In the process of website development, a cut corner can result in the entire fabric of the website becoming problematic later on. Cheap websites can turn your potential customers away, pose security risks, and cost you more money in the long run. A cheap website might even be considered worse than having no website at all.
In the process of website development, a cut corner can result in the entire fabric of the website becoming problematic later on. Cheap websites can turn your potential customers away, pose security risks, and cost you more money in the long run. A cheap website might even be considered worse than having no website at all.
Here are the top reasons why you should avoid cheap websites.
One major problem with cheap website design is that they tend to spiral a business into brand failure. Brand perception is a critical factor that influences whether a brand finds success. Even if your search engine optimisation (SEO) is performing well, being able to keep a visitor on your site is dependent on how good your website looks.
If you choose to use a cheap website, it is very possible that your inbound leads will be wasted. No matter how many visitors come to your website through good SEO, an unappealing website can just as easily lose their interest in your products or services.
As the BBC has pointed out, the psychology behind spending big is very real. A consumer will usually view items and experiences with more interest and satisfaction if they are more bespoke and expensive.
The same can be said for websites. A website that looks cheap will feel less valuable. Even if the products or services two web pages are selling are the same, consumers will prioritise purchasing from the website that looks more sleek and attractive.
Security is priceless. A cheap website, especially one created through an unreliable, free website builder, might not have adequate security measures implemented. In some cases, website builders might require you to pay extra in order to obtain a website package with hosting and up-to-date security.
There are many website security issues, and cheap website creation might expose you to them. Common mistakes include:
If you get an offer to have a website created for you for only a couple hundred dollars, it can understandably seem like an appealing bargain. But it is important to plan out what the purpose of the website is.
If you are running a business, investing in a cheap website might just end up being an opportunity cost for you. A cheap website might not be able to give you any quantifiable results in terms of revenue, leads, or even web traffic. In that case, the website would just be sitting in the depths of Google (or Bing if someone is adventurous).
If you hire a cheap web designer, it still might not be as affordable as one would like. Depending on whether you want a site built from scratch or using a premade theme, the costs can vary from around $800 to up to more than $100,000 AUD. Of course, it is not necessarily realistic to buy an extremely expensive website at the start of a business. It is possible to set a reasonable budget and create a good design for your brand without using a cheap website.
However, the problem with a cheap sub-$1,000 website is that you might not be completely satisfied with the results. Functionality may be lacking, code might break, or the aesthetics simply might not match up with what you were looking for. What would the next step be? To hire another designer and fix the mistakes or inadequacies of the previous website design? Code and design customisation can be actioned and performed, but it could be costly, on top of draining your resources and time.
If you add up the costs of having to improve upon a cheap website, the numbers can rival or even surpass the price of paying for a high-quality website from the start. The maintenance and improvement fees might simply not be worth it in the long term.
If you have already invested in a cheap website or were planning to, there is no need to worry. Even if you might be operating on a strict budget, there are options for you to create the best website you can.
You can always reach out to us at Mensa Marketing for more information on website design, website optimisation and digital marketing. Call us on (+61) 488 822 234 or send an email to admin@mensamarketing.com.au for more information.
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