How Much Does a Website Cost in Northwest Arkansas?
Adam Ritchey
Interra Design Studios
NWA Graphic Design Blog
It’s the first question almost everyone asks, and most web design firms won’t answer it on their website. I understand why: every project is different. But “it depends” isn’t useful when you’re trying to set a budget, so here’s a straight answer from someone who has been building websites in Northwest Arkansas since 2004.
The short answer
For a typical small business in NWA, a professionally designed website falls into roughly three tiers:
- Small brochure site (5 to 10 pages): $2,000+
- Mid-size business site (10 to 30 pages, custom design, content writing): $5,000
- Large or complex site (ecommerce, custom functionality, integrations): $25,000+
What actually drives the price
Number of pages. Every page has to be designed, written, and built. A 6-page site and a 40-page site are different jobs.
Who writes the content. Writing is the single biggest bottleneck in most website projects. If you supply finished text and photos, the project moves faster and costs less. If we write it, that’s time billed.
Functionality. Online stores, booking systems, member logins, and connections to other software (CRMs, inventory, payment processors) all add development time.
Photography. Stock photos are inexpensive. Custom photos of your team, building, and products cost more but make a real difference in how trustworthy a site looks.
SEO. Many aspects of search engine optimization are included in our basic package. But a true SEO package is measured in months, with work done long after the site is launched.
It might seem self-apparent, but the more a client can do for themselves, the less the website will cost. Anytime a client has their own photos or webpage copy, that’s a significant part of the project we do not need to charge for.
Costs people forget
The design fee isn’t the whole cost of owning a website. Budget for:
- Domain name: renewed yearly
- Hosting: monthly or yearly, depending on the plan
- Maintenance: plugin, theme, and security updates, either done by you or paid for monthly
- Content updates: new staff, new services, seasonal changes
A website that’s built and then left alone slowly breaks. That’s why we offer monthly website management for clients who don’t want to deal with it themselves.
Why cheap websites often cost more
A professionally-developed website will stay fresh and engaging for many years. Freebie / super-cheap websites quickly show their age. And if a business needs to redesign their website every few years, your ongoing cost can quickly outpace the professional website option in the first place.
Getting an accurate quote
The fastest way to get a real number is to know three things before you call: roughly how many pages you need, whether you’ll provide the writing and photos, and whether you need anything beyond a standard informational site.
If you’re in Fayetteville, Rogers, Bentonville, Springdale, or anywhere else in NWA, take a look at our website design services and send us a note. We’ll give you a straight number.