As the Internet continues to grow exponentially, many individuals and small businesses are looking for ways to save money on web design services. In today's technological era, it is nearly imperative to have a website, yet the design and maintenance of those electronic pages doesn't need to fill a budget.
Why Hire Web Design Services?
There are hundreds of do-it-yourself books, design templates, and easy-to-use programs that would make less of a dent in a limited budget. While these tools may be great ways to help save money on web design services, unless the individual or company already has some expertise with web design, it's better to hire a more experienced designer to create the best web site possible.
Reasons to hire web design services include:
- Saving time because you don't need to learn how to write the program code, create graphics, or organize the site as it is designed.
- Professionals can create a design specific to one company or individual, whereas free templates may be used by hundreds of different websites.
- Professionally designed sites can have all the bells and whistles necessary for the individual site without paying for services or design elements that won't be used.
While hiring a professional graphic or web designer may seem like an automatic blow to the budget, there are many ways to save money on the services to bring them in reach of even the most modest spending allocation.
Tips to Save Money on Web Design Services
Here are some ideas on how to save when designing a website, depending on who designs the site, what specific projects they work on, and how the website is maintained after it is complete.
Who to Hire
Professional web design firms may charge hundreds of dollars for exclusive services, but there are many less costly alternatives. Different types of designers to hire include:
- Freelance Designers. These for-hire designers work for individual clients rather than a firm. This will eliminate mark-up fees and may result in better site personalization.
- Students. Many high school and college students dabble in web design and may be willing to offer their services at greatly reduced rates. The downside is that they may not have all the expertise necessary for every feature a company wants on their website.
- School Classes. Both high school and college web design classes work on collaborative projects, and by agreeing to work within a curriculum's framework, a company may be able to have an entire class of aspiring designers work together on their website at much lower rates.
- Web Design Consultants. If you are able to do much of the design yourself, you can hire a consultant to review your work and make modifications rather than design the site from scratch. Because they are not as involved, their rates will be lower than if they complete the entire project.
Do-It-Yourself Components
Cutting out unnecessary parts of a website can also help trim costs. Items that an individual or company may be able to take care of without hiring additional help include:
- Designing Graphics. A web designer can use ready-made graphics to create a site and will then need less time to create a website, resulting in a lower bill. If graphics are necessary, keep them simple and easy to create.
- Interior Content. If the individual or company can provide the website's content (catalog, articles, biographies, etc.), the designer will only need to fashion a suitable framework for the material.
- Fancy Scripts. Java and flash graphics may be impressive, but they are also expensive to design. Limiting the use of these embellishments will also limit the bill.
- Unnecessary Pages. Not every website needs multiple history, biography, contact, and index pages. A simpler site is easier for visitors to navigate and will be easier on the budget.
- Regular Updates. While a good website does change, learning how to make changes and updates yourself after the site is complete is a good way to eliminate recurring maintenance charges. Opting for an expandable site design where basic pages can be reused guarantees the site can grow without needing additional services.
Web Design Service Discounts
Other ways to save money on web design services by opting for different discounts include:
- Agreeing to credit the web designer on each page. A few simple, unobtrusive lines at the bottom of the page will not harm the website and may result in a significant discount for the services.
- Offering services in trade. A printing company may agree to provide free or discounted business cards and stationary to the web designer, or a business may offer their services at a discounted rate in exchange for a better deal on the web design costs.
- Looking for personal connections. A web designer who is a relative or friend of an employee may offer a better rate than a comparative stranger, or they may offer discounts for websites affiliated with education, for military personnel, or from their alma mater.
Other Ways to Save Money on a Website
In addition to finding ways to save money on web design services, budget-savvy consumers and companies will look for other ways to save on their website. Options include:
- Cheap internet access
- Cheap web hosting
- Cheap computers or laptops
- Using discount software to design or maintain the site
From hiring the contractor to designing the site to regular maintenance and equipment, there are many ways to save money on web design services. Websites are valuable tools for businesses and individuals alike, but they don't need to be expensive ones.
