Web Design Understanding the Costs Part I - Business

Web Design: Understanding the Costs Part I   by Charles Borski

in Business    (submitted 2012-03-28)

Web design projects can vary from basic static page updates to comprehensive technological marvels including interactive flash video players, laser-targeted dynamic page loading and powerful conversion points. But because these design needs can vary so significantly from site to site, it's difficult to estimate the cost of a project without knowing all of the specifics. The following is a list detailing the 5 primary costs that nearly every website will need to maintain regardless of the type or complexity.

Web Design Cost

Domain Name / Registration

Whether you're seeking a quote for a new website or you've had one since the mid-nineties, you'll need to pay for your domain name. Domains are registered with various companies and can be transferred from one company to another at no cost, but the cost to own, register and maintain the domain varies from company to company. In many cases new, readily available domain names can be registered for as little as a few dollars per year. In other cases thousands of dollars may be required to obtain and maintain a particular high-value domain name.

In order to provide a complete web design solution, many firms will offer domain registration for free as part of a package or deal. This is often the easiest solution, although it leaves the owner with a certain lack of control. This means that the web designer you work with needs to be reliable and competent for two critical reasons:

1.) Your domain is your brand, and a lazy web designer or management firm can cause you to lose your registration if not paid on time, or if violations of terms occur.

2.) Should you decide to take your business elsewhere, you'll want to ensure that the web design team you work with is professional enough to quickly transfer the domain with no hassle and no additional costs.

Finally, there may be "hidden" domain costs that could prove to be invaluable parts of your business's online identity. For instance, if you own the domain example.com, virtually anyone else could easily register the .net, .org, .info or any of the other extension versions of your domain. Therefore, it's often wise to buy/register all of these versions in order to protect your brand and identity. This is an important but potentially costly decision that should only be made with the advice of a professional web designer.

Hosting

Like domain names, hosting has a number of variables that can make it difficult to estimate how much a website will cost. In general it depends on the bandwidth needed to properly run and maintain the site. In lay terms, bandwidth refers to the amount of internet connectivity needed to service the website to individuals and search bots. The more complicated the website, the more bandwidth is needed. As a result, websites with flash animation, videos, audio or large downloads may require significantly more connectivity power then a simple static site.

However, even if your website is simple and "lightweight," (a term that refers to the number of bandwidth-consuming page elements) if it receives a substantial amount of traffic more bandwidth will be required. Additionally, it's likely that such a site would need to be setup on its own IP and/or server, which can incur additional costs. Nevertheless, these costs are still affordable for most people that work with a design firm that bundles them properly.

In Web Design: Understanding the Costs Part II we'll detail 3 more costs involved with most web design projects: the actual design of the site itself, the development of content, and any necessary add-ons. But if you're ready to get started on your web design project right now, call the number at the top of your screen for a free, confidential consultation. We offer one of the most comprehensive solutions available in the US, so why search elsewhere? It's all right here â€" where we'll make you feel like a Pro from Go.