Website or Landingpage
Treat yourself to something decent, website builder are for children.
The most common question I'm asked is, "How much does a website cost?" My response is, "How much does a car cost?" A website or landing page can cost anywhere from next to nothing to a significant amount. It all depends on what you want.
A typical small to medium-sized business website costs around 1500-5000 Swiss Francs as of 2024.
Of course, you can get it much cheaper with an Indian web developer, student, or hobbyist web publisher, and much more expensive with a full-service communication agency that sells you an entire communication concept.
What is the right choice for me?
If you don't want to spend any money and have some design skills, a website builder might be right for you. A website builder can do many things, but unfortunately, it often can't do anything right. Most of the time, I see dreadful results: bad typography, pixelated images, a navigation nightmare, no coherent structure.
If you value quality in your business, why would you want to risk your reputation with a cheap, hastily assembled website? The first impression counts, and even if your cheap website looks good at first glance, web design is not just about appearance; it's about much more. Concept, structure, text, graphics, images, typography, UX/UI design, SEO, technology, to name just a few of the most important aspects. Even if you're a good cook, would you open a restaurant because of that?
In web design, it's not just about appearance: concept, structure, text, graphics, images, typography, UX/UI design, SEO, technology.
If you have some budget and want something decent, you're better off with a good freelancer or a small web agency. They usually create a WordPress site, although there are better alternatives available. Using WordPress in 2024 is like installing an oil heating system in 2024. WordPress is getting old and is actually a blog system. Depending on the theme and plugins, it can be slow, media management, multilingualism is a nightmare, and the installation needs to be kept up-to-date constantly, otherwise, it gets hacked.
How about a modern flat-file CMS like Kirby? It can be programmed exactly to your needs, is multilingual out of the box, and it's fast.
The path to a new website
- Analysis (current state / desired state)
- Concept (content, structure)
- Procure / create texts, images (logo)
- Optional: Wireframe
- Find template or minimal design that fits the content.
- Implementation (adapt template and CMS to the requirements)
- Capture content
- Corrections
- Online
- Maintenance
Do you also read: 7 tips for a successful website.
What else do you need?
Your work is not done with creating the website. There are many tasks waiting for you. Your site needs to be hosted somewhere, so you need a hosting provider. It's best to choose one in Switzerland since you also target Swiss customers. Why would you want to host your site with a cheap provider in Germany? If you've chosen WordPress, it needs to be regularly updated to the latest version; otherwise, you'll quickly become a target for hackers who use your installation to send spam.
You'll probably be contacted by SEO experts shortly after launching your site, offering you a super SEO package. Local.ch will knock on your door, your Google Business listing needs to be maintained, and there's also Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and all the others, not to mention Google Ads.
You can do all this yourself if you have the time and desire. If not, hire a professional, and this is where my actual service comes in. With a worry-free package, you're well looked after and keep your costs under control.
