Yikes! The cost was more than I expected.
How can I save money and still get a professionally looking website?
There are a number of options we can discuss to help lower your cost or stay within a budget that’s lower than the estimated cost in the calculator. Let’s take a look at a few of the options:
- Be willing to use a more simple design or live with the design incorporated into a purchased template. That would reduce the amount of time spent on design.
- DIY website content. In this option, you would be responsible for creating the website pages yourself, including copy writing and procuring any images (stock or otherwise) to be used on your pages. Beim Consulting would be responsible for the design, development, and implementation of your website’s look and functionality. You would be responsible for the page content (also product content if you have a store).
- Reduce the number of website add-ons for your site. For example, maybe you can forgo that live chat feature for now and add it at a later date when your budget allows.
- Consider using a website builder instead of WordPress (used in the above estimate). Having your website built by an agency using a Website Builder is a less expensive option, because you typically are only paying for the design of your website. Most functionality is already built in and will not require a lot of developer intervention.NOTE: Features and functionality are built into website builders’ monthly pricing plans. In some cases, you will need to upgrade to a more expensive plan to access more complex features. Keep in mind that some functionality requirements may depend on third party tools that can also contribute to your monthly fees.
What’s the difference between WordPress and a Website Builder?
We’re not going to go into great detail here, as there are many differences. But the most important ones to you are:
WordPress is a content management system (CMS)— not a website builder. CMS’s are extremely flexible but are bit more complex to set up and use. Website builders are less flexible but easier to use.
With WordPress, you can build a simple blog or even a full-featured website. The types of websites you can build with WordPress are virtually unlimited. With a nearly endless amount of themes and plugins available you can customize your site and add any feature you wish. You’ll have more control over the final result of your site and the long-term direction of it.
Most website builders are equipped with beautiful and functional themes that allow you to input your own content and images and end up with a site that looks like it was designed by a professional. The amount of features or the types of modifications are more limited and are typically limited to the theme you choose. You cannot take a feature from one theme and add it to another to get what you want. You may also have to purchase a more expensive monthly plan in order to get the features you want.
Because WordPress is simply the CMS that builds your website, it is separate from your hosting and domain registration service. So if you find your web host is not living up to your expectations (support is bad or costs keep going up), you have the ability to move your site to a new host without having to rebuild your site. Unfortunately you can never export and move your website with a website builder. If you want to leave you have to rebuild your website from scratch because your hosting and website are tied together.
Examples of website builders include: PageClound, Wix, Weebly, and SquareSpace.
