After a long break, we’re finally continuing our series of posts on the cost of a website. In the first article, we shared real-world examples and prices to help you understand what goes into the cost of designing a new website. If you’re interested in actual pricing, I highly recommend starting with the essential first post: how much does a website cost.
Pinning down an exact price is always a challenge, but even though we’ve already provided some ballpark figures, I’ll keep expanding this guide to make it as comprehensive as possible.
Series Navigation
- How much does a website cost: pricing
- How much does a website cost: features
- How much does a creative website cost
- How much does a website cost: materials
We’ve already discussed the pricing for the main types of websites and how adding extra features can impact the base cost. We also covered how going for a highly creative site with advanced animations and interactivity can significantly increase the price, as these projects often require complex engineering-level development.
In this post, we’ll focus on all the materials that support a website—and how the overall cost can increase if these aren’t provided by the client.
How much does a website cost: Images, copy, and other assets are billed separately
Will you provide the website copy, or do you need a copywriting service?
It goes without saying: the text on your website is crucial. So the question is simple—who will provide the copy? Will you write it yourself, or will you need to hire a professional copywriter?
If you’re comfortable writing your own content and know your business inside out, this won’t impact your website’s cost.
However, it’s worth noting that there are agencies specializing in content creation who can craft all the copy for your website. If writing isn’t your strong suit, this is often the best option. You’ll get professionally written, error-free content that’s engaging and tailored to your business. After all, your company’s introduction shouldn’t read like a dull block of text that’s harder to swallow than four paracetamols at once.
That said, it’s important to strike a balance—not too much text, but not too little either. SEO is another key factor. If you’re hiring a copywriter, make sure they’re trained in writing for the web and can optimize your content for your main keywords.
If your website is multilingual, who will handle the translations?
Once you’ve sorted out the copy, consider whether it needs to be translated into other languages—especially if your website will offer visitors the option to switch languages.
Just like with copywriting, you can either handle translations yourself (if you’re fluent in the required languages) or hire a professional translation service.
Most translation agencies charge per word.
Do you have high-quality images and photos?
If you want to showcase your company’s facilities, do you have up-to-date, high-quality photos? If so, consider whether these images present your business in the best possible light.
It’s not uncommon for clients to provide outdated or low-quality photos—sometimes so bad you want to erase your hard drive. Photos from your 2004 website might have been great back then, but now they’re outdated, the quality is poor, and Tony Soprano is standing behind the counter with pens that went out of style years ago. Yes, even pens can go out of style—at least in retro photos.
Jokes aside, it’s best to get honest feedback from your designer or web agency about your current images and consider whether…
Do you need a professional corporate photo shoot?
There’s little point in investing in a new website if you’re not willing to spend a bit more on professional photography to bring everything together.
A corporate photo shoot is often more affordable than you might think. Professional photos speak volumes about your business, and even the most impressive facilities can look underwhelming online if the images aren’t up to par.
As for pricing, a professional corporate photo shoot typically starts at around €400.
Will you purchase stock photos?
If you’d rather not invest in a photo shoot, you can always buy images from a stock photo library. These are usually very affordable and, if chosen carefully, can offer excellent quality.
Stock photo sites offer a huge variety of images just a click away.
The average price for a stock photo is about €12. If you need six images for your website, €72 is a worthwhile investment to give your site a much more professional look.
There are also free stock photo sites. A few years ago, these free options left a lot to be desired, but today, the quality is surprisingly good. While they may not always match paid libraries, they can be a lifesaver in a pinch.
Conclusion
As you can see, the total cost of a website can increase slightly depending on the need for supporting materials—whether that’s copy, translations, or images.
To sum up, ask yourself the following:
- Do we already have our corporate copy written, or will we write it ourselves?
- If yes, does it meet our quality standards?
- If not, we’ll need to hire a professional copywriter.
- If the website is multilingual, will we handle translations ourselves?
- If yes, are we truly qualified to do it professionally?
- If not, we’ll need to hire a professional translator.
- Do we have corporate photos?
- If so, are they high-quality and up to date?
- If not, should we hire a professional photographer or…
- Buy images from a stock photo library or…
- Use a free stock photo site
Ultimately, it’s best to rely on the advice of your web design and development agency. They’ll be able to give you professional guidance on whether it’s worth investing in any of the above for your project.