How Much Does It Cost to Set Up a Website for a Small Business?

How Much Does It Cost to Set Up a Website for a Small Business? A Comprehensive Guide

If you own a small business and are thinking about taking it online or having a new website designed, the process can feel daunting with so much information to digest and critical decisions to make. A common initial question for many is: “How much does it cost to hire someone to build a website?” This updated blog post will not only give you a clear idea of the costs involved but also equip you with the essential questions to ask your chosen website designer to ensure you’re getting genuine value for your investment.

Why is understanding website costs crucial for small businesses?

In today’s digital-first world, a strong online presence is no longer optional. For small businesses, your website often serves as your primary storefront, sales team, and customer service hub. Understanding the investment required helps you budget effectively, set realistic expectations, and ultimately, build a digital asset that drives growth.

Should You Hire Someone to Make Your Website, or Go DIY?

You can certainly take the DIY route to create a website, utilizing user-friendly website builders like Squarespace and Wix. With enough time, dedication, and a willingness to learn, you can get a basic site online. However, before committing to a DIY project, ask yourself:

• Do you truly have enough time and expertise to invest in a DIY project? Building a website goes beyond just dragging and dropping elements; it involves understanding user experience, mobile responsiveness, and foundational SEO.
• Would the same budget and effort be better spent hiring a professional website designer?

Building a truly effective, SEO optimised website that genuinely helps convert visitors into customers involves a rigorous and often laborious process. Nothing truly good comes easy. For most small business owners, hiring an expert in this field is often the best option if you want to see a significant return on your investment and free up your valuable time to focus on running your business.

How To Choose Your Website Designer: Key Considerations & Questions

Just like any industry, there’s a wide spectrum of pricing and skill levels among website designers and agencies. To avoid overpaying for your website and ensure you partner with the right design company for your specific needs, we’ve outlined a few crucial things to consider when hiring a website designer and what questions you absolutely need to ask.

Things to check (before you even ask questions):

• Do they have a robust portfolio of recent work you can view? Look for examples relevant to your industry or business size.
• Do they have strong reviews and testimonials from previous customers? Check Google My Business, Trustpilot, or other independent review platforms.
• Do they have their own in-house team, or do they primarily outsource? While outsourcing isn’t always bad, understanding their operational model is important for communication and project management.

Key questions to ask your potential website designer:

• “Can you walk me through your typical site build process from start to finish?” This helps you understand timelines, milestones, and your involvement.
• “What kind of maintenance and support do you offer after the website design is complete?” Ongoing support, security updates, and backups are critical.
• “How many revisions are included in the quoted price, and what’s the process for additional changes?” Clear revision policies prevent scope creep and unexpected costs.
• “Will I receive the original website files and full ownership of the site upon completion?” This is crucial for future portability and control.
• “What assets do we, as the client, need to supply (e.g., text, images, logos), and by when?” Understanding your responsibilities helps streamline the project.
• “What is the estimated timeline for this project, from kick-off to launch?” Get a realistic expectation for completion.
• “How do you optimise websites for mobile responsiveness and search engine optimisation (SEO)?” These are non-negotiables for online visibility.
• “Can you provide a detailed breakdown of all costs included in your proposal?” Transparency is key to avoiding hidden fees.

How Much Does a Professional Website Cost for a Small Business? (The Numbers)

The upfront cost of a brand new website or a significant website redesign can vary entirely based on your specific needs, desired functionalities, and the technology route you decide to build it on. Generally, there are two primary choices when it comes to having a website built:

1. Hand-coded/Custom Developed Websites: (e.g., built with React, HTML, Gatsby, custom PHP frameworks)
2. Content Management System (CMS) Websites: (e.g., WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace)

Depending on which route you take will be the primary factor in determining your costs. Content Management System (CMS) websites are, as a general rule, considerably more cost-effective for small businesses than hand-coded ones. This is because their back-end infrastructure is largely pre-built, requiring less bespoke development time from the designer.

• Hand-coded/Custom Websites: These usually start around £2,000, and the upper price limit can be significantly higher – truly “the sky is the limit” depending on the complexity, unique functionalities, and integrations required. However, an average cost for a custom-built small business website can range between £2,000 and £15,000. These are often preferred for highly unique applications, complex databases, or specific software integrations.
• Content Management System (CMS) Websites (WordPress, Shopify, Wix, etc.): These popular platforms can be implemented from a few hundred pounds for a very basic setup. Again, the sky is the limit when it comes to highly customised and feature-rich CMS sites. However, an average price for a professional, well-designed small business website using a CMS typically falls between £1200 and £5,000. WordPress, being the most popular CMS, offers immense flexibility and a vast ecosystem of plugins, making it a powerful choice for many small businesses. Shopify is ideal for e-commerce-focused businesses.

As the old saying goes, no matter which route you take, “you get what you pay for.” Any quote significantly less than £600 for a professional website on either system is unlikely to offer the essential functions you need, the level of quality required, or provide a tangible return on your investment in the long run.

Other Essential Costs You Need To Consider Beyond Initial Design

Website costs don’t end with just the initial design and development; there are also crucial ongoing expenses that you absolutely need to factor into your annual budget to keep your website operational, secure, and performing well.

• Domain Name: Typically costs £10 – £100 per year, depending on the domain extension (e.g., .com, .co.uk, .org) and the registrar. This is your website’s address on the internet (e.g., yourbusiness.com).
• Website Hosting: Ranges from £5 – £100 per month (or more, depending on the type of server you need). This is essentially the rent you pay for your website’s files to live on a server, making them accessible to visitors worldwide. Cheaper shared hosting is fine for new, small sites, but as traffic grows, you might need more robust solutions like VPS or dedicated hosting.
• SSL Certificate (Security): Can range from £0 – £200 per year. Many hosting providers now offer free SSL certificates (like Let’s Encrypt), which encrypt data between your website and visitors, crucial for security and SEO. Paid certificates offer higher levels of validation. Having an SSL certificate (HTTPS) is non-negotiable for any modern website.
• Website Maintenance & Support: This can range from £0 (if you do it yourself) to £1,000+ per month for comprehensive agency packages. This covers essential tasks like:
  • Software updates (CMS, themes, plugins)
  • Security monitoring and vulnerability fixes
  • Regular backups
  • Performance optimisation
  • Content updates and minor tweaks
  • Technical support

At the bare minimum, you are going to need a domain name and website hosting. Again, cheaper isn’t always better when it comes to these services. You need to ensure that the services being provided are adequate for your website’s current and future needs, or you risk wasting your budget on an unreliable or insecure foundation. Investing in quality hosting and ongoing maintenance is an investment in your website’s longevity and performance.

Conclusion: Making an Informed Decision for Your Small Business Website

Investing in a professional website for your small business is one of the most impactful decisions you can make for your future growth. By understanding the different cost factors, asking the right questions, and valuing expertise over the lowest price, you can confidently choose a website designer who will build a powerful online asset for your business. Remember, a well-designed, functional, and SEO-optimised website isn’t just an expense; it’s a strategic investment that pays dividends by attracting new customers, enhancing your brand reputation, and streamlining your business operations.

Want to get a quote for your small business website?

Book a free, no-pressure consultation with our experts to discuss your vision and discover how we can bring your online presence to life within your budget.