Are you looking for ways to build a website that converts, but only has a limited amount of money to spend on it? Do you recognize the need to develop your site, but unsure of how much that would cost? It all starts with creating a website development budget.
Truth be told, you can develop a site from almost any budget! All it takes is understanding a few key factors before cracking down on the numbers behind the budget.
See below for a guide on how you can create a budget that fulfills your website development needs without breaking the bank.
1. Identify Your Goals
Believe it or not, there are many different goals behind a website. Some use it to primarily sell their items, such as an eCommerce site. Others use it as a way to generate leads, such as an HVAC service.
Just like any other budget, you first want to take the time to identify the purpose behind your website. Get this started by listing out a few goals. If you’re unsure of where to start, you can ask yourself a few questions:
- What kind of customers are you hoping to attract with your site?
- What elements does your competition have on their site that you like?
- What are the primary issues with your site currently? (I.E. loading speed, poor content, etc.)
- How can you use your site to generate more leads in the future?
- What is the quality of your current site? Can it be improved?
- Are you hoping to turn your website into a revenue generator for your business?
Once you have a few goals, you can dive deeper. For example, let’s say one of your goals is to increase the site’s conversion rates.
If so, then you might budget for a service like decibel.com that can help you analyze and perfect your customer’s digital experience on your site.
2. List Your Must-Haves
Let’s use a personal budget as an example real quick. Everyone knows to start by identifying the must-have expenses of their personal budget. This could be things such as a mortgage, car loan, student loans, grocery money, etc.
Whatever is left from subtracting those must-haves can be used at your discretion. For example, you might use the leftover money to go out to dinner with some friends or purchase a new video game for yourself.
Let’s use that same thought process in budgeting for your website development. What are the must-have features? That’s up to you, but we’d recommend you start with things such as:
- Mobile-Friendly Design
- High-Quality Content (might be worth paying freelance writers for this)
- LiveChat
- Video Content
- Quick Loading Speed
- Keyword Optimization (might be advantageous to purchase a keyword research tool)
- Connections to all your social media channels
The list goes on and on. Smart marketing is all about building a base and building around it. If your budget requires you to rule a few of these out, for now, don’t sweat it! As you gain more revenue, you can slowly add these features. It’s always best to slowly add on overtime.
3. Factor in Search Engine Optimization
One thing that all websites must do if they want to enhance website development is focused more on search engine optimization.
There are a few reasons for this. For one, it’s completely free to start. By simply using a few keywords and internal/external links in your content, you’ve already begun the SEO roadmap.
For two, it can help you generate passive income. You put in the work one time and reap the benefits from that day on. For example, you write a blog post with keyword-rich text one time, then that article starts attracting more leads to your site from that day forward.
Luckily, SEO doesn’t require much from your budget. As highlighted above, you might consider budgeting for a few freelance writers to write content and a keyword research tool to guide them.
4. Find a Worthy Domain Name
Domain names are often the most overlooked part of a strong website. But there’s no denying the part they play in website development.
The right domain name can help you strengthen your brand, your SEO tactics, your professional credibility, your online presence, your growth, and so forth. You can also use it to attract your target audience, whoever that might be.
You can use sites such as GoDaddy.com or Hover.com to get access to the available domain names. Some people even make a nice side hustle flipping domain names because of how valuable they are.
5. Consider a Website Host or Developer
Most people think that you need to hire a website developer to create a unique website. That isn’t always the case.
In fact, many businesses use a website hosting service such as Bluehost, Hostgator, or Dreamhost to provide the backbones of your new site. It’s cost-efficient and can even help you find the aforementioned domain name.
The website host can also offer you awesome tools and resources, such as thousands of website templates to build the base of your site’s layout.
Capitalize on Website Development With These Tips
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on website development and creating a budget, it’s time to get to work.
Start by identifying the different goals you have for your site. What do you need to succeed? What tools are your competitors using to capture your target market?
Be sure to browse our website for more articles on website development, as well as many other helpful topics that you’ll find interesting.
