How much does a professional website cost?

Before we can answer this question, we need to define what a professional website is and the work that goes into making one.

Assuming that your designer is competent, a professional website is made using industry standard software. Software of this type is considered to offer maximum creative freedom, functionality, and reliability by the majority of web designers. I'm not trying to promote Adobe, but it so happens that most web design companies and freelance designers use Dreamweaver, Flash, and Fireworks for their web authoring work. 

What goes into building a professional website? First, there's the cost of the web design software itself and the steep learning curve of how to use it. The web designer must also have an artistic sensibility to create an esthetically pleasing design that is both functional and usable. Knowledge of basic skills in the various internet programming languages is also necessary. The web designer must also possess marketing savvy for effective website promotion and keep current with the latest trends in internet marketing.

Back to our original question.
The cost of website design can be moderate to expensive. It depends on what you want. ( That's why you should read my previous post and get the requirements nailed down. ) The average prices mentioned here assumes custom design. A basic website, similar to an online brochure, can run anywhere from $500 to $1000 for five pages. I know this is a wide price range. At the very least, expect to pay roughly $100 per web page. Beyond the basic website, you may also want flash effects, specialized programming, etc. Sites of this type can and do run into thousands of dollars. Shop around for the best price. Be aware that like with anything else, you get what you pay for. 

Have you shopped around for web design prices? Do you think prices for website design are reasonable?
Comment on this post and let me know.

Coming up in my next post . . . How to minimize web design and maintenance costs.