Below is a short outline of how we work, what we do, and why we can do a great job for you for less than the “other guys”. But if you already know this, you can jump right to our Package Pricing Page.
Why does web design cost so much?
The key to this dilemma is the code that makes up a website. Today’s online sites are constructed of a complex language that is not easily understandable by you, the business owner. Sure, you can learn it, but just like studying a foreign language, it takes time, and time is not something you have in excess.
So, you might ask, how does Bigfoot Robot manage to charge so much less, when we use the same language and tools the other guys use? The answer is in modern technology:
“WordPress started in 2003 with a single bit of code to enhance the typography of everyday writing and with fewer users than you can count on your fingers and toes. Since then it has grown to be the largest self-hosted blogging tool in the world, used on millions of sites and seen by tens of millions of people every day.”
From humble beginnings, WordPress has become a major platform for websites worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies such as Sony Music, The Clorox Company and Bloomberg Professional. In total (as of last year), WordPress software was used on a total of 74,652,825 sites worldwide.
The key behind WordPress is its “Open Source” software, which means the base code that is used to display a website is free to anybody who chooses to use it. Unlike other web software, which has to be coded and supported by expensive staff, WordPress is supported by a public community of hundreds of developers, far more than any standard web design company can provide. This is the key to “Open Source”.
“Ok, so the software is free. Why can’t I just build my own site?”
The truth is, you can. But the WordPress software in its base form looks like a blog, with very few features or functionality. By using this source code, you are able to skip that long and expensive process of having a programmer write custom code for your site, but there’s still more to do.
The WordPress community realized that people may want to use the software for more than a blog, and thus arose the concept of Themes. A WordPress theme is much like a car body over an engine and chassis. The source code is the engine, powering the inner workings of the site, while the Theme is the outer shell that makes it look good.
Developers have created well over 10,000 discreet themes, each providing a basic roadmap to a site with a unique look and feel. The key to note is that themes are simply roadmaps. Even if you install a theme and try to use it on its own, there is still a lot of work to be done to make it your own.
And this is where Bigfoot Robot can help.
Even with solid experience in WordPress, and a theme that is easily understood, it still takes many hours to construct a website. There are hundreds of variables to manage, and that’s without adding an eCommerce solution to the mix. But the beauty is that you don’t have to pay unnecessarily for the base code.
There’s nothing worse than hiring a company to build you a website and then waiting a month or longer before you can see something online. Typically, within a week of starting, Bigfoot Robot can have a rough version of your site up for you to review. No traditional design company can boast that timing.
So really, how much DOES it cost?
Let’s look at a modern day website built by “the other guys“. Below is a breakdown of a Small Business or first-time site consisting of a basic 5 main sections and a total of no more than 10 pages. These are conservative numbers for each stage:
Planning
Sitemap & Wireframes
Visual Design
Programming
Support & Training
Testing & Launch
Just in case you aren’t wearing your math hat at the moment, that’s a whopping $9,400 for the absolute most basic website.
And we aren’t just making these numbers up. This information is from a popular web developer who is kindly outlining their prices for prospective clients to show them how cost effective they are. Let’s see how it would look if we did the same:
Planning
Sitemap & Wireframes
Visual Design
Programming
Support & Training
Testing & Launch
Our total, for the same services, comes to only $2,000.
As you can see, the two main differences are the Sitemap and Programming. Both of these are programmer intensive, meaning the designer has to spend a lot of time figuring out how to layout the site visually, and then programming to make it happen.
With WordPress, most of that is already done. Using a Template gets us 3/4 of the way down the road on layout and design, and there is practically no programming to do.
Just to be fair, here are a couple disclaimers:
The numbers suggested above are for a generic website. An actual bid may and will differ in price based on the needs of the client, the Theme chosen and the work necessary to achieve the client’s goals.
Whew!
So that’s it. Ready to see just how much we can save you?
