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The digital world is getting enhanced every single day and with the look of things, companies in Malawi ought to prioritize having a digital presence. Research shows that having a website can increase sales by 45% and over 80 percent of consumers do research online before buying a product or acquiring your services. And, having a website that is effective – which accurately reflects your brand is very important.
However, having recognized the importance of having a digital presence, many companies and organizations have boldly come to us and the first question they ask is the cost of having a website and only a small percentage ask the benefits of having one.
To begin with, the cost of your website will depend on your requirements such as the number and type of features you need etc. It’s impossible to justify a certain price without having an overview of your requirements. We believe that every company has its own set of unique requirements that are in alignment with the company’s objectives. This is what determines the pricing strategy.
The nature of a specific company’s requirements also attracts the complexity or simplicity of the website creation which also determines the costs. For example, some companies just need to display their information and provide contact details, this would cost way less compared to others. It’s like going to a car dealer and asking about the cost of a car. Before you go any further the car dealer will ask about the kind of car you need and your budget.
Only when you describe what you need and your budget, will the car dealer help you to locate the perfect car for you. Your specifications will determine the cost of the car too. It works the same way with web development, unless you say what you want and the specifications you need, will you be effectively assisted. How much you will spend on your website project also depends on whether you want to build the website yourself or you want to hire someone.
Either way, the costs incurred are different. For example, if you hire someone, the cost will depend on what (Content Management System) (CMS) he will use if he is designing or developing from scratch, etc. This will determine how much time he will take to complete your project.
Nevertheless, there are four features that contribute to the costs of your website development namely;
Initially, before any steps have been taken to develop any website, developers need to understand what you want to achieve by developing the website. What specific goals you are hoping to achieve by developing your website? Do you just want your information on the website or you are looking for an advanced website that automatically does the work for you?
The more complex your objective is the more the costs increase. A small static information website can cost you from MK200,000 while a dynamic website with more functionalities can cost you around MK800,000 and above. But again, the cost of the design and development will totally depend on what type of website you want determined by your business goals.
Of course, there are website builders that allow you to create a simple basic website in no time with minimal costs however, if you have a plan to scale, it is not a recommended solution because you will end up paying more than expected as you will be required to hire someone experienced to add more complex functionalities on that platform. You can fill out our questionnaire here to get an accurate quote for your next project.
A domain name is a unique internet identity that can be used only by you. It is actually the address that people type in a web browser to access your website. To ensure you have intellectual rights to the domain name, you have to register it for a minimum of one year and it is expected to be renewed every year. If you don’t renew it, you lose the rights, and is available to be registered by other entities.
The price of the domain depends on the extension you want to register i.e .COM, .ORG, .MW etc. The charges generally cover the maintenance cost of the accredited domain registry entity. You can acquire your brand-new domain from us by clicking here.
Web Hosting is defined as the service of providing the computer equipment and software for a website on the internet and making it available for people to see. This computer is called a server on which you can store all the files and data necessary for your website to work properly. The server is always connected to the internet so that your website can be found 24/7/365 as long as you continue paying for this service.
Without a hosting service, your website cannot be accessible on the internet. When buying a web hosting service, there are some factors you need to check properly. These include and are not limited to: Bandwidth – the limit of user traffic your website can have Storage – how much space you will need depending on the size of your website files Scalability – if you run out of space, can you easily upgrade without any hassles? Support – how quickly you will be assisted when you have an issue with your service Backup – does the website provide full backups in case you are hacked or run into a certain problem Business emails – Does your hosting package come with free business emails or do you have to pay separately?
There are many companies out there providing free hosting services however it is not recommended for business websites because the chances of people stealing your data is high. At Freelance Web Solutions we have affordable hosting packages from only Mk4,000 a month.
Your website needs to be updated regularly – either by uploading new content or fixing bugs. Take it as a car which needs service every now and then. You can learn more about website maintenance services here. The cost of this service from Freelance Website is between MK5,000 to MK55,000 a month depending on the maintenance tasks to be carried out on the website.
Other things to consider:
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a green padlock symbol that you see in a web browser indicating the website is secure to browse. It protects the exchange of valuable information visitors send to or receive from a website e.g through filling a contact or quote form. In 2017, Google started flagging websites with no SSL certificates – telling users that the website they are trying to visit is not secure and encouraging them not to proceed or do any action like filling out a form etc.
When you’ve got an SSL certificate protecting your site, your customers can rest assured that the information they enter on any secured page is encrypted and cannot be hijacked by others. So, it is a must that each website should have an SSL certificate. You can get an SSL certificate for free with any of our hosting packages. However, other websites like those offering payment gateways may need paid SSL Certificates. You can always reach out to us and ask which SSL certificate is right for you.
However, a free SSL Certificate is enough for small & medium-sized businesses and startups as they don’t need payment gateways.
By now I am sure you have a clear picture of how much your website may cost you and how far stretched your budget should be. Regardless of the costs, a website really elevates your sales experience and every expenditure returns to you multiplied increasing ROI.
Check out here the effectiveness of owning a website. If you have further inquiries, please don’t hesitate to inform us, we’d be glad to hear from you.
