What does a website actually cost?

How many pages, how many functions.

A simple five-page site and a portal with document search are not the same job. More functions, more time, higher price. That is why you should ask for a quote on your case rather than trust a number pulled from thin air.

Who writes the copy and prepares the images.

If you do it yourself it is cheaper, but slower and it usually comes out worse. If the contractor does it, you pay more and get something finished. Here the copy is included, because text that does not answer the customer's question sinks even the best-looking site.

Whether the site was built to be found at all.

The basics are part of the job, not an add-on: titles and descriptions for every page, readable URLs, a sitemap, speed, correct rendering on a phone. That does not mean first place, which nobody can promise. It means the site is not invisible. A serious campaign for a competitive keyword is separate, ongoing work and is priced separately.

Which words the site should show up for.

“Dentist near me” and “how much does an implant cost” are not the same search and are not typed by the same person. One wants a practice, the other wants an answer. A site covering both needs more pages and more writing, so it costs more. That is why the first question is what you do and who is looking for you.

Your business profile and local search.

For a local business, the map listing often brings more calls than the site itself. The profile gets filled in properly: category, hours, address, photos, services, questions and answers, and a link to the site whose details match. Setting it up is part of the build price; collecting reviews and posting regularly is ongoing work and goes with maintenance.

More people ask an AI instead of searching.

When someone asks a language model for a recommendation, it pulls from text it can read. So we write clear answers to real questions, with prices and facts in the text itself, and add the structured data machines read: who you are, where you are, what you do, what it costs. The same work helps Google. We do not promise any model will recommend you, because nobody controls that.

A site is a destination, not a source of visitors.

Visitors arrive from search, maps, social, word of mouth or paid ads. Each of those routes asks something different of the site: from a map listing people want a phone number, from an ad they want one clear page about that one service. More routes means more pages and more work, so a higher price. If you do not know where your enquiries come from, that is the first thing to measure.

Without numbers you do not know if the site works.

We set up visitor tracking and record what counts as a result: a call, a submitted form, a click on the map. Without it, the site gets discussed on gut feeling. Basic setup is in the price; reading the numbers monthly and acting on them goes with maintenance.

Whether the domain and hosting are included.

Some charge for the build and leave you to sort out hosting on your own. Check what the price covers. Here the domain and hosting are part of the job, not a cost that turns up later.

Who looks after the site once it is finished.

The most expensive mistake is a cheap site nobody maintains, which breaks within a year. Ask what happens after delivery. Better to pay a little more and have someone to call.