How Much Does it Cost to Design a Website?

How Much Does It Cost To Design And Build A Website In 2023?

The cost of a website varies depending on complexity and customisation; these are approximate costs for websites in 2023:

• The costs of basic brochure websites range from $1,000 to $10,000,
• The price of a complex website with advanced features can range from $10,000 to $50,000.
• E-commerce websites tend to be the most expensive options, ranging from $10,000 to over $100,000.

There are 3 main areas of costs when creating a business website:

1. The cost of the design

2. The cost of the build

3. The cost of maintenance

The cost of a website comes down to these 4 main factors:

Complexity:

The more complex the site, the higher the cost. A site with advanced features and functionality, such as e-commerce, custom integrations, and database management, will typically cost more than a simple brochure site.

Customisation:

The cost of a website may be higher if customisation is done. For example, websites requiring unique design, custom graphics, or advanced programming will be more expensive than pre-design templates.

Content:

The amount and type of content that needs to be created for the website can also affect the cost. For example, the cost may be higher if the website requires a large amount of high-quality content creation, such as product descriptions, blog posts, and videos.

Maintenance and Support:

Consider the long-term requirements when assessing the overall cost of a website, including ongoing maintenance and support. Factors to consider are how complex the website is to maintain and any annual cost you must budget for.  

What are other factors that influence the cost of designing a website?

Building a website can be complex, and associated costs may differ, varying with the type of website and respective features. This blog section outlines the factors that affect the cost of website design itself.

Before you approach a designer to help design your business website, it is essential to have a clear idea of the purpose and features you need before contacting the design agency as these considerations may affect the cost.

Several factors determine how much it will cost to design a website:

1. Type: Cost depends on whether you want a brochure, e-commerce site or integrated CMS site.
2. Size: If you're looking at a site with many pages, you will need more design time to get it right.
3. Features & Functionality: the more complexity in a site require more experience and development time later on to ensure it works smoothly
4. Design & user interface: if you want a unique design and user interface, it will require more time to design and effort to develop.

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Should you hire a web design agency, a freelance designer or do it yourself?

An effective online presence is essential for businesses, organisations, and individuals wanting to grow their businesses. Your business website can be a key platform to promote your products and services and drive business. Hence it's important to get it right to get optimal results from the beginning.

We have aided numerous businesses in reconfiguring or redesigning their websites after the initial design failed to support their business goals.

What is the Cost of Building a Website By Yourself?

Using a pre-built theme may be the cheapest option. You can find free themes or an average price of $50 upwards for templates with the additional cost of hosting, security, domain etc. However, you need to factor in the time it takes to make the website fit for purpose. A basic business website can take around 10 hours to complete after writing the copy, compressing the images and setting up the security and hosting. Our customers tend to be busy people whose time is better spent trying to work out how to make their website template mobile-friendly.

If you decide to take this route, it is beneficial to seek expert assistance to ensure that your setup is correct and the content and structure are optimised for optimal performance before you wonder why no leads are coming into your system.

What is the Cost of a Freelance Web Designer?

If you choose a freelance web designer as a cost-effective measure, however, you must ensure you know their limitations. For example, finding a designer who is also great at writing copy that converts readers is difficult. They may only be designers unable to take their design into development, so you need to factor in an extra cost and time to write the copy and build the site.

Hiring a professional web designer or web developer, depending on their experience, is around $25 to $100 per hour. You can find them using platforms like Upwork. However, without the guarantees that web agencies can put in place for quality and delivery, they can be a risky investment.

Why choose a Web Design Agency to build your website?

That is why people often employ a design agency with a wide range of design services. By choosing a design agency that are professional web designers as well as a full-service design and marketing agency, you have a one-stop shop to produce a business website fit for purpose.

They understand how to make a good website design, create a great user experience, optimise lead generation opportunities, and create content that resonates with your audience.

For a more detailed description of what choice is right for your business read our article on what web design agencies do.

How much does it cost to build a website in New Zealand?

Website packages vary in cost and quality depending on the experience of the web design agency and your business requirements. And it's important to understand this investment not as a cost but as an investment in the growth of your business.

The ultimate goal of your website should be to yield tangible results for your business, such as sales, leads, inquiries, physical visits, phone calls, and so on.

Viewed through this lens, your website transforms from a mere expense to a profitable investment.

And that is critical to choosing the right agency and making the most informed decision about your investment.

Investing in a new business website for a small business can cost $3500+GST and above, based on the size and features required.

Do Good Things is a Full Service digital marketing and web design agency that specialise in the full spectrum of digital services from Web design & Webflow development to SEO & PPC advertising. 

Get in touch with us today for a FREE marketing plan for your business.

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What are the standard features that a new website build will have?

Choosing the right professional website agency will also mean hiring a well-rounded team of experts in website design, graphic design, website development, digital marketing, and other essential skills. These skills are necessary to create a tailored website to meet your business needs.

When you choose a professional website designer, you should expect the following standard features for the estimated cost:

• Customised website design to suit your unique needs (no templates)
• Search Engine optimised site structure
• A Content Management System, preferably Webflow developer
• Features such as contact forms, slideshows, and social media links
• Responsive web design to ensure your website functions seamlessly on mobile devices
• Optimised coding for faster website loading speeds

What add-ons can increase the cost of a website build?

