What are the ongoing costs of a website?
Many clients often find themselves confused by the various costs associated with running a website, especially when different suppliers are involved. To help clarify, we've summarised the key services and their associated renewal costs below:
1. Domain Name Registration
A recurring cost to maintain ownership of your website address:
The domain name is your website's address (eg www.simplepages.com.au). This incurs a recurring expense, invoiced either yearly (for .com and .au domains) or bi-yearly (for .com.au domains). Invoices may come from the domain registrar, a reseller, or your web designer. Domain names are typically inexpensive, with prices varying based on the supplier and the level of support provided. Domains can be parked (similar to registering a business name) but are usually linked to a website and email addresses. Failure to renew your domain name will result in your website and email accounts going offline. After a period of suspension, the domain name will be released back to the market for others to register.
2. Web Hosting
A recurring cost to store your website files and ensure it's accessible online:
Web hosting is the service that stores your website files and database, making your website accessible on the internet. This cost is separate from your general internet connection and is typically billed monthly or yearly by your web hosting provider, reseller, or web designer. Hosting costs can vary significantly, from inexpensive overseas plans to more comprehensive SAAS-based packages that include software, updates, security patches and web design support. Generally, you get what you pay for with hosting, so cheap hosting can be risky for business use. Failure to renew your hosting will result in your website going offline. Expired hosting accounts are often not retrievable as the provider may delete unused sites.
3. Web Design and Development
A one-time cost for creating the initial website:
After securing a domain name and web hosting, you'll need a website. This one-time cost covers the design and development of your website until it is ready to launch. Prices vary widely, from free DIY solutions to custom-designed professional websites. It’s not possible to compare solely on price, and as with most things, you get what you pay for. Cheap websites can be problematic for business owners and poorly reflect your brand or not be optimised correctly for search engines. While website design is a one-time cost, additional expenses may arise if you decide to redesign your website in the future. Typically, a site needs refreshing every few years to stay current with technical and design trends, but this is entirely up to you.
4. eCommerce / Payment Gateway Charges
If Applicable - Fees for online stores or payment forms:
If your website includes eCommerce functionality or online payment options, setup costs and fees will depend on the chosen payment gateway provider. Set up fees will depend on the complexity of your eCommerce set up and the ongoing fees charged by the payment provider usually involves a small percentage of each sale plus a transaction fee.
5. Design and Content Maintenance
Recommended - for professional updates to keep your website current and effective:
This optional expense covers professional design, content, or feature updates carried out by your web designer. Regular maintenance ensures your website remains current and effective, which is beneficial for search engine rankings. Costs for these updates can be paid as needed or included in your yearly or monthly hosting fee. Simple Pages offers web hosting that not only includes security updates but also comprehensive content updates of all sizes.
There are other costs involved with running your business online, such as email hosting, ongoing search engine optimisation, online marketing and social media management, but the above are the basics which are sufficient for most small businesses websites.
Copyright Eva Pettifor, Simple Pages. Please seek my permission prior to reproducing this article in any way but feel free to link directly to this page if you wish to promote this content - thanks!
