What happens when a potential client searches for your business online? As website designers, we come across many business owners who do not yet have a website. We believe there are two main reasons. One is cost; many people think they have to spend a lot of money to have a website. The other, is believing that having a social media presence is enough.
How much does it cost to have a website? There are some fixed costs associated with owning a website such as domain registration, renewal, and hosting plans. These can vary depending on availability of the domain, the company you register your domain name with and your website hosting solution. Most domain registrations typically start at about $15.00/year and hosting can start as low as $5/month.
Another cost of developing a website is the design. There are many website builders (Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace) that offer a variety of templates that make it very simple for anyone to create a free website. You do not need to be a designer to create a site however if you want to stand out and ensure you have a professional looking site, you really need an experienced designer.
Spicy Dragon offers professionally designed websites, using a website builder as a launching point. Our websites are fully branded and customized and feature rich, without the added expense of developing a website from scratch. Once your site has been completed, you will have the option to manage your site using a simple content editor or we offer maintenance plans and training tailored to suit your budget.
It is a common misconception that having a social media presence is enough. Why be at the mercy of social media networks who change their algorithms and policies all the time? While some businesses have worked hard to build their social media following, they are losing out on those potential customers who either do not engage in social media and are searching for a business on Google (or other search platforms) and end up going to other competitors who have a website.
An online presence should start with a website and supplemented with social media to drive traffic to the website, to build followers and promote the business. In other words, social media should be used in conjunction with a website, not in place of it.
If your online business presence has been solely on social media, now might be a good time to think about taking the next step to develop a website. Give Spicy Dragon a call for a free consultation and estimate.