Aside from the basic website components, additional features may be necessary, which can raise the overall cost of your website. Below are some examples:

• Extra pages
• Conversion rate optimisation
• Animations
• Blog configuration
• Integrations

Paying for the website build

Working with an agency that staggers its payment based on deliverables or milestones is normal. Most website design companies will divide the cost into three separate instalments. These usually include:

1. A deposit of around 50 percent of the total cost will be requested before work begins.
2. Generally, the second payment is due halfway through the development work and amounts to 25% of the total cost.
3. The remaining 25% of the cost is usually due upon website completion.

Digital marketing agencies all charge in a similar way - on a project and retainer basis. Digital marketing strategies can help the website drive more users and leads using things like PPC campaigns or Managed SEO Service.

What are the ongoing cost factors you need to consider?

Talking to potential design partners and understanding the platform best for your website helps facilitate initial design and development decisions. The features you require will aid your decision when considering which platform to use for constructing your website.

With our years of experience working with many platforms, we recommend Shopify for e-commerce and Webflow for brochure and CMS Sites. This is based on cost and quality factors as well as the ease of maintenance for our customers.

Cost factors in choosing the right web platform.

1. Website Platform & content management system costs: The annual costs of running a website can vary widely depending on many factors, including the size and complexity of the site. Some CMS platforms like Webflow or Shopify charge monthly fees for their services. This fee can range from $10 to $50 per month, depending on the platform and the features you need.
2. Integrations or plugins: If your platform needs additional plugins to perform specific functions on your site, this can be a hidden cost you might not factor in. The cost of plugins range from $0 to $100+ a year. It is essential to understand what features each platform has and whether they are suitable for you, and the cost of additional plugins before you choose your platform, as prices can spiral if you are relying on paying multiple subscriptions. Platforms like Webflow have many features already built in.
3. Hosting costs: The cost of website hosting platforms can range from a few dollars a month for shared hosting to hundreds or thousands per month for dedicated or cloud hosting. The average cost for hosting a website on a shared server is around $50-$100 per year.
4. Ongoing cost for maintenance: Depending on the complexity of your site, you may need to hire a developer to perform maintenance or updates. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars annually.
5. Development costs (so you know how much you will be charged if you want to make changes) Ask them a question like "what is the average cost to add a new page to the site" Developer costs can be from $25-$100 depending their experience and the complexity of the development.
6. Domain costs: Typically, you'll need to pay an annual fee to register your website's domain name registration, which can range from $10 to $50 per year.
7. Security: If you have an online store or collect sensitive information from users, you may need to pay for an SSL certificate to encrypt data. An SSL certificate can cost from $50 to $500 per year.

How to find a good web design agency that is good value for money.

Choosing a good web design agency that offers good value for money can be daunting. With so many options available, figuring out where to start can take time. In this blog post, we'll explore some tips for finding a web design agency that fits your needs and budget.

1. Research and compare different agencies: It is recommended to research prospective web design agencies before selecting. Look into companies that have the expertise and a track record in your field. Check their website, portfolio, and customer reviews. Once you've shortlisted a few agencies, compare their services, prices, and packages to find the best value for your money.

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2. Look for agencies that offer a wide range of services: Web design is just one aspect of creating a successful website. Look for agencies that provide a range of services, such as website development, Search engine optimisation and digital marketing.This way, you can work with a single agency that can handle all your website needs, saving you time and money in the long run.

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3. Check their communication and customer service: Effective communication is essential when working with a web design agency. Ensure they have a good track record of promptly responding to emails and calls. Also, look for an agency that values customer service and provides ongoing support to ensure your website runs smoothly.

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4. Look for a creative and collaborative agency: Web design is a collaborative process. A good agency will work closely with you to understand your goals and vision for your website. Look for an agency that encourages creativity and is open to your ideas and feedback. A good agency will also provide design mockups and prototypes to ensure you're happy with the final product.

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5. Ask for references and case studies. Before making a final decision, ask the agency for references from previous clients and case studies that showcase their work. This will give you an idea of their experience and expertise in creating websites that meet their clients' needs.

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How much will a website design cost in NZ?

The design cost of a website in New Zealand is generally in the middle mark of investment. This is because NZ has a higher-than-average minimum wage and cost of living, which is reflected in the hourly rates.

You can expect to pay for:

• A sales landing page cost from $450 - $1000
• The costs of basic brochure websites range from $1,000 to $10,000,
• The price of a complex website with advanced features can range from $10,000 to $50,000.
• E-commerce websites are the most expensive options, ranging from $10,000 to over $100,000.

The benefits of working with local designers are that you get a more cohesive design for your target market. This is because they are fluent in NZ culture, trends and what now drives local consumers. New Zealand web designers understand the unique needs of businesses in New Zealand and can design websites tailored to your target audience. This can help you to reach your customers more effectively and achieve better results.

Do Good Things can help you grow more business online. 

Good Web Design is worth the investment. You are setting your business up for success with a well-constructed, fast and effective site. 

Don't just take our word for it, have a look at our partners' results here

And if you are ready for a chat, see how we can help you get in touch today.