Who in the world can you trust and how much is it going to cost? If you are looking for utah web design or search engine optimization in the beehive state, you have almost no limit of options and promises. It is difficult to compare apples-to-apples, because packages provided by every firm are not industry standard. For example, you might get a blog with one company while another doesn’t even offer it. You could ask your neighbor’s son, who is in college and knows a lot about computers, but what if your site goes down in 6 months? Little Jimmy is at college and too busy getting drunk to respond to your emails.
There is a solution to the problem: research. The cost of a normal 5-10 page custom website should run you about $1,500 - $2,500 in most cases, with some companies including logos and flash animation in that price. This is only an advantage if the product they deliver is something you are happy with. Crap seems to trickle out of India through American companies, so beware of what you are purchasing.
A template based website should run you between $499-$1,499. With that price however, be prepared for a limitation on design options as well as the possibility that you may be expected to add your own content, upload your own photos and perform your own maintenance. Some companies will provide a CMS (Content Management System) to allow the end user to update the site in real-time. No more worrying about drunk Jimmy at college. You can do it yourself.
Having a website built with a shopping cart will cost roughly $500 - $1,200 extra, depending on the customization. Going cheap on this could cost you a lot of time and money in the long run, so make sure you work with a company with a lot of experience. Don’t be afraid to ask the touch questions, and make sure you fully understand all the steps involved before you begin. For instance, did you know that you have to set up a merchant account before the shopping cart will work? Yes, you have to go to Visa and the other credit card companies, apply for a merchant account and be approved before you can collect money on-line. If you don’t get approved, you can always go for the PayPal option, but the rates are much higher than a traditional merchant account.
In summary, know what you want before you start shopping for a website. Getting a referral from a colleague could save you thousands of dollars and hours of headache. Research heavily the company before moving forward and please avoid picking a design firm based simply on price. The old saying “You get what you pay for” rings more true than most people recognize when it comes to the world of website design.