CMS's (Content Management Systems) are all the rage. Wordpress has lowered the bar of entry to the CMS world, and made Web developers of us all. But what are the drawbacks? What are the hidden costs? Do you even need a Content Management System or are you asking for one because your neighbors kid told you it was the only way to go?
Topics: cms, CT Inbound Marketing, Content Managements Systems
How Much Does a Website cost? - Good Question. Below, the owner of a CT Web design company answers the question asked most often:
So first, let's set up some ground rules. To start with, there are really two types of Website builders and customers. There are those who need and produce 1) commodity Websites, and those who need 2) the Website to produce actual leads, a return on the investment, and a relationship with someone who can get them down the road. There is a distinct difference between amateur websites built by "Fred in the Shed", and the work of a professional development team. If you don't see the value in hiring a firm, then you can stop now. GoDaddy is the place for you.
There’s a relationship between a Web Designer and a client that develops whereby each of the parties learns what is important to each other, what the specific goals of the project are, and what are the realistic expectations once the site launches. How will the site be marketed? What can you expect in terms of market penetration? Who is handling the ongoing blogging and social media? What does success look like?
If you are looking for a commodity Website from a design template, or a quick do it yourself scenario, then you can expect to pay under a thousand dollars, and you should be pretty happy. There's not a lot to it, and if you don't need ongoing support or help, soemthing like this might be right for you. For everyone else, you are probably still wondering How Much Does a Website Cost?
There are a lot of variables here. Who is hosting the site? Who is writing the content? etc., etc.,. Let's table these for a while and focus on just the site development.
The beginner Website. Somewhere between $1,200.00 and $2,500.00
Although you can spend more or less, I don't recommend it. First, there is a definite correlation between the quality of work and a decreasing price. Anyone who charges more may have there own best interest at heart. What can you expect from a beginner Website? Typically, 5 to 7 pages; a brochure site with limited functionality where prospects and customers can review your products and services. These days, most web developers will install Google Analytics at no charge and show you how to read them.
The Custom Website. Somewhere between $2,500.00 and $10,000.00
At this price point, you will end up with a Website that is custom-tailored to meet your marketing needs as well as landing pages, downloads, and client interactvity. Custom art design and mid-level functionality will be included. In additon, many of these sites include a CMS (Content Management System) that will allow you maintain your own content and messaging. Typically, at this price point, your developer will also include some basic Search Engine Optimization, and make sure that your Website shows up on different devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Custom Business Solutions. Somewhere between $10,000.00 and $100,000.00 +
These highly complex websites include custom functionality that you are not going to find out of the box. Web application development for custom solutions is daunting for most Web developers, so there are a limited number of companies that can perform well in this arena. Typically, to get started, there is a specifications phase that outlines how the system will work, and what it will look like. This way, everyone is on the same page before programming begins. If your developer shys away from or doesn't offer a specifications phase, run. These types of applications such as e-commerce, membership sites, client portals, and other custom applications can be complex, and require an extreme investment in research, development and implementation so the entire Website experince is seamless. A word of caution: MAKE SURE that your developer of choice can demostrate success with similar projects. Otherwise, it may be time to look for another service provider.
And remember the things I told you we would table? Well here's a list that can add cost/time to your project.
The Client - Sorry, but it's time to look in the mirror. Are you picky? Disorganized? Need constant reassurance? Slow to pay? A good Web developer knows how to spot these traits, and will build something into the cost of the project to protect themselves.
Technical Details - Who is hosting the site and email? Is it some 3rd party hosting company with tech support in a non english speaking country? Is the developer goign to wait on hold for hours? Who is going to pay for the developers time?
Marketing - How much help will you need? Do you need Search Engine Optimization? One time? Ongoing? What about landing pages, offers, video, and full inbound platforms such as Hubspot or Optify?
Although there are a lot of unkowns with each specifc project, and everyones goals are slightly different, working with a firm that can help strategize and then implement exactly what you need. This goes a long way to ensuring success for your Web design project.
