As time goes on, showcase websites have become an increasingly crucial topic for businesses and entrepreneurs looking to strengthen their online presence. However, creating a showcase website requires a significant financial and human investment if one wishes to do it properly.
Understanding the various factors that influence the cost of creating a showcase website will help you make an informed decision and maximize your investment. This guide explores these elements in detail, providing cost estimates and advice on choosing the right provider.
What is a showcase website?
A showcase website is a web page designed to present a company's products, services, or brand image without including overly advanced features (e-commerce, member area, etc.).
It mainly serves to attract visitors, to inform about the business (products, services, team, contact details), and to generate leads. A website is a valuable digital asset that offers your business the potential to gain increased credibility and a positive image, helping you stand out from your competitors.
To attract internet users and generate new clients, it is essential to optimize your website (SEO, responsive design, loading performance, content updates, etc.).
Estimated price table for creating a showcase website in 2024
What is the cost of a showcase website in 2024?
The costs for creating a showcase website can vary significantly depending on several factors. Here is a general estimate of costs for different types of showcase websites:
One-page showcase website (Landing page)
The cost of a one-page showcase website can range from 500 to 4,000 euros. This type of site is ideal for small businesses or personal projects needing minimal online presence. They can also be useful for launching an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to test your product or service in the market.
Showcase website of 1 to 5 pages
For a showcase website of 1 to 5 pages, the cost can be from 2,500 to 8,000 euros. This type of site is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses that want to present their services and products more thoroughly.
Showcase website of 5 to 20 pages
The cost of a showcase website of 5 to 20 pages can range from 5,000 to 20,000 euros, or even more. This type of site is intended for companies that need a more robust online presence and rich content. In most cases, if you go through a provider to create your website, the price increases if they assist you with your online visibility strategy (organic SEO, UX optimization, A/B testing).
Request a quote for your showcase website
Key factors determining the price of a showcase website
We have provided price estimates above, but how are the prices for showcase websites set? Let's look at several factors that can influence these rates.
The complexity of design and user interface (UI)
The design of a showcase website plays a crucial role in the overall cost. A custom design with advanced graphic elements and animations typically costs more than a simple and clean design.
The number of pages
The number of pages of a site directly influences its price. A standard showcase site typically has between 5 and 10 pages, but this number may vary depending on the specific needs of the business.
Note that the number of pages may not be the most relevant criterion, as a page with ten sections cannot be compared to a page with 3 or 4 sections.
Specific features
Adding additional features, such as an advanced contact form (multi-step forms), a calculator, an extensive CMS, or a filtering system can significantly increase the cost.
SEO optimization
Having a website is good, but having a visible site is even better!
Today, there are many criteria to ensure that your site ranks well on Google. This is where SEO can become essential. Although this incurs additional costs, it is crucial for attracting quality organic traffic.
Hosting
The hosting fees (between 100 and 500 euros per year) and the domain name (about 15 euros per year) are recurring costs to consider. These costs vary depending on the quality and services offered by the hosting provider.
Request a quote for the creation of a website
The different types of providers and their rates
Website creation solutions (Do It Yourself)
Platforms like Wix, WordPress, Squarespace, or Webflow offer tools to create your site yourself. The costs are much lower, often ranging from 100 to 500 euros per year, but require time and technical skills on your part.
You can also start from pre-built templates (templates), but the impact of your website will be lesser if it is neither customized nor optimized by experts.
Freelancers
Hiring a freelancer can be a more economical option, and you will benefit from their flexibility. However, they may not be able to meet all the needs of a website alone.
Freelancers often work with an average daily rate (TJM) that varies depending on their experience and expertise. The average TJM in website creation is around 500 euros.
Prices generally range from 1,000 to 5,000 euros depending on the freelancer's experience and skills.
Web Agencies
Agencies offer comprehensive and professional services, often with a dedicated team for each aspect of creating your site.
