As the co-founder of a London-based creative agency, in my line of work, people often ask “How much does a website cost?” The answer is not always straightforward. I liken it to walking in to a car dealership and asking how much a car costs. Well, what kind of car are you looking for? Ergo, what kind of website are you looking for?

But we understand that sometimes you just need a general idea. For instance, you know that a Mercedes S Class will cost a lot more than a Fiat Panda. So, after a few conversations we normally give clients a very rough idea of where we sit.

In a very unfortunate situation, someone may turn around and say “But I can get a website done for £500” (est. $600). Yes you can, but let me explain why this doesn’t work if you’re serious about your business.

Websites and Hospitality

A lot of people compare building a website to building a house. Although this is easy to understand, it’s better to compare a company website to a hotel. After all, you want to sell something with your website—an idea, a product, or a service. A hotel wants to sell something too.

You can get a website done “on the cheap”. This website will serve the utmost basic function that a website needs to fulfill: it will give prospective customers a place to look up information online.

In the same manner, the utmost basic function a hotel needs to fulfill is to provide a roof and a bed; a place where travelers can spend the night. If this was the only function a hotel needed to fulfill, a hotel developer could build a shed for a few grand and put some beds in it.

So, why do most hotel chains choose to spend millions on building a hotel that is warm, safe, comfortable and secure with amenities like restaurants, a gym and a spa?

The reason is simple: they want their guests to return and spend more money. The same goes for a website. You want online visitors, clients and customers to return and spend more money.

A well-designed hotel anticipates its visitor’s expectations. In doing so there is a better chance the hotel will become profitable. In this case, guests will not only return, but they will recommend it to their family and friends and leave raving customer reviews on travel websites.

In the same fashion, the better designed your website is, showing you’ve anticipated visitor expectations, the better the chance it will serve its purpose. An online visitor will not only return, but he or she will recommend it to others. In short, the better your company is presented, the more money a client is willing to spend.

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“Your website speaks to way more people than your average sales person does every day.” Pete Caputa, VP, Sales at Hubspot

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So, anyone wishing to build a shed, you have our full blessing. But before you start, think about the purpose of your shed. Think about what visitors will say. Think about whether they will return.

And think about how your shed will compare to the Ritz.

This article has been edited and condensed.

Bleddyn Pijpers is the co-founder and Account Director at Hire Media Network. The idea of Hire Media Network was born out of the idea that with today’s technology, you can do more, for less. We work with a number of designers and developers who are based in Europe and in Asia. By simply saving on our overhead costs, we save on our clients’ cost. Bleddyn has been in involved with a number of businesses and founded Hire Media Network in the summer of 2014. Connect with @HireMediaUK on Twitter.

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