Cost-Effective Website Options
Looking for a website that won't break your advertising budget for the next three years? Read on for ideas that can reduce the cost of building and maintaining your home on the world wide web.
Template-Based Web Design
The best way to cut down on web development costs is to use a template. "Create your own website" templates can be found all over the place, so the idea itself is not new. If you've seen them, you already know that the price can be surprisingly cheap. The catch is that — no matter how user-friendly the instructions may be — individuals who haven't at least "dabbled" in web design may find the process overwhelming.
My suggestion is that you hire someone who knows how to use these web templates to your best advantage.
eSheep Enterprises has a few "stock" website designs that can be modified to accommodate your needs. If you're open to this concept of re-use, you can save quite a bit on design costs.
Here's an example of a site with very simple needs that makes use of a stock design:
Put your own image and company name in the top banner, update the contact information, change the colour scheme, and this will be a different website.
Draft Your Own Content
No one knows your business as well as someone at your business, so the best person to kickstart the content development for your website is someone internal. Engaging editing services to polish up a pre-existing draft will cost less than contracting outright for full copy writing services.
Need inspiration? Take advantage of what already exists. You probably have flyers and other advertising copy that can be reused. Customer testimonials are always good. If you have one or the other, go through your corporate profile or business plan to see what you can borrow from it.
Another money-saving tip regarding content is to use original photographs instead of custom graphics. You don't have to be a professional photographer to produce simple images that capture the essence of what your company does.
No Frills Hosting
How do you save money after your website is up and running? The internet is quickly filling up with hosting companies offering a full complement of services for around $2 (USD) a month. I can't vouch for how long these companies will stay in business given such low-ball pricing, but I do know of one "no frills", low cost provider that has proven its worth to me personally.
This particular host has restrictions attached to its rock bottom rates. The main limitation is that your site cannot be a traffic hog — they provide only limited bandwidth at their lowest price level. In most cases, this isn't a concern. The majority of informational websites run by local companies catering to local customers do not attract the level of traffic that would cause bandwidth problems.
If you don't have fancy requirements for your site, this low cost web host will provide excellent support along with fast, reliable service.
Don't really know what I'm talking about? Visit my web primer for newbies page for a simple introduction to websites and hosting.
eSheep's Small Business Website Special #1
If you're prepared to do all of the above (i.e., go with a pre-existing design template and provide your own photographs and text content for editing — I have a tool that will help you build the first draft) to create a simple site that won't consume excessive bandwidth, here's a deal worth considering:
A four-page website — complete with domain registration (e.g., setup of yourcompany.com), custom email addresses, web hosting, and quarterly updates for one year — for $1,750.
With the help of a tightly controlled process, I'll deliver elegant simplicity in a website that describes who you are and what you do. Get in touch with me if you want to discuss specifics.
In the meantime, check out some sample websites here.
eSheep's Small Business Website Special #2
If you really can't afford to put up a website right now, but you still want to be "findable" via the internet, here's another deal worth considering:
A "home page website" (just one page, at yourcompany.com) — complete with domain registration, custom email addresses, and web hosting for the first year — for $299.
Your page will likely just consist of your company name with associated image, logo or tagline, basic product/service listing, and contact information.
This is highly recommended for any business that's not ready for a full-fledged web presence, for several reasons:
- Overall, it's a cheap form of advertising.
- More importantly, you grab your desired "dot com" identity while it's still available.
- Your single page will be picked up by search engines, ensuring that you can be found by online customers.
- When you're ready to go ahead with an actual site, the supporting infrastructure is already in place.
- Your company's professional image is immediately enhanced by having custom email addresses such as jane@yourcompany.com printed on business cards and stationery.
A home page like this can be maintained for you for just $99 per year, with free updates if any of your contact information changes.
Regardless of who you hire to build your home on the web, from a basic business point of view, you need to understand some important considerations before you start. Read on for some web-building tips.
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