Web Design: Counting the Cost
For many businesses, especially small businesses, there is a difficult decision to face. You know you need a professional website and you know you need to stay on budget – and it seems impossible to have both. It doesn’t take long to find countless web design companies with prices that start over ten thousand dollars and sky-rocket from there – quickly pricing out most small (and even medium-sized) businesses.
Or there are companies that provide web design services for a monthly subscription fee; they’re more affordable at first – until you do the math on 10-20 years’ worth of monthly payments. What is the small business owner to do? There are a few options, each with its own pros and cons. Let’s look at a few of the most popular options:
Hire a College Student
These days, it seems that everyone knows someone who is knows a little bit about web design. Whether they are an amateur, a student, or a hobbyist the appeal is the same: they are willing to work for cheap.
But the downsides are many. They lack the experience of someone building websites day-in and day-out, they are generally slower than a professional website designer, and you probably won’t get any continuing support on your site. Further complicating matters is the fact that they are likely to use pre-made templates that give your site a cookie-cutter feel.
Do-It-Yourself
The rise of YouTube and Pinterest has creating a thriving DIY culture in today’s world. And that is a great thing, but is it right for your business’ website? There are some positives: it is the cheapest option and allows you complete control over the project.
But there are a whole host of potential pitfalls when going the DIY route for web design. Building your own website takes a significant investment of time – even if you’re working with a pre-made, drag-and-drop website builder; because you are bound by the provided templates and tools, your website is going to have that pre-made look to it. And finally, it is very hard to scale a do-it-yourself website as your business grows. So, there’s a good chance you’ll be back to square one in a few years – totally negating any savings realized at the outset.
Outsource to a Foreign Company
As any big corporation knows – there’s cheap labor if you’re willing to go overseas. I understand the appeal – they work for rates that make our jaw drop. But as usual, you get what you pay for. These companies aren’t governed by the same set of laws and standards as companies based in the United States, so there is always the risk of them taking your money and disappearing overnight. Further complicating the process is the less-than-stellar support you get when paying a fractional hourly rate and the issue of language barriers and miscommunication.
Beyond the obvious complication, there are also more philosophical questions to consider. The biggest being the ethical considerations of paying a company with unknown working conditions and standards, but also consider the value of patronizing businesses that are supporting local economies and families.
Fusion Group USA
So, if college students, DIYing, and outsourcing are off the table what is a business owner to do? There is a fourth option we haven’t covered: Fusion Group USA. We design websites using a dedicated team of in-house web designers, copywriters, and creative marketers.
Our system of web design has been honed over years of practical experience, and you can have the comfort of working with a stable, well-established company. All our websites are custom built to your specifications, mobile friendly, search engine optimized, and come in a variety of affordable options.
Affordable Web Design for Your Business
Interested in a fully-custom website for your business? We have just the thing for you! We have four levels of web design packages, making a custom website affordable for any size business. All our prices are up-front and easy to understand – just check out our website for pricing structure. Sign up for a custom website build from Fusion Group USA and get a free year of hosting, with the added benefit of totally owning your site. All our packages include a dedicated designer and free site updates as long as we continue hosting the site. Contact us today to learn more about our web design services
