Custom web design pricing and graphic design costs
SUMMARY Many smaller firms are not familiar with custom website design costs. We created this page to give you an idea of web design prices, answer frequently asked questions, and help you decide whether a custom web design is right for you.
CONTENTS
Important | What kind of web design pricing is included below?
Statistics | How much should you budget for custom website design or graphic design?
FAQ | Why does custom web design and graphic design cost so much?
FAQ | How does the value of a custom website design stack up against other marketing?
Considerations | Do you need a custom website design?
What kind of web design pricing is included below?
On this page, we've included information on pricing for custom web design and graphic design. We're not discussing generic web templates or "clip art" logos here—our clients don't want those, because they don't want to look like to look like any other company.
(Firms selling web design templates are able to spread their costs among dozens or hundreds of companies, but these companies look very alike online since an unlimited number of customers can use the same template. A template cannot be designed to appeal to a specific target market; to be profitable for the firm selling it, templates must be generic.)
Our graphic and web design work is always completely custom, meaning that if we design your website, it won't look like any other on the internet; it will appeal specifically to your target market and meet your individual business goals. If we design a logo for you, it will be original and you will own the rights to it.
We work with businesses and entrepreneurs who are serious about long-term success: they do things right, they're glad to pay for high levels of quality and personal service (rather than saving a few dollars and paying for it in frustration during the project), and they value the expertise other professionals bring to help them succeed. The pricing statistics below reflect this level of design and service.
How much should you budget for custom website design or graphic design?
We'll provide you with a complete web design pricing list (and a supplementary graphic design price list, if you'd like) when we meet, but for now, here's some information from the most current industry surveys of web and graphic design professionals.
According to the latest Graphic Artists Guild survey of US graphic design professionals, small businesses typically pay $7,750 to $15,000 for a static website design of 5 to 30 pages. (A static website typically doesn't provide interactivity between it and its visitors other than contact and signup forms, and the text and images on any given webpage are the same from user to user.) This doesn't include writing, search engine optimization, programming, or the like. According to the same survey, small businesses pay $3,000 to $10,000 for a custom logo design.
Why does custom web design and graphic design cost so much?
We saw an excellent post the other day in an online forum:
If you think professionals are expensive, just wait until you see how much amateurs cost. (In terms of lost customers and lost sales, an amateur or a cheap D.I.Y. package can be very expensive indeed.)
Custom web design and graphic design are professional services provided by design and marketing experts, just as law firms offer services in their areas of expertise. If you wouldn't trust your livelihood during a major lawsuit to a paralegal earning $17 per hour, why would you trust your company branding and visual presence—among customers belonging to the most visual species on the planet—to someone inexperienced in effective design?
The best website design can look so simple and intuitive, it can make you wonder how much could have gone into it... but it looks that way precisely because it was designed by a web design expert. Think of it this way: Serena Williams and Andy Roddick (experts in what they do) make dominating a tennis court look easy, but try it for yourself and you'll quickly discover the challenges.
Much more goes into custom website and graphic design than one might think: marketing strategy, design psychology, target market preferences, website usability for various market segments, organizational considerations, the strategic use of white space, and many other factors, all customized specifically to your company's target market, geographic areas, and goals.
The best web design (and graphic design) pays off, too. "Effective branding actually creates fee buoyancy," says super-successful consultant Alan Weiss, author of Value-Based Fees: How to Charge—and Get—What You're Worth. "There is actually one thing better than a buyer impressed by you and respecting you on sight, and that is the buyer impressed by you and respecting you before ever laying eyes on you."
How does the value of a custom website design stack up against other marketing?
The cost of a custom web design can easily equal that of purchasing the space for several ads in a local newspaper. (Note: that's just the space for the ads; it doesn't usually include designing or writing the ad.)
When you consider that those ads will be in the recycling bin the next day, while a website works for you 24 hours a day all year and every year, the value of a well-designed website quickly becomes apparent!
A similar principle applies to custom logo design or stationery like letterhead or business cards; while it may seem like a substantial investment upfront, when you consider that your firm is likely to use that logo for the life of the firm (which may exceed your own lifetime), you quickly realize that the cost can easily be a tiny fraction of a penny each day. And few business items are more visible than a logo, which represents the company nearly everywhere: on business cards, across giant banners and t-shirts, on signs and buildings, on paper and on television screens.
Smart business owners resist the temptation to be penny-wise, pound foolish.
Do you need a custom website design?
That said, we're business owners, too; we know there are new needs nearly every time you turn around, all requiring a bite out of your budget... so while logo design is a wise investment anytime, let's consider whether you need a custom website design right now. The answer may be yes, or it may be no.
In general, the more competitive your industry is in the geographic area you serve, the more you'll need a high quality, custom website. To find out, first identify your competitors.
Keep in mind that your geographic area may be served by national or international firms, so don't automatically limit yourself to local competitors. For product businesses, competition is likely to be national: most products that can be purchased locally can also be purchased online and shipped to the customer.
If yours is a service business, look up your business category in the online Yellow Pages or search for your service categories on Google, using a variety of search terms, and see what comes up not only in the natural results but in the "sponsored links" to the right of the page. Are there national or international firms among them? If so, they're also your competitors.
Next, evaluate the website design of your competitors.
If your competitors' sites are professionally designed, you'll need to at least match the level of their websites to stay in the game. To gain an edge, you'll need to do them one better. Recall this statistic from our web design page: researchers have found that people form judgments about websites—based solely on the design quality of the site—in as little as 0.5 seconds. In today's world, where the next website is only one or two clicks away, high quality design is more than a competitive advantage for many firms; it has become a cost of doing business.
If your competitors' websites are poorly done, though, you have more flexibility. (To be sure this is the case, ask an experienced designer or a member of your target market to evaluate the websites, rather than relying on your own very different perspective.) You can invest in a high-quality, custom website design and immediately gain a visible edge over your competitors, or you can build a simple, informative online presence using a template, and regularly check your competitors' websites. When they upgrade, it's time for you to quickly upgrade to a custom website design. Likewise, if a new competitor shows up on the scene with a professional website, it's also time to upgrade—be sure to monitor this on Google.
(When time is of the essence, we're here to help... we offer a speed guarantee to get your website up and running quickly.)
Are we right for you?
Price is only one consideration!
We help our clients increase business sales. Most of our clients are women entrepreneurs and successful female business owners, but we also regularly work with men whose firms offer products and services to women. (What appeals to women consumers is often different than what appeals to male customers, so it's critical for these firms to strike the right chord with the women in their target markets.)
We keep up on the latest market research on women consumers daily and use the data in our web design work, graphic design, and copywriting. Each website we create for our women-focused clients is completely custom to them and geared to marketing to women consumers in mass affluent households—those with annual incomes of roughly $50,000 to $200,000.
No one expects an outstanding firm to come cheap... but you're in luck! We offer an excellent value compared to national market rates.
Here's more information on whether we're the right graphic and web design firm for you.
What would you like to know?
- If you'd like to contact us, visit our contact Aio Design page
- If you’d like to find out more about us, visit our about Aio Design page
- If you‘re interested in a custom web design or redesign, visit our web design page
- If you're looking for practical ways to improve your existing website, order our website analysis
- If you’re looking for information to help you, see our helpful articles page or order our free report
