As a business owner today, perhaps one of the most important methods you can use in your marketing efforts is a website.  How much will it cost for you to create an effective and memorable presence for your business on the world wide web? 

Do-It-Yourself

The first decision you must make is whether to hire a professional for your website design and programming or take on these tasks yourself.  If expenses are a concern, there are numerous web hosting companies that provide site builders for users to create sites themselves using little to no HTML programming knowledge.  There is generally a small monthly fee for the use of their hosting, but this will prove to be much cheaper than paying a large sum to an outside designer or programmer.  As a downside, there are usually more limitations when creating a site using a web-based site builder since you are limited to using the provided pre-designed templates.  However, for users with no knowledge of programming language or users on a tight budget, this may be an ideal way to create an effective site using a simple and self-explanatory site builder.  For users with HTML programming knowledge, there are numerous site design programs that you can use to create a more detailed and customized site, such as Microsoft FrontPage.  There are also various resources on the Internet or in your local library that will enable you to learn and become familiar with programming code at no expense to you.

Professional Help

Another option available to you is to hire an outside design and programming professional to create your company’s website.  Research is the key to finding a quality professional in the most cost-effective manner.  Spend some time researching various designer’s sites and get a feel for their style and design work, in addition to reviewing past work they have completed for other clients.  Also, be sure to contact the professional and give a detailed list of everything that will be involved with your project and ask for a price quote for the entire project.  A quality professional will be able to give an accurate quote for the entire project and give you all the terms of his or her work and any additional fees that may be incurred during the process, which should be discussed upfront and approved by you.  On average, a site designer/programmer will charge anywhere from $500 to $2,000 for a quality business website.

Picture Perfect

Another aspect of creating a website is photography, which is especially true for businesses who sell products and plan to sell them via their websites.  For those on a tight budget or who run a small operation, product photography can be done on your own using a quality digital camera.  Costs for quality digital cameras can start around $150 - $200.  Similarly, a traditional camera can be used to take pictures for your website and placed on a computer disk during film processing, which generally only costs several dollars extra.  You can then save the pictures to your computer and transfer them directly to your website.  If you require more professional pictures for your company’s site, then you may want to consider hiring a photographer.  Commercial photographers can provide more attractive, professional photos of your products and provide services that you may not be able to perform on your own, such as background removal, special effect lighting, enhancement, object removal, etc.  The cost of professional photography generally begins around $200, depending on the amount of products you need taken and the photographer’s policies.  Do your research to find a quality photographer for the least expense.

Shop Around

If you plan to sell products or services through your website, you may benefit from a shopping cart.  Shopping cart programs allow customers and visitors on your site to purchase and pay for products directly on the site.  A quality shopping cart program can begin around $10 per month, depending on the complexity of the program that you need, or can run an average of a one-time setup fee of $200 - $300.  Many shopping cart programs differ in their complexity, features and expenses, so be sure to research and find one that fits your company’s needs and budget.

Hosting

Whether you create your web design on your own or hire a design and programming professional, you will need a place to host your site to make it accessible on the world wide web.  There are many places that will host your site for little expense, generally around $10 to $20 per month.  If your company requires a more complex hosting setup, such as dedicated servers, then the monthly expense will be greater.  Most hosting plans also include extras, such as email accounts, email forwarding, etc.  Be sure that you choose a hosting plan that includes enough features and allotted disk space for your site, all at a price that will fit into your company’s monthly budget.  While setting up your hosting, it will also be necessary to set up and purchase your site’s domain name, which usually can be purchased for only several dollars extra.  There are many sites that offer domain names for only $10 - $15 per year.

In today’s fast-paced world, it is almost impossible to run a successful business without providing a presence for your company on the Internet.  A quality website can prove to be your most effective marketing tool and your voice in today’s marketplace.  Investing time, effort and money into creating the best business website you can may just prove to be your wisest and most valuable investment.