When shopping for just about anything it is natural for consumers to want to get the best price possible for what they want (or need). With that said, it is easy to get caught up in the price and forget other very important criteria. Your website is the online storefront for your business and you want it to be presented professionally and easily accessible. You get what you pay for and that is no different when it comes to cheap websites. Do you want “cheap” associated with your business? You want to make sure your website works for you, not against you.
5 Ways Cheap Websites can be Expensive for Your Business
Choosing the right web developer or design firm should not just be about cost. Today we are going to review 5 ways Cheap Websites can be expensive for you and your business.
While you might be on a budget there is still a big difference between experienced web development firms that are affordable (when you consider the benefits a well developed site can provide) and just plain cheap.
What does cheap actually mean?
Cheap is defined as costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive. It can also mean: of little account; of small value; shoddy.
A key takeaway here is that those are words you don’t want people associating your website with. Again, your website is the online representation of your business and brand. It is also imperative to understand that by cheap we don’t mean affordable.
Think of it like buying a new house. A cheaply constructed house is one that the contractor has skimped on materials and cut corners where he could to save money which might mean things aren’t up to code and walls are hiding underlying problems; but hey the price is low.
An affordable website might not have all of the bells and whistles you ideally want, but at the same time the construction of the website and underlying coding are very solid and trouble free, allowing for future additions and no concerns over hidden problems hiding behind the walls and under the floorboards.
So here are the 5 ways cheap websites can cost you in the long run:
- Lack of Help or Support – One problem many people have had with cheap website designers or agencies is that there is virtually no support. Sure, before they take your money they sell you that they will be there when you need them most but that just isn’t practical. Poor support can range from communication about the site, meeting deadlines, ongoing support for questions or problems and fixing errors that occur down the road that the web development firm should be responsible for. Time is money and you need to have a site up and running that is functional to make you money and you don’t want to waste time chasing down your web designer for answers or
- Poor Functionality – Another hidden pitfall of cheap website design is the poor functionality that often accompanies them. Many people end up paying for a second site because over time they realize that the first, cheaper design is costing leads and business (or sometimes they never even receive a fully functional website). A poorly developed website will cause potential customers to leave your site in an instance. From bad functionality (errors and missing pages) to confusing navigation elements are just a few reasons customers will jump ship in a hurry.
- Lack of Research – That cheap website design is most likely on a tight time constraint which is limited to the actual build of your site which means no time is being spent on research. Research is a critical component of online success these days. How can a good site be built without understand of your business and your industry? How can it be effective without knowing the best methods of lead generation for your demographic? Again, this can affect your ability to generate business which could be an expensive mistake. Having just a web presence means nothing, if proper research is not done to understand your business and industry. What good is a website if it doesn’t bring you any new business and potential customers? By now everyone should realize that a website or web presence is an essential aspect of every business.
Poor Performance in Search Engines – This kind of falls into the previous lack of planning we just discussed. Lack of SEO planning can leave your website buried in search engine results or have you competing for search engine terms that won’t get you potential customers. Even worse are SEO black hat techniques that could get your site ignored or blacklisted by Google all together.
- No Originality – While this may not be a big deal to some people, for many it is. Who wants to be like everyone else? In the business world, using a cookie-cutter design that lacks originality is not only cheap but it will also affect the perception people have of your business and brand. How does using an unoriginal design set your business apart and show people you are different or better than the competition? Many times people make a decision about a business solely from their online presence; if that presence is costing you business that is another expensive mistake.
And the “Upshot” is (definition: the final or eventual outcome or conclusion of a discussion, action, or series of events.):
A website is an essential part of any business and can be a key element of your business plan, method for generating leads and closing sales. While an inexpensive website might save money initially, our 5 ways a cheap websites can be expensive shows how that upfront savings might cost your business a lot of money down the road. Our suggestion? Make the investment now with a quality web developer and save yourself the frustration of pouring money into a cheap website that never proves to be a vital asset to your business.
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