Continue reading to learn:
- Whether building a website on your own, hiring a freelancer or working with a marketing agency is the best option when it comes to website design
- The factors that can alter the project’s cost
- The benefits of working with a web designer
These days, it’s critical for business owners to have an engaging website. According to Finical Holdings, 76% of Americans are online shoppers. So, how much does it cost to hire a website designer?
This article will show that what goes into your website and how you hire a web designer matters. Plus, we provide an overview of three popular options among business owners: doing things on your own, hiring a freelancer and working with a marketing agency. It’s important to know the pros and cons of each, so you can rest assured that you’re making the right choice.
Before proceeding, feel free to explore our services, including web design, SEO, PPC management, email marketing, social media marketing and graphic design.
What Factors Go Into the Cost of Hiring a Web Designer?
How much does it cost to hire a website designer? It all depends on what you want your site to look like, how it needs to function, and how much ongoing support you expect after launch. Here are the factors that impact the actual estimated costs.
The Number of Pages You Need
One of the most straightforward cost drivers is the number of pages on your site. A simple, one-page design is far less work than a ten-page site with separate sections for services, team members, blogs, and products.
Many web designers charge a base fee for the home page and then add an additional fee for every page beyond that. The more content you want, the more design, copywriting, and development time it takes. Frontier Marketing starts at $2,000 for a website design and home page. Each page after that is typically $300.
E-Commerce Functionality
Adding e-commerce features can quickly increase the budget. Setting up a storefront, building product pages, integrating payment gateways, and making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes all require extra work.
A web designer may quote a higher starting price for sites that need online shopping features, and you might also see additional charges for every product you add. Frontier Marketing can add e-commerce for $1,000. Each additional product typically ranges from $50 to $150.
Customization and Branding
Websites built from cookie-cutter templates can be affordable, but if you want a design that truly reflects your brand, expect to pay more. Custom layouts, tailored color schemes, branded graphics, and original copywriting all add to the project scope.
These upgrades take more time and expertise, but they also help your site stand out in a crowded market. Instead of blending in with dozens of other businesses using the same template, a custom-built site communicates who you are and what makes you different.
Ongoing Management and Support
Launching your site is only part of the process. Websites need regular updates, security checks, backups, and technical maintenance to stay in top shape. Many web designers offer monthly management plans that range from basic upkeep to more advanced packages with reporting, urgent support, and consulting. These plans are billed separately, so you’ll want to factor them into your overall budget.
Technical Performance and SEO Setup
A professional website needs to perform well behind the scenes. Designers often factor in speed optimization, mobile responsiveness, and search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. For example, compressing images, adding schema markup, and setting up Google Analytics take extra time and expertise but ensure that your site runs smoothly and gets found online.
Plugins and Added Features
Most websites need more than just a handful of pages. Blogs, galleries, booking systems, or special integrations with social media or email platforms all come with additional setup costs. Designers may include standard plugins in their base package, but more advanced features or custom integrations can raise the price.
Content and Graphic Design
A polished website is also about what people see and read when they land on your pages. That’s where content and graphic design come in. Many small businesses don’t have copy ready to go, so web designers often bring in professional writers to create page content that matches your brand voice and helps with SEO. At the same time, original graphics, icons, and images make the site feel custom rather than cookie-cutter.
What is the Average Cost of Website Design for a Small Business?
Most small businesses usually need between 5 and 10 pages to cover the basics. So, the average cost of website design for a small business might fall somewhere between $3,200 to $5,000 to get started. However, that can range up to $6,000 or more, depending on whether you add e-commerce and additional products.
Why Have Website Design Costs Increased?
Web design has evolved in recent years. Instead of just building a basic online presence, web designers now implement responsive designs that look sharp on every device, e-commerce features for selling products, SEO-friendly content, and branded elements that set them apart from competitors.
On top of that, ongoing management (e.g., updates, backups, and security) has become a standard expectation, which adds to the long-term investment. All of these factors require more time, expertise, and tools from web designers, which naturally pushes the overall cost higher.
DIY Websites: A Good or Bad Idea?
Building your own website is the way to go if you’re looking to save money. By going this route, you’ll potentially save thousands of dollars that can be allocated to other business expenses. However, what’s cheap now might end up costing more in the long run.
Who knows a business better than the business owner? People who know what they want their website to look like and what details to include typically take things into their own hands. Sometimes, the best way to capture the vision you have is to do it yourself!
Many business owners have designed their own websites over the years using Wix.com and Squarespace. In reality, software like this provides short-term solutions to long-term problems. Most DIY websites aren’t designed to last. Professional web designers know what a website needs to succeed and are less likely to make mistakes.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Web Designer on a Freelance Basis?
Hiring a freelance website designer is another option available to business owners. These professionals know how to create a user-friendly site. Freelance web designers are also aware of best practices that keep users engaged.
However, freelancers charge more for incentives they don’t receive from contractual employment. The overhang typically covers things like health insurance and equipment. Freelancers also set their own prices (typically $30-150 per hour), so it’s hard to boggle them down.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Web Developer From a Marketing Agency?
Where you hire a website designer is critical to your site’s success. Web designers who work for marketing agencies are skilled at their work. They bring their marketing knowledge to each project they undertake. Unlike websites designed by yourself or freelancers, web designers working for a marketing agency optimize their content for search. These professionals use industry expertise to create content that performs well in search engine rankings.
Web designers working with a marketing agency also create quality content that’s hard to find elsewhere. Your writing skills will be on full display if you build your own website, and they might not be up to par with professional writers. Freelancers might also produce less-than-optimal content because they have no one looking over their work.
Most marketing agencies also provide client training when they design a website. After they change the site, they’ll show their clients how to use it and make changes if they want. Having a website designed and having no idea how to operate it is no good. Make sure you hire a team that’ll walk you through everything, so you aren’t stuck when they leave.
Professional web designers can also fix issues that arise. Don’t spend hours trying to figure out why your site’s malfunctioning. Instead, contact your web designer to resolve these problems and maintain the site as needed.
How much is it to hire a web designer? Hourly Rates vs. Flat Fees
Website designers can either charge by the hour or a flat fee. Most business owners prefer a flat fee because this number is less likely to change. Agencies like Frontier Marketing offer clients an all-encompassing rate of what they can expect to spend. Keep in mind that the number can change if you decide to expand the project’s size and page count. Though, if you stick within the project’s scope, the amount will remain the same.
The positives of a marketing agency partnership far outweigh the negatives. Although it’s a more substantial initial investment, the quality of work and increased conversion rates will prove to be worth it.
We’ve learned there are several answers to the question: how much does it cost to hire a website designer? The cost is contingent on multiple factors like how you hire a web designer.
Doing things yourself, hiring a freelancer and working with a marketing agency all have their pros and cons. But, ultimately, partnering with a marketing company is the way to go. These professionals will use their marketing knowledge to their advantage while building your website so it’s optimized and does well in search rankings.
Build a Relationship with Frontier Marketing Today
If you’re still asking “how much does it cost to hire a website builder?”, the team at Frontier Marketing has answers. We’ll help you explore options that fit your business’s needs and budget. When you work with us, we’ll treat your website as if it were our own.
We know what it takes to develop a successful website that best aligns with your company’s values. We’ll keep your brand voice in mind while creating a site that appeals to users. All services are in-house, and we offer competitive pricing options that are standard in the market today. You can check out our web design portfolio or give us a call at 847-254-0837 to discuss how we can bring your website to the next level!
Originally published in 2022, this blog has been updated to provide the latest information and ensure accuracy.
