Everybody these days it seems has a reason to maintain a website or a blog. Some people simply enjoy keeping track of their activities and hobbies. Others want to share their passion for things with the rest of the world. Some may wish to go into business and provide products/services anywhere in the world. Whatever the reason, a website often comes in handy for engaging in these activities and many more. Many people do not possess the inherent skills to build their own websites, and even among those who do, many are unaware of the costs involved. So what does it actually take in terms of cost to build a website? We’ll discuss these elements below so that you can be aware.

Quality Hosting Costs

There is a big expense associated with website management that is absolutely crucial in providing a quality experience to visitors: great hosting services. There are both traditional hosting solutions and cloud-based storage available on the market today, and each has its own benefits. The primary reason for investing in quality hosting relates to site speed. Search engines and users alike are hard on websites that do not provide a fast experience. Because of this, paying a premium for reliable service is important. While many web hosting services provide options for as little as a few dollars per year, expect to invest anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars per year on this service, depending on the amount of traffic. For most, the lower end of that estimate will be plenty. You will also definitely need your very own domain name, for starters. A basic .com, .net or .org domain can be as little as a few dollars per year. Shorter and high-demand domain names can be hundreds of even thousands of dollars.

Content Management Costs

Deciding exactly how your site will operate can be a huge component of the overall cost. A large percentage of websites in the world use WordPress, which is a very flexible content management system that can do just about anything – whether you’re pinging for SEO, selling products or serving up multimedia. While WordPress itself is free, you may need a special type of theme to do what you wish to do with the website. Many different themes and templates can be purchased for $10 to $100. In addition, various plug-ins may be required for additional functionality, with prices ranging from free to $100 or more. While more basic websites will be free to setup and deploy via WordPress, more advanced options and features can certainly add to the cost.

Made from Scratch Costs

Depending on the exact needs for your website, you may decide instead to opt for a custom-built solution using advanced code. This is where website costs can truly add up. A talented programmer or web developer may charge anywhere from a couple of hundred to several thousand dollars for a customized solution. In some cases, this will be necessary – for most, a custom solution will not be required.

The cost components for your very own website can range dramatically. If you’re merely wanting to reach visitors/customers while pinging for SEO, your costs may be as little as $100 per year. For more advanced projects, however, costs can be in the thousands.