In an effort to create greater transparency and understanding of what it takes for us to co-create the perfect website for you, I have provided the following information. It is by no means comprehensive or 100% complete, but it is a good jumping-off point so you can know what working together might look like. Please feel free to reach out with questions.

There are many factors that determine how much your website will cost. Here are what I have seen as the most important ones:

CONTENT OPTIONS

1: Do you need support with written content?

Option One: All of your written content is complete and ready to publish. This is the quickest (aka least expensive) option in terms of my time, however, many folks get stuck trying to create their own content and it actually eats up a lot more of their own time than they anticipated, which is why I always recommend option two…

Option Two (most common) : Unless you have experience creating a website, its often overwhelming to create all your content from scratch. So with most clients I will design the website using placeholder / ai generated content, and then have them edit or replace that content. This is the mid-range option, it tends to make sense for most clients.

Option Three: I create all your written content (with some input and edits from you of course). This is the most costly option, but is the least amount of work for you.

2: Do you need support with photography / graphics / illustration?

Option One: Your photos are all ready to go. They are all high-resolution, quality images, largely in landscape orientation, and you have a many different options for me to work with.

Option Two (most common): You have some photos ready to go (typically the headshots of you), but you probably need some filler images (perhaps some nice landscape backgrounds) which I can often find at free stock photo sites. The images you have you have might need a bit of editing to look their best. You might need a few icons or simple illustrations. This is the mid-range option.

Option Three: I provide you with custom photography and/or illustration. I have an excellent portfolio of work. This is typically the most costly option, but will provide you with beautiful and unique imagery that makes your site feel special.

3: Do you want a logo?

A simple logo you aren’t super picky about could be executed in as little as $175. A more custom logo with complex illustration, custom hand-lettering, and/or a longer design process can typically cost in the $400-1,000 range.

4: How much content? Do you want support with content organization?

This is perhaps an obvious one, but more pages = more cost. Additionally, if you would like help with the organization structure (aka: Should this info be on a page with this other info? Or should it be its own page? etc.) that will be a bit more work as well.

OTHER FACTORS

5: Where will we be building your site?

Google Sites: It is free to host simple websites on Google Sites. Here is an example of a Google Site I designed. Note that the design is quite simple, and you couldn’t do things like have a newsletter or a contact form.

You can learn more about Google Sites here.

Squarespace*: Squarespace is a really excellent option if you want a little more complexity and style in your site. Here is an example of a squarespace site I designed. Squarespace sites are easy to edit, they have an excellent help center, and if you are doing things like selling products, offering events, receiving messages, or want better Search Engine Optimization, this is the way to go. Most small businesses / individual clients choose this option, and it costs about $16/month (see costs and details here).

*Note: You would be paying this subscription fee to Squarespace, not to me.

6: Are you prompt and clear with communication?

Are you able to get back to me with clear feedback within five (or so) days of me sending you updates? Are you clear with what you want? These two qualities will make for a much smoother process, which means I’m doing less admin work, which means your cost is significantly lower than a client who is inconsistent and unclear with their communication.