The old ways of doing business are changing. Having a website for your business isn’t just necessary, it puts you at a great advantage. Websites bring value around the clock. Now, more than ever before our lives are blended with technology, and for business owners, it’s possible to design a website with a small budget.

A study done by Digital.com states that 26% of small business owners point to not having the money as the reason that they don’t have a website. While it’s true website design does come with a cost, the landscape is favorable for designing a site for your business on a budget. Here’s how:

Doing It Yourself

Designing a website yourself can be done and it can save you so much money. The investment here will be with your time. Google and Youtube have an enormous collection of video tutorials where designers teach all the how-to tips, tricks and strategies so you can do-it-yourself. This is commonly known in the design world as DIY. There is a small financial cost when it comes to designing your site with this strategy but nothing that will break the bank. Your biggest out-of-pocket expense would be for the cost of a hosting plan. Squarespace and other website builders make this option very affordable with low monthly payment options or a discounted annual price. If you need to get your website launched quickly, this may not be the best option since it will take time to learn and apply the knowledge . Another cost would be giving out your e-mail address to load up on all the resources you can find to help you do the work. Without a system for doing your work, figuring it out can get overwhelming and may lead to feeling disorganized and stressed out. Additionally, even though this will get you a website up and running for your business, it’s not a one time event. You’ll still need a way to run your business in order to see success. This can easily turn into your side hustle and take more time and energy than you planned for, taking you away form what you love to do.

Use A Template

Using templates are one of the most cost-effective ways to get a website launched for your business. Not only will designing with a template save you the most time with a quick delivery, but they will have the visual appeal of a custom designed site that won’t break the bank. Due to the cost being fairly low, using a pre-designed template is often the happy medium between doing all the work yourself, costing you the most in time, and spending thousands of dollars hiring a designer to create a custom site from scratch. A template has built-in features significantly reducing expenses of setup and development. Every website serves a different purpose that is unique to each business. This results in using different technology and functionality based on what your business needs. As customization increases, the costs can increase. With a ready-made template, you will spend less, in both time and money, without compromising quality to get a website for your business.

Design A One-Page Website

Sometimes referred to as a one pager, and commonly used as a landing page or mini-site, one-page websites give a business owner the option to get established online in a very cost effective way. It will be limited in content, where it aims to provide just the right amount of information for the visitor to take an action. Furthermore, your content sits within one long scrolling page layout, as a stand alone web page with no additional pages like an About, Services, Blog or Contact page. However, it can be created quickly without paying a high price. What makes this an attractive option for smaller budgets is one-page sites are usually direct in promoting one thing. For example, they can be used as a landing page for a webinar, a resource offer, a portfolio or an event. As mobile and social media browsing are frequently used and familiar to users, one-page sites are speedy, simple and trendy. They can be used specifically for any marketing or advertising campaign to support your business launch, as one-page websites usually have a single focused goal in mind, either to generate leads or to send your visitor straight to an immediate sale or subscription. For a fraction of the price, you can keep it simple and design a stylish site without having to start with a full website design project.

Websites add ongoing value to your business. They live and breathe online, working as a marketing tool for you 24/7/365. Making the decision to invest in your business and launch a website can be easy when you know what’s possible. I hope these three ways open up a new opportunity for you. If you ready to try any of these suggestions, leave a comment and tell me how you’re choosing to design your site on a budget.