At Electrum Branding, we are often asked, “What’s a website cost?” Our standard reply is, “The same as a house.”

Nine times out of 10, we are met with, “But a house can cost a few thousand dollars or a few million.” Which is our point exactly! Just as there are multiple variables that affect the price of a home, there are functions and capabilities that influence the price of a website.

Since a man’s home is his castle, you can learn a lot about a person by their home’s curb appeal, cleanliness, décor, and amenities.  The same is true for brands. A website’s design, loading speed, capabilities and overall user experience can influence how the brand is perceived. 

So back to the question, “What does a website cost?” Like most everything, when it comes to websites, you get what you pay for. However, as the first impression many people get of your brand, a website is not a place to cut corners.  Like real estate, investing in key components such as kitchens and bathrooms can provide a great return on the initial investments.  The same goes for websites.

Consider the following comparisons and ask yourself, if your website were real estate, what terms would you include in its listing?

Converted Garage Efficiency Apartment
A do-it-yourself website, like a converted garage apartment, is a cost saving tactic that has very little function and even less design.

Studio Apartment
A one-page website may have great design but it has nowhere to take its visitors. 

McMansion
A size-able website with multiple pages that hasn’t been updated in years appears dated the moment you see it.

Penthouse in a Landmark Building
When your website is optimized for search engines, it’s as easy to find as a penthouse atop downtown’s most well-known building.

Corner Lot with Amazing Curb Appeal
By employing Responsive Web Design your website will look its best on any device – desktop, laptop, tablet or Smartphone.

Gated Community
Having a secure website not only puts your customer at ease, but it helps in search engine optimization as well.

5th Floor Walk Up Apartment
Your website may be awesome, but if it takes a Herculean feat of patience to wait for it to load, few people will invest the time.

Mixed Use Residential/Retail Development
By adding e-commerce to your website, you can make shopping even easier than walking out the front door. 

Chef’s Kitchen, Spa Bathroom, or Swimming Pool
By incorporating elements that will engage your visitors and offer them an experience, you can increase the chances they will share its content or recommend your website to others.

Open Concept Floor plan
A website with clear navigation and plenty of internal links to relevant pages within the site make it easier for the visitor to explore and learn more about your brand, as opposed to pages that lead the visitor to a series of dead ends.

So, is it time to renovate your website or trade up to a better one? Ask yourself these 6 website questions to help you decide. As award winning website design and development experts, Electrum Branding can ensure that your website is an asset to your brand and a stellar member of your marketing and sales team.