BUILDING A WEBSITE ON A BUDGET: WHAT ESSENTIAL FEATURES SHOULD YOU CONSIDER

For support with building your website on a budget, there are a range of essential web features to consider:

• SEO and PPC
• Using plugins
• Call to actions
• Contact information
• Web care plans
• Payment plans
• Website design

Whether you’re a startup or an established company, a website serves as the cornerstone of your online identity and a strong online presence is crucial for businesses of all sizes.

However, building a website doesn’t always have to come at a huge cost. By focusing on essential features and leveraging cost-effective strategies, you can create a professional and impactful website without exceeding your budget. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore key elements to consider when building a website on a budget.

ENSURE YOUR WEBSITE IS FOUND WITH SEO & PPC

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) plays a vital role in driving organic traffic to your website. By optimising your site’s content and structure, you can improve its visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) and attract potential customers. 

It is important to focus on relevant keywords related to your business, industry, and location to enhance your website’s discoverability. Additionally, consider incorporating local SEO strategies, such as including location-based keywords like “Website Design Sutton Coldfield,” to target audiences in specific geographic areas.

SEO is essential for long-term growth and as a result, it can take some time to see significant results. This is one of the reasons it is often complemented by Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.

With PPC campaigns you can target specific keywords and demographics, driving targeted traffic to your website whilst your SEO strategy takes effect.

OPTIMISING YOUR WEBSITE WITH PLUGINS

Plugins are invaluable tools for enhancing the functionality and performance of your website.

Whether you’re using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress or building a custom website, plugins can streamline various tasks and improve the user experience. 

From optimising load speed to reducing memory usage, plugins play a crucial role in ensuring your website runs smoothly and efficiently, improving the user experience for your own customers or clients. 

Look for plugins that address common optimisation issues, such as caching, image compression, and code minification, to help improve performance. These are very cost-effective, as they aren’t a costly investment but will have a huge impact on your website’s performance.

DRIVE CONVERSIONS WITH ENGAGING CALLS TO ACTION

At the heart of every successful website are compelling calls to action (CTAs) that prompt visitors to take specific actions. Whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting more information, effective CTAs guide users through the conversion funnel and turn visitors into customers.

When planning your new website, prioritise clear and compelling CTAs that stand out and encourage engagement. Use persuasive language, vibrant colours, and strategic placement to draw attention and drive conversions. The easier you make it for users to act, the more likely they are to do it.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA ICONS

Easily accessible contact information is essential for building trust and facilitating communication with your audience. Include your business’s phone number, email address, and physical address prominently on your website to make it easy for visitors to get in touch. 

Additionally, integrate social media icons that link to your profiles on popular platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram. Through this, you can expand your reach, engage with your audience, and drive traffic back to your website.

To minimise costs, consider linking your contact information directly to your preferred communication instead of implementing a contact form. This approach ensures that users can reach you quickly and efficiently without the need for additional plugins or custom development.

SUPPORTING YOUR WEBSITE WITH A WEB CARE PLAN

Maintaining your website’s security and functionality is crucial for long-term success. 

A web care plan provides ongoing support and maintenance services to keep your website running smoothly and securely.

From regular backups and software updates to malware scanning and uptime monitoring, a comprehensive web care plan safeguards your investment and minimises the risk of downtime or security breaches. 

They are a very cost-effective way to look after your website as it prevents the small fixes from becoming costly issues over time. Investing in a web care plan means you can protect against potential threats and ensure your website is performing at its peak, providing a seamless user experience for your visitors.

LOOK FOR AN AGENCY OFFERING A PAYMENT PLAN

When selecting a web design agency or developer, ask about payment options and flexibility. A lot of agencies offer payment plans or instalment options to help you spread out the cost of your website project over time and allocate your budget more effectively. 

There is also the potential to build an initial one-page simple CMS website that can later be updated and added to over time as your organisation grows or your budget increases. By doing this the initial cost of the site will be far less than a website with multiple pages and functionalities.

It’s always best to discuss any budget constraints and project requirements with the agency you are looking to work with because they may be able to suggest an alternative solution that better meets your requirements without sacrificing quality. 

THINKING ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE IN TERMS OF COSTS

It’s great that you are getting yourself a new website, but have you considered how you are going to cover the costs of the next steps? 

You need to drive traffic to your website, maintain it on an ongoing basis and add or refresh the content to keep your audience engaged. If you are looking to save your budget, then why not undertake some training and look after this yourself? 

For example, CMS training will help you learn how to edit pages and content on your website, whilst Analytics training can help you to understand how it is performing, so you know where best to allocate your budget in the future.

Did you know we also offer training in these areas through our Digital Marketing Masterclasses? 

HOW OUR WEBSITE DESIGN EXPERTS CAN HELP

As a leading website design agency in Sutton Coldfield, we are the experts in custom website development. We have significant experience building bespoke websites for organisations of all shapes and sizes from a variety of industries.

Our work focuses on your functionality requirements through cost-effective website design within your budget, whilst incorporating mobile-friendly website design.

We also support with the ongoing maintenance of websites through our Web Care Plans.

If you are looking for a new website, get in touch today to discuss your requirements in more detail. Call us on 0121 355 8092 or email info@edge-creative.com.