Your website acts as your shop window to the world.

There are 400 million active websites with 380 new sites going live every minute. Over half of the earth's population now has access to the Internet.

Reaching your customers is easier than ever but how can you stand out from the competition? And more importantly, how much will you have to pay?

This article examines website design cost factors and how to ensure you receive the best website design.

Discover the different elements needed to launch a successful site. Learn about responsive website design and SEO website design services. See that hiring a professional website designer can save you money in the long run.

Read on to uncover the facts about website design costs and how much you should pay a website design company.

Website Design Services

Google 'best website design cost' and you'll find thousands of designers clamoring for your business.

If you've never owned a website before, it's difficult to know where to begin and who to trust. Every web designer offers similar services but few carry a straightforward price.

To help you understand what goes into creating a website, this article explains the following areas:

  • Domain name registration and secure website hosting
  • Responsive website design
  • Extra functionality
  • Content management
  • SEO and website marketing
  • Ongoing Website Support

We'll also provide an estimated cost for each feature then combine them at the end.

Ready for a 101 in website design costs? Then keep reading.

Domain Name Registration and Secure Website Hosting

Think of a website as an offline store. Every outlet needs an address, a plot of land, and the shop building itself.

Website work in a similar way.

The total number of pages represents the number of departments in the store. Website hosting is like a lease in that you rent 'space' on the Internet to keep your site live. A domain name acts as the address, pointing visitors to your pages.

Domain Names

The most common domain name extension is .com but many others exist like .biz, .co, .website, and .online.

Prices range from free for the first year to $40 per year. You cannot purchase a domain that's already in use and it's wise to use a domain that's related to your business. For example, www.optuno.com for our company name Optuno.

Secure Website Hosting

Basic website hosting often comes free with a monthly website package. However, depending on the size of the site and what it needs to do, hosting can cost hundreds of dollars.

Whatever host you use make sure it's fast and includes an SSL certificate to keep data secure.

Google's search engine optimization tools rank fast-loading websites higher. Appearing on page #1 of Google Search is your number one priority so don't skimp on poor hosting.

Responsive Website Design

Web pages are created in a computer language called HTML. The text, images, videos, etc. you see in your browser all appear through HTML.

Some business owners make the mistake of thinking they can learn this themselves. The results are disastrous.

It takes more than code to make a great website. Design principles like white space, relative imagery, and font sizing blend together to form something you can be proud of.

Responsive Website Themes

A website theme is the shell of the site. It's what your customers see when they first arrive and must have that 'Wow' factor.

More than aesthetics, the best website designs should work on any size of screen or device.

This technique is called responsive web design and Google actively looks for it. Having to zoom in to read text won't cut it in 2021.

Costs for responsive websites vary depending on the total pages. Expect to pay around $49-$100 per month for a one-page, custom-built theme.

Extra Functionality

Websites need to offer the customer something extra to set them apart from the competition.

Widgets like live chat enable you to speak with your visitors directly. You can even take messages using bots when you're unavailable.

Social media integration will also bring in more business.

Pulling your Twitter or Facebook feeds onto your pages helps advertise all of your marketing channels. You can create a blog post and share it on each platform automatically.

Prices vary for custom functionality and developers usually charge by the hour. However, by choosing Optuno, we include many common widgets as part of our monthly packages.

Content Management

Your visitors want fresh content so you'll need a way to manage that once your site goes live.

A content management system or CMS puts that power into your hands. You can create articles or add new pages and publish them with a button press. But what if you don't have the time or the inclination?

The best website designers offer this service when requested. Expect to pay $50 to $100 per page or an extra monthly fee.

SEO and Website Marketing

Marketing your website occurs through:

  • Search engines
  • External links
  • Online and offline marketing
  • Social media and word of mouth

Reaching that top spot in Google for your chosen keywords/search phrases isn't easy. It takes time and effort and the process requires a managed approach to SEO.

Most designers charge extra for this service. Prices start at $100 to $2000 p/m depending on the size of your site.

Ongoing Website Support

Make sure that once you go live you can contact the designer if something goes wrong.

Broken links and hosting downtime are common issues. Pay for a monthly package to receive included support minutes.

Remember, that every hour your site goes offline you'll lose business.

Total Website Design Cost

What is the ball-park figure for a one-page, custom web page to go live?

The domain name and hosting will set you back $150 per year on average. Hiring the website design company to build the theme adds around $1000. Extra pages cost $100 per page.

Content management, SEO, and support combine with the rest to give a total of $100-$150 per month. Compare that to our pricing plans starting at only $49.

Hire the Best Website Design Company With Optuno

Each website design cost above ensures that your site will work for you.

Many so-called professional website designers treat their customers like a conveyor belt. And they'll charge you for the pleasure.

At Optuno, we put our customers first.

Compare our custom responsive website design packages with our competitors' offerings. We don't charge a set-up fee. You receive a free domain name and 100% customized design. Everything's hassle-free and comes with ongoing support and maintenance.

Don't waste your money on poor website design services. Reach out to us today and discover how Optuno can help promote your business online.