80% of consumers turn to websites to find out more about a company before making a purchase. Which is why there's no time like the present to streamline your site. Use this Business.com guide to understand which type of website you should really have, how to create a beautiful site, and how much it will cost you.

1. BUSINESS.COM GUIDE TO WEB DESIGN

2. CONTENTS
OVERVIEW OF WEB DESIGN 3
TYPES OF WEBSITES 7
COMPARISON CHECKLIST 14
GLOSSARY OF TERMS 15

3. 3
HOW
Over 80% of consumers turn to the Web for
information on products and services before making
a purchase.
Websites are a marketing necessity for most
companies today—an essential place to inform
customers, spread a message, and generate leads
and sales.
OVERVIEW OF WEB DESIGN
“WEBSITES ARE A
MARKETING NECESSITY FOR
MOST COMPANIES TODAY.”

4. 4
WHAT
Whether your business has a website that’s out
of date and needs to be redesigned, or you’re
launching a new website from scratch, choosing the
right vendor can be intimidating.
This guide will walk you through the steps you need to
take to find a website design firm that’s right for you,
including all the features that will influence the price of
the service.

5. 5
WHY
Before you get started evaluating your options, it’s
important to identify the main purpose and goals of
your website so that you can determine what you need.
Critical Questions
The following questions are crucial to think about before
you move forward with a website design project. Your
answers will help you determine the type of website
you need, the features you want to include, and the
information you need to provide to a vendor who could be
designing your website.
How often will the content on the site be updated?
Beyond the static company information that needs to be
added initially, how often will you be adding fresh content?
This can include blog posts, articles, videos, product
pages, etc.
How many pages and sections of pages will you need?
The number of page templates you need designed will
affect the cost of your website. It’s important to identify
which pages and sections of pages you need created,
and which of these will require a unique look and how
likely is it that your visitors will be viewing your site on a
mobile device?
With the rapid growth of smartphones and tablets, you want
to make sure that your website is easily viewable from these
devices. If mobile functionality will be a significant source
of your traffic, you may want to go a step further and have a
custom mobile website developed.
Do you intend to generate leads from the site?
Most business websites exist in order to generate leads.
It’s important to identify the types of leads you hope to
generate, as well as the content and calls to action you
need to include in order to effectively generate those leads.

6. 6
Do you intend to sell products/services and collect
payments directly from your website?
If so, you will need to incorporate e-commerce
functionality into your website. e-Commerce
considerations that will influence your website’s
development and total cost include: the number of
products and product categories, the frequency of adding
new products, credit card processing, security issues,
and whether you want to manage inventory directly
through your website.
Do you want your visitors to be able to contribute
content and/or submit feedback through your website?
Site visitor engagement is important for many businesses.
This can include the ability for customers to leave reviews
for products and comments on blog posts, as well as the
ability to submit feedback via interactive contact forms.
Do you want to maintain the site internally, or work
with a vendor who provides monthly maintenance?
If you don’t have a website or IT team to make
updates and maintain your site, you should consider
a vendor who includes maintenance for free, or for a
reasonable monthly fee.
“SITE VISITOR ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT FOR
MANY BUSINESSES. THIS CAN INCLUDE THE ABILITY
FOR CUSTOMERS TO LEAVE REVIEWS FOR PRODUCTS
AND COMMENTS ON BLOG POSTS.”

7. 7
Most websites today are built using a Content
Management System, or CMS. The CMS is the
architecture of a website that determines how you
add and modify content, and attach applications to
a website. Most content management systems allow
Web-based content publishing, content formatting,
collaborative revisions, editing, and an internal
search engine.
A good CMS allows you to add, edit, and update
content without knowledge of HTML or some other
programming language. Most employ a simple user
interface or “dashboard,” which looks like a word
processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word).
The level of CMS you use to build your website will
largely determine how customized the site is and how
much it will cost. You should have a clear idea of your
budget before you begin this process to help narrow
your focus and avoid evaluating options out of your
price range. The cost of building a website can range
from just a few dollars per month with a DIY (“Do-It-
Yourself”) website, to tens of thousands of dollars with a
custom CMS built just for your business.
TYPES OF WEBSITES
“A GOOD CMS ALLOWS YOU TO ADD, EDIT, AND
UPDATE CONTENT WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF HTML OR
SOME OTHER PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE.”

