Helpful Things to Know When Considering a New Website…
So, you’ve figured out that you need an effective new website, but now what?!
There’s a lot more to website ownership than meets the eye.
However, with the right information, it can be a breeze to get your online presence up and going!
3 Key Areas of Cost Involved with Getting a New Website Up and Running:
DOMAIN NAMES
The domain name, or url, is the address for your website. It’s what folks will type in, or what will show up, when they land on your page.
So, for example, “lifelightcreative.com” is our domain name. And domain names are not free. These have to be purchased, registered and maintained. Domain name registration is typically priced at a yearly rate.
Prices range from a few dollars to upwards of $100 depending on the top-level domain (TLD) extension (.com, .net, etc.) you need.
Website Hosting
This is where you’ll pay for room on a server somewhere in cyberspace to house the content and code that makes up your website.
Prices for hosting vary widely, depending on your site’s specific needs. Typically this shouldn’t cost the average website owner a great deal.
You should expect to pay around $150 a year for basic hosting. Other costs may apply when your site needs a security certificate or other enhanced features.
Design & Development
Website design / website development is where you’ll spend the most money for your new site. What you pay here, though, completely depends on who is developing the site, what software and tools are being used, applicable license fees, the amount of content, how interactive and functional it needs to be, etc.
Building a new website can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
Remember, though, that if it’s done well in the first place, it will save you further costs down the road.
Questions to Ask…
Maintenance
What kind of tools will I need to maintain the site after it is built?
Website Hosting
Will my site require any sort of special hosting package because of the software used?
Support After the Sale
What kind of support can I expect after the site is built?
Standards
If you are unavailable, will I be able to find someone who can help me with any changes to my site in the future, i.e., do you use standard tools and software?
Training
What kind of tools will I need to maintain the site after it is built?
Budget Choices
Will you give me choices for reducing costs where possible when building the site?
Hosting Support
Will you / are you able to help me if my site gets hacked?
Site Ownership
Will I own all the content, domain names and software after you are done building the site, or is there something proprietary you will continue to own?