When people talk about web design, 9 times out of 10 they say, “Oh my friend can build me a website” or “I can use that website builder online.” And yes, these are options when it comes to your website, however you have to look at the value proposition. Most companies don’t discuss this topic because they fear scaring off customers. However, it’s critical to understand what you should budget for for your website or even your entire online marketing campaign. Learn what it takes to build a successful web presence online.

I’ll discuss what to budget for for your website, what to look for in your web marketing plan, and how having a custom website design can benefit your online business. Understanding what goes into a custom website, how long it takes, what functionality is required, and how it will benefit your business will explain why successful businesses include this in their business to increase their online presence.

Set a realistic marketing budget

A marketing budget for any business will vary depending on the industry it serves. However, many experts have agreed that your marketing budget should be between 5% and 10% of your gross sales.

This means that if your business makes a million dollars, your budget should consist of around $100,000 depending on your industry, to market and promote your brand or product. As your business grows and a name has been established, you can slowly reduce the amount of money you spend on marketing.

A typical business looking to build its brand spends between $25,000 and $50,000 on marketing essentials. These essential elements are:

  1. Brand development: logo, naming, slogan, online/offline communication of your brand image
  2. Printing/Collateral: Brochures, business cards, printed collateral, offline design, and marketing materials
  3. Creative copy/content – ​​engaging and compelling content
  4. Custom Website Design – Interactive website that focuses on user engagement and product promotion
  5. Interactive Presentations
  6. custom blogs
  7. Email campaigns
  8. Search Engine Optimization – Optimizing the website to be search engine friendly and generate organic search results
  9. Social Media Optimization – Optimize social media like Facebook and Twitter to promote search engine optimization and drive more traffic
  10. Lead Generation Tools
  11. Search Engine Marketing – Run pay-per-click ads and various other paid ads to increase online exposure and drive more sales/conversions.
  12. social media marketing

The amount spent changes based on the size of the business, the target audience, and the goals for your online presence and your industry. Larger companies or start-ups can spend a little more to increase their presence and boost their brand awareness for maximum exposure.

Your website is your image online

Most people don’t understand the importance of a website and as a result spend less time and money. Your website, in many cases, is your first impression on your customer. You’re promoting your brand image online, and while it may not seem critical, it can make or break your online and offline business efforts. Today’s society turns to the web for everything from reading reviews, finding directions, or hunting for deals. Your business website gives your potential customers the ability to form an opinion about your business, before you have a chance to sell them on your offer. It is the most critical element to your online brand image and sets the stage for conversions.

This is why custom websites are important for online success. Don’t be fooled by do-it-yourself websites or service offerings that provide template solutions. Although you may receive a visually appealing design, the website will not work to promote conversions. When a professional creates your website, he discovers his audience and customer behavior to come up with a web marketing plan that will communicate his goals effectively. Remember, just because something looks good doesn’t mean it works right. There must be a balance between form or design and function or communication.

So when you take the initiative to hire a professional or company to develop your custom website, the process will require in-depth marketing discovery to understand both your business and your consumers, in order to develop a marketing campaign that produces results. Trying to build a website without this foundation is like trying to build a house without blueprints. It will eventually fail and break.

Understand your goals and needs

To launch a successful website, you need to figure out your needs and the full scope of your project. What are you trying to achieve? Are you selling a product online? How will you track conversions? What is your target audience or general user? Here are some key elements that need to be defined before the start of your website project:

  1. Initial discovery and pre-production – understand your company and its objectives, how we can market your website. This will include a project plan and a creative brief. It is the foundation of your online marketing strategy.
  2. Sitemap or flowchart – an outline of your website that shows the structure and organization of your website. This is where usability comes into play. How will your users navigate your website?
  3. Visual design that communicates your message effectively to your audience
  4. A design and layout for your home page that is driven from the visual design of your website
  5. A design and layout for your subpages
  6. Optimized and organized content. / Copywriting that focuses on your brand, product and keywords for search engines.
  7. interactive elements to interact with your visitor and promote conversions
  8. integrated blogs to promote more traffic and backlinks. The content must be well written and provide the user with useful information.
  9. Online Conversion Forms. Provide contact forms, online ordering, live chat, etc. to allow the visitor to communicate and become a conversion.
  10. Integrated site search. Allow your users to search for content within your website.
  11. Calls to action and/or Landing Pages – Create pages designed to drive specific conversions

As you can see, this list is getting long, but following these recommendations will lead to a successful launch and growth for your brand. Now, while these services range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars each and will require serious investment and commitment on both sides, the end result will produce a successful website that generates revenue and builds brand awareness.

So how much does a custom website cost?

As you can see in everything related to website design and development, there is no single answer for this, because the cost of your website depends on your goals and should ultimately fit within your budget, as mentioned. previously. The bigger your business, the more you need to invest in your website and online brand, which will result in more features, features, interactive elements, etc. that will enhance and increase your online presence.

Many high-end marketing agencies will charge upwards of $100,000 for a complete online marketing solution, while some freelancers will create something for several thousand. What you’ll find is that most settle in the middle, using a full-service design and marketing agency that focuses primarily on building online businesses. For a complete marketing campaign, interactive website, design, development, content management system (CMS) integration, onsite/offsite optimization, social media and marketing, a reasonable average fee would be between $5,000 and $30,000.

You can hire a cheap company to build your website or try out those DIY templates, but in the end you’ll want a professional online brand that wins your value proposition. A strong brand will increase your revenue and maximize your return on investment.

As an expert in both Web Design/Development and Internet Marketing, I have managed several online campaigns and built many successful websites. $5-$30k is a good range to start with with your initial branding, including your websites and image. You should also plan for monthly management, maintenance, interactive enhancements, promotions, lead generation, advertising, search marketing, social marketing, and more, setting a monthly budget consistent with your annual revenue based on budget guidelines. previous. This will help you build your image and establish steady growth.

what to expect

Now that you understand what it takes to build an effective online presence and what kind of budget it will take, you will begin to experience the benefits of a professional branding and online web presence. Some things you can expect:

  1. Trust in your brand. Your customers, employees, and prospects will feel comfort and a sense of security knowing that your brand is strong and effective.
  2. Increase in traffic and backlinks. A better website and brand that establish trust and authority lead to higher traffic and more inbound links.
  3. High conversions. Visitors are more likely to engage with or learn about your offer if you provide them with a brand image that communicates effectively.
  4. Measurement. You can track your conversions and increased traffic. You will increase your income and awareness of your brand.
  5. Increased word of mouth. More people will recommend your business.
  6. Your return on investment will be returned in full and will continue to benefit from substantial revenue growth.