3 Steps to Saving Big Money on Web Site Design

by Rick Morris.  May 2, 2008

Looking to get a professional website on a budget?  Want a fully functional site without breaking the bank?

There is a way to get your business live on the internet without draining your marketing account balance.  Actually, there are three important elements every budget-minded shopper should know before even considering adding a website to their to-do list:  design, updates, and a good web developer.

Design of Your Site

When you approach a web developer with the idea of publishing a customized web site for your business or organization, probably the most difficult part of your conversations will be about the design of your website.  Going back and forth over a design plan or discussions of sites you like can be a headache.  The process is time consuming and sometimes downright confusing.

The web developer wants to fully understand your ideas for that perfect design and wants to be able to capture those ideas in the first go around.  In short, most web developers who custom-design websites will spend many hours getting the basic theme of your site to your preference.  And every hour spent usually is charged to your bill.

Of course, you'll know up front when dealing with any web designer what the costs are going to be.  But, your designer is going to be very interested in keeping the workload to a minimum.  The reason being that he/she wants to design that perfect theme for your website, but also wants to get it done after a couple of edit suggestions from you, the site owner. 

Of course, any web developer knows that it takes quite a bit of effort and attention to detail to get that initial page of your site perfected.  Realistically, it can take up to a month to tweak the initial design to the site owner's standard.  Only then does work commence on the remaining pages of your website.

The result is usually a very nice website.  But, the time it took to get that first page published is where all the costs of a customized website come into play.

If you don't mind using a template, you can save thousands of dollars on your new site.  What is a template, you ask?  Essentially, a website template is a turn-key solution.  It has a standard look, or theme, with all the functionality needed for virtually any website.  Navigation structures, image headers, and logo positions are already emplaced.  And, the coding in the most recent design templates are optimized for search engines and the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium, or internet watchdogs).

The attractiveness of templates are three-fold.  First, you get to see what your site is going to look like before you even hire the web developer.  Next, you can sleep knowing you will have a professional website worth thousands of dollars at a fraction of the cost of a customized design.  Finally, the process of going live with your website is simplified significantly!

WebDesignerLive.com uses templates for almost all of our new websites.  Moreover, they are free to all our customers.  And, you can choose from thousands of new website templates, each categorized for quick selection.

Updates: Getting Changes Made to your Website

Did you know that the average web developer charges $80 for hourly work?  Some - especially those located in larger cities - can demand up to $135 per hour.

Now, imagine you have just paid $5,000 for the design of your website.  A few weeks later, you want to change something on the site so you contact your web guy for guidance.  This is where it can become shaky. 

Of course, you probably don't have an idea how long it takes, or how much work is involved in said updates or edits.  So, you are at the mercy of your web developer.  Respected web design businesses will treat you fairly, and quote you an amount based on their hourly rate for the changes you need made to your website.   Others, can literally take you for a long ride on a short road!

Wouldn't it be nice if you had a simplified monthly plan that includes unlimited updates to your site?  Need some images added to that photo gallery?  What about an update to your phone number or contact information.  Need a link added?  A "warranty" page? 

Honestly, updates like these are quick and simple.  But, many web designers will charge you a full hour's fee for 2-minute edits. 

At WebDesignerLive.com, I offer unlimited changes to your website for a small monthly fee.  You can get almost any update to your site at any time.  My monthly rates are plan-specific and start at $15.99.  And, you can cancel your maintenance plan at any time!

Good Web Designers are Passionate About their Work

Do You Trust Your Web Designer?  I hope so.  Chiefly, a good web designer is like a friend in cyberspace: you don't really know what cyberspace is and you don't care, you simply want to know who you can turn to for website answers.

Finding a good web designer can be a daunting task.  The best way to proceed is by checking out their portfolio and their pricing.  Make sure any agreement is fully understood - especially the part where costs for updates and changes are covered.

Obviously, you will want to check out your web designer.  Contact some of their clients.  You can get that information from their portfolio of web sites.  Then, talk with the potential designer, either on the phone or in person.  Try to get a "warm and fuzzy" for the person whom you will be entrusting your web presence.  If that person can't talk in "normal" terms as opposed to techie language, you may want to steer clear of him/her. 

I have more than 400 web clients around the United States.  Most of them have spent at least a half-hour with me on the phone getting all their questions answered prior to becoming my client.  I'm a down-to-earth, yet professional web developer.  My career in the Army has humbled me in many ways.  I'm very passionate about my work, and I don't want to put my name on a website unless it is built to perfection. 

WebDesignerLive.com has been in business for 8 years.  With three employees, we are small.  But, we know what we are doing.  Sure, we've had a couple of clients we could not please.  But, we always work hard to make our clients pleased.  Unlike other large web development companies, when you contact us, we are there for you.  You always get a personal webmaster at your beckon call.  You may have to leave us a voice message since we have only two phone lines.  But, a real person will always get back with you.  We spend several hours each morning taking care of updates that our website clients have sent in via email.  And, we always check for emergency updates prior to closing shop for the day.

In short, we are the web designers for you.  We keep it simple.  You choose a design and a plan, and we take it from there!