Agencies often provide customized projects and tailored support to best meet their clients' expectations.
The cost via an agency is higher because you benefit from the responsiveness and professionalism of a team across several subjects (UX, UI, SEO, Animations). Depending on your project, the price of the site may vary between 4,000 and 25,000 euros, or even more.
At Digidop, our team is expert in various subjects related to website creation. Our processes are designed to support our clients through the different stages of creating a website, from workshops to design, development, training, and maintenance. Discover our website creation expertise.
The steps of creating a showcase website
Once the provider is chosen, here are some important steps for creating a high-performing website
Needs Analysis
The first step is to analyze your specific needs in terms of design, features, and content. These workshops are designed to:
- Understand the needs: business challenges, objectives of the project
- Analyze the market: understand the business and competitive context of the company
- Research references: study a variety of resources to create unique and innovative sites.
- Create the architecture: thinking about the structure of the future site for conversions
UX Thinking
UX (User Experience) thinking is a crucial step to ensure the site is intuitive and pleasant to use for visitors. This phase includes:
- User Study: Understanding the needs, expectations, and behaviors of target users through interviews, surveys, and user testing.
- Creating Personas: Developing fictional representations of target users to guide design decisions.
- Wireframing: Sketching and creating low-fidelity mockups of site pages to define structure and navigation without focusing on visual details.
- Prototyping: Creating interactive prototypes to test ergonomics and interactivity of the site before final development.
- User Testing: Conducting tests with real users to identify friction points and improve user experience.
UI Design
UI (User Interface) design focuses on the visual appearance and interaction of the site. This step includes:
- Brand Style Guide: Defining colors, typography, icons, and visual elements that reflect the brand identity.
- High-Fidelity Mockups: Creating detailed mockups of site pages that show exactly what they will look like once developed.
- Responsive Design: Ensuring that the site is fully responsive and adapts to different devices and screen sizes.
- Interactions and Animations: Developing animations and smooth transitions to enhance interactivity and user engagement.
Explore our web design offering.
Development
Development is the stage where the site comes to life. It includes:
- Front-End Development: Coding the user interface using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to turn mockups into interactive web pages.
- Back-End Development: Setting up the server, database, and logical functionalities using languages such as PHP, Ruby, Python, or Node.js.
- CMS Integration: Integrating a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or Webflow for easy content updates.
- Performance Optimization: Ensuring that the site is fast and efficient by optimizing code, images, and resources.
Testing and Optimizations
Before launch, it is essential to rigorously test the site to ensure everything works correctly. This step includes:
- Functionality Testing: Checking that all site features (forms, buttons, links, etc.) work as expected.
- Compatibility Testing: Ensuring the site functions well across different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and devices (desktops, tablets, smartphones).
- Performance Testing: Using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to evaluate and optimize site loading speed.
- Security Testing: Identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities to protect the site from attacks and hacks.
- User Testing: Having real users test the site to gather feedback and make final improvements.
Maintenance and Updates
Once the site is launched, regular maintenance is necessary to ensure its smooth functioning. This step includes:
- Content Updates: Adding, modifying, or deleting content to keep the site up-to-date and relevant.
- Technical Updates: Installing security and performance updates for the CMS, plugins, and other site components.
- Regular Backups: Performing regular backups of the site to prevent data loss in case of failure or attack.
- Performance Analysis: Monitoring the site's performance using tools like Google Analytics and adjusting strategies to improve engagement and conversions.
Our showcase website maintenance offers.
FAQ about showcase websites
What is the average cost of a showcase website in 2024?
On average, the cost of a showcase website in 2024 can range from 1,000 to 25,000 euros, depending on features and design complexity.
What are the advantages of a custom showcase website?
A custom showcase website offers many benefits compared to off-the-shelf solutions:
- Flexibility and Customization: A custom site allows for greater flexibility regarding design and features. This means you can achieve a website that perfectly matches your needs and brand image.
