If you’ve ever shied away from getting your own website or giving your business an online presence, then you’re seriously missing out on a veritable pot of gold. More of your customers are making their biggest business decisions online. If your business doesn’t have a website, then potential customers are going to pass right by you and march forward to the shopping cart of your competition.

Sounds a bit scary, doesn’t it? But that’s the reality of not having a website. It’s like taking cash and throwing it down the toilet. But maybe that’s what you’re afraid of. Maybe you’re afraid of spending too much money on website design, or you think you need tens of thousands of dollars to have a website.

I’ve got some good news for you.

Website Design is Super Cheap!

Website design has never been more affordable. Think about it this way: there are tons of website designers competing for your business. Some are freelancers. Some work for major companies. All of them are willing to pull out the stops to get your business.

So it’s time to work this competition to your advantage!

But you don’t want to hire the cheapest one, because many website designers don’t include all the bells and whistles you need. If you want to get the best price on web design, you have to know what you’re looking for.

Here’s what you should do to get the best price on web design:

• Ask to see a portfolio. If the websites are of shoddy quality, you’ll want to immediately move on to another designer.
• Ask if the price includes domain registration and hosting, and if so, for how long. If they don’t, you’re looking at additional costs – not to mention time and energy spent trying to figure out domain hosting!
• Ask how many templates the website design includes. This will give you a better idea of how creative you can be with your website.
• Ask who owns the domain and website. Many website designers will officially own your domain and website, which is certainly not ideal.
• Ask if they provide any website maintenance. Website maintenance includes any bugs that may arise once your website is complete. Whether this includes pages that don’t work, forms that don’t submit properly, broken links, or simply misspelled words it is important to have these items corrected without additional costs. A good time-frame for maintenance is 6 months. This gives you plenty of time to determine any potential bugs your site may have that may have gone previously unnoticed.
• Ask if the price includes SEO services. If not, ask how much extra it will be. These components are essential to running a website, so you’ll want to have them.
• Ask what their competitor is charging for the same or similar website. When it comes to price, it depends on the type of website that you buy, the number of special features and functions you require, and the expertise of your website designer. For example, a basic HTML website with no flash or moving pictures, and with basic contact forms may range between $500 – $1500. While custom-designed content management websites like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal may range from $1500 – $4,500. A good way to find out if you are getting a good price for your site is to ask your company to give you what they think other companies are charging for the same or similar website. An honest website designer will not only show you what other companies are charging but how they provide a better value than their competitors. Whether in price, expertise, experience, customer service, or simply better designs.

Finally, be sure to ask what the website designer needs from you to get started. We have a website designer’s checklist, but find out exactly what your designer needs from you to begin the process.

No matter what website design company you choose, now is the time to get the best price on web design. If you would like to get information on getting a website for your business, call  1 (800) 631-4399.  For information on how we can help you with your website needs, or to find out about our website design services click here. We also provide comprehensive search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising services to help you grow your business online.