We don’t think that we have to explain all of the benefits of having a website anymore, right?

Simply put, nearly every business has one.

Having a website establishes brand trust.

It serves as the point of sale for all online leads.

And, it’s the main source of inbound marketing, which happens to be the most effective form of marketing.

And, that’s even above traditional marketing, like TV commercials and billboard ads.

Needless to say, having a website is as much of a requirement as having a physical location.

Though, that doesn’t mean that you won’t face any difficulty in building one for your website.

Don’t believe what online DIY website builders tell you.

Creating a fully-functional website takes a lot of hard work, money, and time.

In fact, it normally takes 14 weeks to build a website.

And, that time-frame is only for web development agencies with dozens of staff members.

Also, it can cost more than $3,000 to do all of the work on your own.

If you want to build an affordable and powerful website, you have options.

Below is all of the information you need to create the perfect website for your brand.
 

Determine Your Budget

This should be a very simple exercise.

How much money do you have to spend for your website?

You may be confident that your business has the capital to invest in a website.

Especially if your website is going to naturally generate a high ROI.

Well…

Here are the standard costs for building a website.


As you can see, creating a website is very expensive.

If you’re running an online store, you’re really going to pay a lot of money.

Oh, and if you want a high-end website for a new start-up company…

You better take a trip to the bank.

However, don’t sweat it.
Not every business needs the most advanced website.

Whatever gets the job will normally suffice.

Now that you know how much a website usually costs, you can meet with your team to discuss budgeting.

When that’s done, it’s time to determine your goals.
 

Determine Your Goals

We know…

We said that having a website is a requirement for your business.

That does not mean that you should purchase one just because…

What are the goals of your website?

Are you trying to present vital business information to potential customers?

Will your customers interact with your business primarily online?

Or are selling digital goods and products through an online store?

These are basic goals that you and your team need to find answers to.

Once you do, then you need to create KPIs.

Now, we know we’re giving you a lot of information.

So, here’s an image that broadly displays what we’re talking about.


Now, you see how we were just listing the goals or objectives of your website?

The KPIs, or key performance indicators, are very specific goals you want your website to achieve.

For example, a marketing company may want to receive 1000 leads per month.

A motivational speaker may want their website to achieve 500 form submissions every month for speaking engagements.

You get the idea, right?

The more you articulate and record your goals, the better you can communicate them to the person or company that will build your website.
 

Assess Your Options

There are two ways you can have a website built for you.

You can either work with a website development agency or a freelancer.

There are pros and cons for either option.

We’re going to very briefly talk about this because we already wrote a detailed blog on the matter, which you can find here.

A website development agency, without a doubt, has the staff, tools, and resources to completely build a great website for you.

They are usually very professional and will take care of your website’s development without your help.

The downside is that these companies will charge you and arm, leg, and a thigh to build your site.

Starting rates can go up to $6,000, and that’s only if you want a basic website.

If you need a website with unique features, then you’re going to be forced to pay more.

E-commerce retailers may spend more than $10,000 for their sites.

Freelancers, on the other hand, are somewhat less expensive.

Prices can vary based on the individual.

Though, freelancers are notorious for being difficult to work here.

Here are the disadvantages of hiring a freelancer for your web development project.

If you’re going to be potentially spending more than $4,000 on a website, it makes no sense to entrust the project in the hands of someone who could very easily run off with a security deposit.

Now, this isn’t to say that all freelancers are difficult to work with.

We are saying that a lot of people don’t have the time to properly vet the appropriate man or woman for the job.
 

Don't Build Your Own Website

We cannot stress this enough.

Website development is a skilled trade.

In order to create the perfect website, you would have to be extremely knowledgeable in web design, user experience, and search engine optimization (SEO).

For example, if your car broke down on the side of the road, it would be very unlikely for you to open YouTube and repair the problem.

In the same way, building your own website by consulting a few online guides simply isn’t going to happen.

We know this is unfortunate.

If it were possible, this may be the most affordable way to build a powerful website.

But, there is a better option called Optuno.

At Optuno, you can pay a low monthly rate for continual website development and maintenance services.

This means that we’ll create and manage a custom website for your business for a price that fits your budget.

Are you interested?

Great!

To speak to a member of our dedicated sales team, give us a call today at 1-888-678-8662 or click here to schedule a free consultation.