Building a Website on a Budget

Does your small business have an embarrassingly out of date website that needs a massive revamp but you are on a tight budget? Do not fear! Here are some tips on how to build a website on a budget that will be modern, fast, efficient, and a positive reflection of your brand or organization.

Don’t Skimp on the Important Things

There are some things you shouldn’t cut costs on but that doesn’t mean they have to break the bank. As you can tell from these Sitelock Reviews, security is one of these things. Make sure you are using a high quality security software platform to ensure you and your clients data stays safe. This services can also help you site load faster by using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to serve content quickly to your users. If you are worried about constant SPAM cleanup and hacking attempts (and you should be,) having a good security platform is a must. Also, make sure you keep all your web software platforms up to date to eliminate any loopholes or known vulnerabilities.  Other than security you also don’t wan to skimp on design, remember that your site is a reflection of your brand. Don’t just start building willy-nillly, spend time to have a professional draw wireframes, create full designs that are in line with your brands style. You wouldn’t build a deck without first measuring and consulting blueprints, so be sure you plan your site accordingly and with design in mind.

Use a CMS

If you are trying to stay on a budget a Content Management System (CMS) is crucial. Platforms such as Drupal, Umbraco, and WordPress are free, high quality, open-source platforms that allow users to make content update to your site without the aid of a full time developer. While if you want to make a custom site you will still want to hire a professional web developer, the costs of customizing a CMS site can often be much lower than having a site fully developed. While CMS’s will work right out of the box you will want some level of customization in order to make your site unique.  Also, most CMS’s have thousands of free plug-ins and extensions that will allow you to increase the functionality of your site without reinventing the wheel. So consider using a CMS to manage your site if you are on a budget.

As you can see it is a definitely possible to build a high-quality modern website on a budget. It is important to spend your money wisely, don’t skip initial planning and design phases, as mistakes here can be exponentially expensive if they need to addressed later. Another  tip to save money is to use a CMS, which allows your site to stay relevant and modern by encourage any of your staff to submit content to the page. This will save you money because you won’t need to pay a developer anytime you want to update a date or post a new blog on your site. Good luck on your new site!