do you have full control over what
appears on your pages or is the hosting company at
liberty to place their own advertising on them?
If you want a unique site that will more fully express the
personality and image of your business, you’ll need to
work with a professional who will develop a site based
on your needs. You can expect a quality web site
custom-designed for your business to run from one to
several thousand dollars, depending on the size of the
site and the functionality involved. A quality site that
involves e-commerce with databases for inventory and
on-line transactions will start around five thousand and
often go much higher depending on size and requirements.
For more information or to set up a
free initial consultation, contact:
David Krumholz
609-799-7715 ext. 310
dkrumholz@strandmanagement.com or Meg
Rosner
609-799-7715 ext. 302
mrosner@strandmanagement.com
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