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Topics: web design, CT Inbound Marketing, CT web design
The explosive success of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ (and many more) can be overwhelming when you really think about it. Almost everyone is online, and most people act like it's their day job. From toddlers to adults, social media can provide companies with a large target audience. And, since the popularity of these social networking sites is constantly growing every day, small business, internet marketers, and even large corporations are beginning to understand the opportunities within this digital marketing space.
Topics: Lead Generation, Social Media Marketing, marketing, Web Marketing, CT Inbound Marketing, Inbound Marketing, digital marketing, social networking
Since its creation in 2006, Twitter has become one of the strongest and most powerful platforms that companies have at their disposal. As inbound marketers, you know how to use Twitter to push out content, drive traffic and create user engagement. And now Twitter is bringing out the big guns by making the site even more useful.
Topics: Social Media Marketing, marketing, internet marketing tips, Twitter, Twitter Analytics, CT Inbound Marketing, Inbound Marketing, digital marketing, Twitter tips, inbound marketing tips
Many marketing managers have come across a stubborn CEO in their office who refuses to believe in social media and inbound marketing. Do you have senior management that won't buy-in to anything besides traditional marketing strategies? Businesses everywhere are leveraging social media for marketing purposes, and those that don't use social media are being left out in the dark. As a leading CT Web Design Company, we've put together some ammo to help make the case.
Topics: Social Media Marketing, CT Inbound Marketing, inbound marketing blog
The latest revision of page terms for the social media mega-giant Facebook makes it even easier to draw in consumers for your business. In the past, page owners had to follow stringent rules on cover photos, which meant avoiding calls-to-action, contact info or references to price/purchase information, and images with no more than 20% text. Yep, Facebook was definitely not an inbound marketer's dream. But alas, the lead generating Gods have smiled upon Facebook business users and changed its strict guidelines. Now, the rules have changed and it's time for all you inbound marketing geniuses to reap the benefits from your Facebook marketing strategy.
Topics: Social Media Marketing, CT Inbound Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Facebook, Facebook Cover Photo Guidelines, branding
In today's internet marketing industry, losing sight of what's important is getting easier. Email advertising, social networking, geo-targeting… all these vague terms and practices can be overwhelming for the marketer. It's important to remember that in the end, lead generation is what matters. Attention grabbing headlines and catchy infographics are all for naught if you aren't successfully recruiting prospective clients. Turning your readers into buyers is a process we fancy-internet people refer to as lead nurturing. We've written about lead generation before, but we've never examined the process of snagging new clients in detail. Below is a guide to help you get started.
Topics: Lead Generation, CT Inbound Marketing, Inbound Marketing, marketing essentials
Hiring an Inbound Marketing Agency is a big investment. The upfront costs can be intimidating for many business owners, especially for those unfamiliar with the term 'Inbound Marketing' to begin with. To squash any irrational fears, let's first see what exactly an Inbound Marketing Agency will do for you company.
Topics: Lead Generation, SEO, SEO Tips, Search Engine Optimization, Web Marketing, CT Inbound Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Buisness Conversions, social networking, SEO Company
If you've read any business oriented content on the web these days, you've probably run into the term 'inbound marketing' more than a few times. If you know what this term means, then skip ahead. If you don't, listen up.
Topics: Social Media Marketing, Web Marketing, CT Inbound Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Outbound Marketing, Facebook, Blog Posts
Does your Web site generate actual leads? If not, then you might want to consider Inbound Marketing services.
What is Inbound Marketing?
Stop selling, and start informing. Become a "Trusted Source" by buiding an audience, nurturing relationships, and then converting visitors to customers. And be able to actually measure all of the conversion ratios. The Inbound Marketing process actually integrates ALL of the online marketing tools to perform a single function: Generate more traffic, engage the audience, and covert them to customers. Our system integrates:
Topics: Search Engine Optimization, CT Inbound Marketing, CT web design