The saying you get what you pay for is applicable to many things in life and holds true when talking about websites. Often businesses will opt for a cheaper option without considering what they’re really getting – or in most cases, not getting for that price.
TLDR; You get what you pay for and if you fork out a little extra dough you’ll get a way better website and a simplified process.
A quick background:
In 2016, we met with a lot of clients in California to discuss designing and developing a new website for their businesses. We quickly noticed a pattern of issues with their current websites.
There were bad designs, little to no content, difficult navigation, and unfinished pages. Not to mention the problems that occurred behind the scenes, such as lack of communication, missed deadlines, and general disappointment.
To avoid paying for a professional website, a lot of these businesses hired family members, friends of friends, or paid for a inexpensive template they thought they could implement into a CMS (Content Management System). This shortcut proved to have create more complications in the long run.
Below we jump into the most common objections we hear from prospective clients and dispel these misconceptions.
Objections:
Let’s look the most common objections to paying for a website built by an agency.
1.) We want a simple website / We don’t need a fancy website.
2.) We have a small budget / We’re not sure we need to spend much on a website.
3.) We just need people to see us online / This website will only show contact information.
- “We want a simple website, nothing fancy.”
There is a common misconception that simple websites are cheap. Most websites that look simple or minimalistic, are actually complex. A simple website means a user can easily navigate through and find exactly what they’re looking for. This requires a web developer who is knowledgeable about sitemaps and will take the time to think critically about how your customers interact with your product and website. – something a basic template or amateur wouldn’t be able to provide.
2.) “We have a small budget and we’re not sure we need to spend money on a website.”
Just because you have a small budget doesn’t mean an agency won’t work with you. We love working with small local businesses because there’s typically a lot of opportunity for mutual growth.
We must admit, it can be confusing and intimidating to get quotes for websites. You could get 3 quotes ranging from $3000 – $15,000, and if you’re not a developer then how would you know where to start?
Elegant themes has a great guide for website pricing and they estimated that a custom WordPress theme will cost around $3,000 – $6,000 (for design and development), and a custom WordPress website is around $6,000 – $15,000 (for design and development, with custom plugins).
Pro-tip: Make sure you make it a point to meet with every agency in person, at their office. This is key to getting a glimpse of the company you’re working with to make sure they’re the right fit for you. You’ll also get an idea of their team, talent, and previous projects, which will tell you a lot about the price you’re paying for your website.
If you still think you don’t need to spend money on a website because you’re not sold on it benefiting your business, read our next point and think again.
- “We just need people to see we exist.”
The internet is a powerful tool which is why every business wants to get noticed online. The idea of “We just want to be seen” being a cheap option is misleading because it doesn’t take into account the work that is required to increase a website’s visibility. Just having a website doesn’t ensure that you’ll be seen by customers.
Good SEO implementation is expensive because it takes a lot of time. If you’re curious of what that pricing looks like you can find an SEO pricing chart here. You’re talking about spending $150 – $5000 a month to keep your website on the front page of search engines to get noticed.
If you pay for a cheap website, it will probably lack SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and you risk not being seen at all.
When you hire an agency, you’ll not only get a website built on the most advanced SEO practices, but you’ll also be able to learn how to continue best SEO practices.
Beyond SEO and being visible, your website is your digital branding for your business. Customers that interact with slow, outdated, and flat out ugly websites tend to build a bad perception about your brand. Here’s a great article that goes into more depth about the consequences of having a rough website.
Extra Goodies:
There are a handful of “goodies” you get when you hire an agency like Top Hand Media to build your website. Every agency is different but here’s what else you get when we build your website.
- Organization: Our Project Director and Creative Director are on hand to make sure you have everything you need from start to finish. They will set up a production schedule for the website so deadlines are clearly defined and consistently met. You will also have a clear vision on what your website will look like once completed. Our process is streamlined to ensure that you won’t have to worry about menial problems.
- Educational Moments: We want to make sure you’re learning why we’re building your website a certain way, so you can continue to implement the best web design and SEO practices in the future. As a business owner, the more you can learn from other professionals in the community the better. Our team is always open to sit down and talk – whether it’s about SEO, Social Media Marketing, Advertising, Video Marketing, or anything related to creative work.
- Fresh Brand: You’ll get a refreshed brand with a modern, simplistic design that is catered to your business. We’re not afraid to be different and help your brand stand out. If that means spending time helping you find what your brand is, then let’s get started.
If you have any more questions about websites and the power of proper web development, feel free to contact us.