- Personalized Support: You receive support throughout the design process, from drafting the specifications to launch and follow-up.
- Evolution and Scalability: A custom site is designed to evolve with your business. You can easily add new features and update content.
- Optimized SEO: Custom sites can be optimized for SEO from the outset, improving their visibility on search engines.
What are the benefits of hiring a web agency?
Web agencies offer comprehensive expertise, professional project management, and ongoing technical support, ensuring a high-quality site.
{{global-cta="/services/agence-webflow"}}
What are the characteristics of a showcase website?
Showcase websites are marked by several key characteristics:
- Simplicity: Compared to e-commerce or institutional sites, a showcase website has a relatively simple structure, typically consisting of a few essential pages such as home, about, services/products, and contact.
- Informative: The showcase website is designed to inform. It provides your potential clients with all the information they need about your business, including your profession, values, products or services, and how to contact you.
- Non-Transactional: Unlike an e-commerce website, a showcase site generally does not offer transactional features such as online payment. Its primary goal is to establish initial contact with the visitor.
Why create a showcase website?
Creating a showcase website has many advantages for a business:
- Web Visibility: A showcase website provides you with an online presence, essential in today’s digital age. By making your business visible 24/7, it enhances your accessibility and attracts more potential customers.
- Credibility: A professional website reinforces your company's credibility and reliability. It gives your prospects a sense of trust and reinforces your brand image.
- Customer engagement: This is a privileged communication channel with your current and potential customers. They can find detailed information on your services, read your latest news, contact you easily, or subscribe to your newsletter.
What Tool to Use for Building Your Showcase Website?
To create your showcase website, you have several options.
You could hire a code developer who can create a customized website, though it may be more challenging for marketing teams to edit.
Alternatively, you can use a no-code development tool. No-code platforms enable business marketing teams to manage and edit website content without needing coding knowledge. Some popular platforms for this purpose include Webflow, Wix, and WordPress.
How Important is SEO Optimization for a Showcase Website?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for ensuring that your showcase website is easily found by users searching online.
By optimizing your site for search engines, you improve its visibility and ranking in search results, potentially increasing organic traffic. This means more people will have access to your site, raising the chances of conversions and business growth. Without proper optimization, your site risks remaining hidden to users, thus reducing its impact and effectiveness as an online marketing tool.
What Are the Recurring Costs for a Showcase Website?
To keep a showcase website online, some recurring costs are essential. Key costs to consider include:
- Hosting: You’ll need to pay a web hosting provider to store your website files and make it accessible online.
- Domain Renewal: Each year, you’ll need to renew your domain name purchase to continue using your site’s web address.
- Updates and Maintenance: Depending on your specific needs, you may also budget for software updates, site maintenance, and possibly additional security services.
It’s essential to account for these costs in your budget to ensure a continuous online presence.
How to Choose the Right Provider for Building My Showcase Website?
Selecting the right provider for building your showcase website is crucial for the success of your online project. Here are some steps to help you choose the ideal provider:
- Portfolio Review: Check the provider’s previous work to assess their style, quality, and compatibility with your needs. Explore the Digidop portfolio.
- Request References: Feel free to ask for client references or testimonials to gain insight into others' experiences with the provider.
- Compare Quotes: Obtain detailed quotes from multiple providers and compare them based on cost, delivery time, included features, and more.
- Understanding Needs: Ensure the provider fully understands your needs, goals, and expectations for your showcase website. Clear communication from the start is key to avoiding misunderstandings and ensuring satisfaction with the final result.
By following these steps, you can select a provider who meets your requirements and can support you in creating a professional and effective showcase website.
The Cost of a Showcase Website in 2024
The cost of a showcase website in 2024 depends on numerous factors, from design complexity to desired features. Understanding these elements allows you to better plan your budget and choose a provider that best meets your needs. An effective online presence is essential for attracting and retaining customers, so invest wisely to achieve a showcase website that truly reflects your business.
