Web design costs, factors and differences

Four types of page layout

The layout your website is built on decides how it behaves on every screen your customers use.

Static page layout

A static page layout is the most basic web design layout you can get. It is not mobile-friendly and won’t adapt to your users’ browsers. Typically, this type of website is from the past. If you want to be successful in this generation, you need an upgrade.

Liquid page layout

The liquid page layout adapts to the width of the browser, but because it uses percentages instead of pixels, it may not adapt appropriately. On very large browsers, the content may stretch out too far. You know the type: a full paragraph stretched into one line, and the reverse on smaller browsers, where the content looks too crowded. It’s an upgrade, but is it the best? Probably not.

Adaptive page layout

The adaptive page layout detects the width of the browser and alters the layout, but it uses fixed widths to define the layout. If a browser’s dimensions fall between those fixed widths, the page will not adjust correctly, meaning some content may not end up in the right place. This type of page layout creates a good temporary website, as it can be done faster than a responsive layout, but it still isn’t the very best you can get, and you can do better.

Responsive page layout

The responsive page layout uses both relative units and media queries, accommodating any browser width, narrow or wide. It is designed first to fit a mobile device, then stretched to fit any tablet or desktop. If you are looking for a mobile-friendly website, this is the best choice, but keep in mind that it will take longer to design and develop. You’ve reached the best you can get: your users can see your website on any browser, including their mobile devices.

Are you getting the best for your company with your website design package?

Remember, a company can build you a pretty website. But are they including the content needed for a better Google rank? What are your consumers searching to find your products or services? The correct content includes keywords to make sure your customers find your website during their search.

For example, if you were an ice cream shop named Margarets, you wouldn’t want to be showing up in Google for just Margarets. How are consumers supposed to know that you are an ice cream shop? A consumer will search “ice cream shop near me”, and Margarets needs to have visibility for that search. With the correct headings and content on your website, keywords such as “ice cream shop near me” will reach the consumer accordingly.

Not only is content crucial on your website, but also on your social media accounts. A good design company also links your social media posts to your website, gaining more traffic for your site. Blogs are also integral to your strategy for gaining exposure for your website, again using the keywords your consumers search to reach them.

If you paid for a website and you find that you aren’t ranking for certain keywords, you may feel like you’ve been ripped off. Run two quick checks:

• Look at your headings. Do they say generic titles such as Home, About, Services, Contact? If they do, you have a problem. Your titles should rank for keywords that potential consumers are searching for, such as “ice cream near me”, “ice cream shop Canada” and so on.
• Scroll through the content on your website. Can you click any words that direct you to another page of yours, allowing your consumer to get more information about what you do? These words are also keywords you are trying to rank for in Google. If you haven’t found any yet, again, you may start to feel like you’ve been ripped off.

Main factors influencing prices of website design

Why do quotes you have received from different web design companies range from one extreme to the other? What does this mean? Why is one quote so cheap and the other out of this world?

The first thing to mention is that the cheapest website is NOT the best way to go. Your website is a significant part of your business, and it shouldn’t be an element you cheap out on.

The cheapest website posted online ranges around $499, but this will be as basic as basic can get. It will have no proper content or headings, and will likely not be mobile-friendly either. Why even bother with something like this?

The most expensive website design ever built was $18,000,000. Yes, that is 18 million dollars. Of course, that is outrageous unless you are the US government.

So what is a fair price to pay for a good website that gives you true value for your money? Here are some of the factors that go into a web design price:

• Account services. This is your frontline customer service rep, who communicates your ideas to their team and sees your project through to the end.
• Planning. After understanding your web design vision, how does the web design company align your objectives with your consumers? A good one extensively researches your consumers and how to reach them effectively.
• Design. Next, your design company focuses on the branding, themes, perceptions, photos, font selections and the many other visual aspects going into your custom website. A good company shows you the progress of your website, allows you to critique and voice your opinions and ideas, and encourages you to fully reach the vision you have.
• Development. This part of the project is the largest. Normally, a company will have an accredited website developer who works on the front end and back end of your website.
• Deployment. Time to go live. Letting the whole internet see your completed website is your chance to make a first impression on the world. Make sure you proof it before going live.
• Payroll. Now that you see the extensive process of developing a custom, quality website, you can appreciate that you are buying the design company’s expertise and personnel. The creative and technical workers who get your project done right are what it all boils down to. From start to finish, a project can take approximately 150 to 300 hours for a good design company to complete. The best price, for great quality, with a design company truly working in your best interests is around $3,500 to $5,000.

We hope you enjoyed our post and found the information you need.