8. 8
• Level 1: Do-It-Yourself Websites. At the low end,
you can use some content management systems
for free. Examples are WordPress and Blogger
(owned by Google). You can go to these sites, open
an account, and have a website up within minutes.
Other websites such as Go Daddy and Network
Solutions offer low-cost packages that include
hosting fees and easy site design tools.
• Level 2: Custom Websites in a Popular CMS. The
next level up from a DIY site is a Custom Website
designed for a popular CMS. For these sites, you’re
working with an established CMS (WordPress,
for example), but you hire a website design firm
to create a custom look and feel for your site.
Depending on the level of customization, your
vendor will either customize an existing theme based
on your needs or design an original theme from
scratch. A custom website could cost anywhere
from under $1,000 to about $7,000, depending on
the number of customized page templates and the
extent of features needed.
• Level 3: Custom CMS. The last and most expensive
level of website design we’ll explore in this guide is
a custom CMS. This is a site where not just the way
it looks, but also the way it functions, is completely
tailored to your business. Building a custom CMS
is a considerable investment and usually requires
hiring both programmers and designers. Expect to
spend over $10,000 to build a completely custom
CMS website.
Level 1: Do-It-Yourself Websites
Your lowest-cost option for creating an affordable and
functional website for your business is to go with a “Do-
It-Yourself” (DIY) site. DIY websites, also known as “Site
Builders,” are an inexpensive, easy-to-manage option.
DIY websites allow you to create a new website without
hiring a Web design vendor, and without any knowledge
of HTML or some other programming language. To
launch a DIY website, you simply select one of many
predesigned website templates, adjust the settings,
and start adding content via an easy-to-use interface.
“DIY WEBSITES ALLOW YOU TO CREATE
A NEW WEBSITE WITHOUT HIRING A WEB
DESIGN VENDOR”

9. 9
DIY websites have several major benefits:
Low Price. DIY sites typically start at $10/month, with
no setup fees. Those rates can increase based on
additional features.
Ease of Management. DIY websites provide an all-
in-one solution for Web design. The monthly fee
usually includes website hosting, domain registration,
free website templates, and email accounts. This is
convenient because you can manage all these features
“under one roof,” without working with multiple vendors
and paying multiple bills.
Ease of Use. DIY websites are easy to use even if you
don’t know HTML or another programming language.
DIY sites are usually easy to navigate and very user-
friendly. Customers can add and update content
through a dashboard that resembles a word processor.
They can update the layout and graphics with drag-
and-drop convenience. Customers also have the ability
to easily select or change their website template, which
sets the overall design look and feel of the site.
Inexpensive Add-Ons. While most of the features
you need will be included in the monthly rate of
the package you select, some features may not be
included. Add-on features such as search engine
optimization (SEO) software, additional email accounts,
customer relationship management (CRM) integration,
and extra bandwidth can be added for extra fees or by
purchasing a larger DIY package.
The downsides of a DIY website are what you might
expect. DIY sites lack the originality and custom
features that you get with a more tailored website. That
doesn’t mean you have to settle for a dull DIY website.
As easy as it is to update content on a DIY site, it’s also
easy to adjust design elements of the website template
you choose to match the colors, style, and feel you’re
trying to achieve.
“DIY SITES LACK THE ORIGINALITY AND
CUSTOM FEATURES THAT YOU GET WITH
A MORE TAILORED WEBSITE.”

10. 10
Level 2: Custom Websites in a Popular CMS
For anywhere from under $1,000 to around $7,000,
you can create a custom website in a popular content
management system (CMS). Your Web design firm will
work with an established CMS, but will create a custom
look and feel for your site.
Most content management systems, such as WordPress
and Drupal, for example, offer free or premium website
themes. In this price range, you can have a Web design
company customize an existing theme based on the
look and feel you want—including your desired font
styles, colors, logo, and other branding. In some cases,
depending on the level of customization, your vendor
may design an original theme from scratch, rather than
customizing an existing theme.
Every CMS theme—whether it’s a free or premium
existing theme, or an original theme just for your
business—will include the layouts for several different
pages. These are known as page templates. There are
typically five or six standard page templates that come
with a CMS theme:
• Homepage template
• Top-level page template (“About
Us,” “Services,” etc.)
• Contact page template
• Blog homepage template
• Blog post template
• Archive page template
The price of your Web design project will vary based on
how many of these page templates are customized and
the extent of the customizations.
At the low end (around $800 to $1,000), you’ll get an
existing theme with a customized homepage. The other
page templates will get only slight modifications from
the original theme, so that the colors and fonts match
the customized homepage.

