It’s not uncommon for people to struggle with the idea of a custom-built website. It can be an overwhelming process that feels like it will take forever and cost more than you have available. If done correctly, investing in a customized website can be less expensive and more accessible than using templates or for those who don’t know how to code at all.
What are the initial costs of building a website?
1) Domain Name Registration
The initial cost of starting a website is domain name registration. Registering a domain will be between $10-$200 per year, depending on the domain name extension you choose.
The most common domain name extension is .com. Other extensions include .org, .net and .biz. There are many domain name extensions other than the four listed but .com is the most preferred by customers.
SEO keyword-rich domain extensions are suitable investments. They are less expensive than .com domain name extensions and can help you improve your site’s SEO.
Choosing the right domain name extension is very important. However, it is not all that you should consider creating a truly successful website. Domain names should also include SEO keywords (i.e., words related to your site’s promotion, e.g., digital cameras) for even more search engine optimization. Remember that optimizing your domain name is just one step in creating a successful site.
2) Web Hosting
The next significant cost associated with building a website is web hosting.
Web Hosting is a service that allows for websites to be shown online. Web hosting can vary in price depending on the traffic and storage space needed. Shared web hosting is when multiple websites share one server, while Virtual Private Server (VPS) and dedicated hosting provide more control and performance. The more traffic and storage space you require, the higher the cost of web hosting will likely be.
Web hosting usually will cost between $15 and $150 per month, depending on the amount of traffic and storage you require. The cost would be much lower for a low-traffic, non-data-intensive website than for a high-demand, data-intensive site.
While there are several types of web hosting to choose from, we’ll focus on the three most popular: shared hosting, virtual private server (VPS), and dedicated hosting.
Choosing the best web host depends on what type of hosting is required, and you should research to compare different web hosts.
Shared Web Hosting
Shared web hosting is when you share a server with numerous other websites. As you can imagine, this type of hosting comes at a much more affordable price. These servers are typically more overloaded compared to different server types, but the cost is significantly lower. Plus, there are usually fewer issues with shared web hosting due to increased traffic.
Virtual Private Server (VPS)
A Virtual Private Server provides an economical solution for companies that demand performance and security while having a presence on the Internet. Often described as a hybrid between a dedicated and a shared hosting environment, virtual private servers offer the flexibility of a dedicated server with ease of use and lower cost of shared hosting.
Dedicated Hosting
In terms of performance, security, and control, nothing beats a dedicated web host. With one machine allocated to your website, you have complete control over your server. Your hosting provider will do nothing but host your site. Having full control over the server is why dedicated web hosting costs much more than shared or virtual private servers. However, it also provides much better performance, security, and features.
Choosing a Web Hosting Provider
While several providers offer different types of hosting, many web designers and developers will recommend using a managed host.
A managed host specializes in providing hosting services to other companies that have a pre-established brand name. In other words, they want to offer their large clients the best service possible and keep them satisfied so as not to lose those clients.
So how can you choose the best web hosting provider for your site? Well, to begin, you need to determine what type of hosting you require. Once you have done that, do some research on which providers specialize in your preferred hosting style. There are several websites out there where one can compare different web hosts. But don’t just select the cheapest option! Take time to research your decision because your website will be up and running for quite some time.
3) A professional Website developer
You’ve heard it before: “You have to spend money to make money.” But what does that mean? It doesn’t just apply to the stock market. For many people, their first step to making money is investing in themselves. They start with a professional Website developer who can help them brand themselves and sell their products or services online. If you’re serious about generating income for yourself, then take this opportunity to invest in your success by hiring a Website designer today.
The cost of hiring a professional website developer can pay for itself many times over. An experienced website developer will typically charge between $3000 – $15,000. Still, they will be able to carry out your vision for a compelling business presence, regardless of how large or small you want it to be. In addition, when you are undertaking something new, it makes sense to have expert guidance to ensure success from the outset.
A professional website designer has extensive experience in creating functional, attractive, and easy to use. In addition, a professional Website designer uses current technology, is aware of security issues, and has experience producing sites for businesses in almost every industry.
Professional Web designers know how users interact with Websites daily. They can help you design a website that allows users to navigate through all of your products and services easily. They can also help you create a design that will appeal to prospective customers and display the personality of your company culture.
4) Content Creation
Content creation is the process of adding original content to your website, blog, or social media. Content can be either text-based or image-based but must contain unique information that adds value to your site. Content creation can be expensive. Hiring a copywriter will cost between $30 – $150 an hour. Or an a per article basis the typically charge between $30 – $100 per piece of content.
Content creation is not limited to blogging; you can also use infographics and even videos on YouTube! Content creation can take many forms, but the most important thing to remember is that it should always be unique and exciting.
If you already have a blog, consider adding new articles weekly or monthly about topics related to yours. If not, start by brainstorming what type of original content you want to create based on your website’s purpose.
- Examples of types of content:
- Infographics
- Text posts
- Visual posts (like images or videos)
- How-to posts
Using your content calendar, try to map out how much time you can dedicate to creating content. Although it may be difficult at first, try committing to creating content every day or week, depending on what type of content you are making.
Keep up with your commitment by planning your content calendar ahead of time at the beginning of every month or week. If you are creating text posts, keep track of how many sentences you write each day to ensure that you meet your quota and don’t go over it! Ask yourself questions such as:
- How long should my posts be?
- What type of formatting should I use for my text in posts? (bold, italics, etc.)
- How often do I want to post? (daily, weekly, or monthly)
- How long should my blog post title be?
- Once the article is published, what hashtags will I use to promote it?
- Will this article contain any images or videos? If so, where will I find/create them?
In Conclusion
Building a custom website can be expensive, but it may also last longer than other types of websites.
The costs of building and maintaining your website are typically higher because you’re paying for customization instead of using an off-the-shelf solution that could cost the same or less to operate.
However, suppose you need something unique or more complex than most web hosting companies offer. In that case, this is probably worth the investment to get what you want without any compromises.