11. 11
For a little more money (around $1,000 to $2,000), you can
expect an existing theme with a customized homepage,
plus two to five additional customized page templates.
For about $2,000 to $3,000, you should expect an
existing theme with a customized homepage, plus six
or more customized page templates, including multiple
customized top-level page templates.
Above the $3,000 price point, depending on the level
of customization needed, your Web design vendor can
either work off of an existing theme making extensive
customizations to meet your needs, or can create a
completely original theme for your business.
For about $3,500 to $4,500, you should expect a
completely custom-designed homepage, and usually up
to seven additional page templates designed to meet the
more advanced needs of your site. Additional features
such as image galleries, custom graphics, and social
media integration may be included in this price range.
For around $4,500 to $7,000, you should expect a
completely custom-designed homepage template, and
usually up to ten additional page templates designed to
meet the more advanced needs of your site. Additional
features such as image galleries, custom graphics, and
social media integration will typically be included in this
price range.
“FOR A LITTLE MORE MONEY (AROUND $1,000
TO $2,000), YOU CAN EXPECT AN EXISTING
THEME WITH A CUSTOMIZED HOMEPAGE,
PLUS TWO TO FIVE ADDITIONAL CUSTOMIZED
PAGE TEMPLATES.”

12. 12
Level 3: Custom CMS
At the high end of modern Web design, you can
create a custom content management system tailored
specifically for your business or organization rather
than trying to conform to an existing CMS. This allows
for the integration of specific functionalities that will
benefit your business and those managing the website.
On the front end, your website design will have
extensive features and functionality, and many unique
page template designs. Some website management
may also be included free, or for a monthly fee.
Here’s a sample of what may be included. Some of
these features are available with Level 1 or Level 2
sites, but all of them are usually included with Level 3
packages:
• All hosting services (website,
domain name, and email)
• Custom graphics
• Multiple landing pages
• Email newsletter and social media integration
• Blog and forum development
• Custom internal search engine
• Photo, image, and video galleries
• Complex interactive forms
• Integration with back-office systems, such as
inventory records and accounting systems
• Custom e-commerce features, such as
product listings, a custom shopping cart,
CRM integration, and account details
viewable through the CMS directly

13. 13
Some benefits of going with a totally custom CMS include
the ability to integrate your website with the other systems
your organization uses: accounting, inventory, payroll,
CRM, etc. And custom CMS websites are usually more
secure than using popular CMS systems because the site
code is not readily available to hackers.
On the downside, once you go custom, it’s hard to go
back. You and your employees may have to learn the
custom system and train people who work on the site in
the future. It can be difficult getting your data out of a
custom site and into another program in the future. And
you will most likely have to pay for revisions and new
features as you go.
If you don’t need to develop custom CMS features,
you’re better off designing a high-end, original theme
for an existing CMS that will be easier and faster to
develop, launch, and learn. The additional budget can
be used to help improve the visibility of your website
and drive traffic via online marketing, search engine
optimization, or public relations.
“IF YOU DON’T NEED TO DEVELOP CUSTOM CMS
FEATURES, YOU’RE BETTER OFF DESIGNING A HIGH-
END, ORIGINAL THEME FOR AN EXISTING CMS.”

14. 14
This checklist will help you quickly assess
the best vendor for your needs.
Options, Features & Services
Homepage Template Design
5-page Template Designs
7-page Template Designs
10-page Template Designs
Blog Template Design
E-Commerce Functionality
Mobile Compatibility
Custom Mobile Design
Adding Page Content
Stock Images
Custom Graphics
Interactive Form(s) Development
Embedding Videos
Uploading Documents
Website Tracking Setup
Domain Registration
Website Hosting
Email Hosting
CMS Training
Monthly Site Maintenance/Support
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
My Needs Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Vendor 3
WEB DESIGN CHECKLIST

15. 15
Bandwidth: The amount of information (or data) that can be
sent or received on a website. This usually translates into the
amount of traffic and/or downloads a website can handle.
Content Management System (CMS): A system to create,
update, and manage all pages of a website—typically via a
back-end dashboard that often looks like a word processor.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Website: Also known as a “Site
Builder” website, this site can be created without any
knowledge of HTML or another programming language—
and without hiring a Web design firm—via an easy-to-use,
but rather limited, CMS.
Domain Registration: The address of your website, which
has to be registered in a public database so visitors can
access the site.
Email Hosting: Allows a website owner to establish email
accounts with the registered domain name.
PageTemplate: A designed layout for a specific page
included within a website theme or template.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The art and science of
improving a website’s visibility in search engines. A website
should be designed and developed in accordance with
SEO best practices.
Website Design: Creating the actual appearance of a
website—including graphics, color scheme, font styles,
and layout.
Website Development: The “behind-the-scenes”
programming or coding of a website so that it displays
properly in a Web browser.
Website Hosting: A website is stored (or hosted) on a
server so that it’s available for visiting.
WebsiteTemplate: A predesigned and coded website
theme usually found in DIY websites; customers select the
website template they like best, modify settings, and then
launch their website immediately.
WebsiteTheme: A collection of files used with a CMS that
includes all the images, design, and layout of a website.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS