wondering how much I have to invest to setup a website?

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SeeBen21

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I’m not intending to do it on my own. I want to find a professional to do it for me. I think this is the most important marketing tool and should get a lot of attention I’m sure the investment will pay off.
The website has to be built from scratch on as well as SEO optimize, professional pictures and integrated Blog.
What do you think I have to invest for a professional website?
 
You had better figure $5000 to start. If you are lucky maybe you could find someone to to it for about $1500...but I doubt it. That is if you hire a real professional!
 
well, i am a firm believer in you get what you pay for. a great website is definately an investment and if done well, is not going to hurt you in any way. i'm pretty sure you and & i have emailed before, correct, ben?
 
i wish my website had not been disabled. my son did it with dreamweaver - completely self taught. the software itself is very expensive - and i loved that website.
professional photos are very expensive as well.
if you go this route, you want to see other websites and photographs - the whole portfolio of webmaster and photographer - to be certain they can do what you want and you like their work. above all, in addition to being functional and fast, the site has to be pleasing to you.
 
It is the first thing people will see of your inn and you have less than 5 seconds to gert them ot lose them.
Ask yourself this - What is it worth to have the first impression everyone will have of me be a good one - for years to come? What is it worth in bookings over move ons?
 
Hello Re: your website.
Please check out our website at www.tuckedinntheharbour.com. I designed it on Microsoft Word and then had a Webmaster put it into HTML for $600.00 Canadian. It was a labour of love, but quite easy to do. The research took a lot more time than the actual design. If you do go this way, I would always suggest going with a soft soothing colour combination that is not hard on the eyes. A good webmaster will also optimize the site for you for an additional cost. SWIRT comes to mind!
Hope this helps and best of luck
Harry
 
Hello Re: your website.
Please check out our website at www.tuckedinntheharbour.com. I designed it on Microsoft Word and then had a Webmaster put it into HTML for $600.00 Canadian. It was a labour of love, but quite easy to do. The research took a lot more time than the actual design. If you do go this way, I would always suggest going with a soft soothing colour combination that is not hard on the eyes. A good webmaster will also optimize the site for you for an additional cost. SWIRT comes to mind!
Hope this helps and best of luck
Harry.
Sorry to say but doing a site in WORD is not the way to go! Yeah it may be easy..but the fellow said he wants a professional web site.:-(
 
You had better figure $5000 to start. If you are lucky maybe you could find someone to to it for about $1500...but I doubt it. That is if you hire a real professional!.
catlady said:
You had better figure $5000 to start. If you are lucky maybe you could find someone to to it for about $1500...but I doubt it. That is if you hire a real professional!
$5000 seems a bit extreme. A better answer would be "it depends".
The price will vary depending on the number of pages and how many bells and whistles. You also need someone to put it together who understands the intricacies of Google and the other search engines, the various scripting languages and photo editing. If you don't have a logo, you'll probably want to have one designed.
I did my own website, but I'm also a retired graphic design artist with a full gamut of software and web background.
http://www.oakcreekbnb.com
 
You said it! "this is the most important marketing tool" Git r done right. Prof photos, seo, online reservations the whole nine yards. What you spend NOW will come back to you. Spend it now and reap the benefits or spend it later and 'pay.'
 
Hello Re: your website.
Please check out our website at www.tuckedinntheharbour.com. I designed it on Microsoft Word and then had a Webmaster put it into HTML for $600.00 Canadian. It was a labour of love, but quite easy to do. The research took a lot more time than the actual design. If you do go this way, I would always suggest going with a soft soothing colour combination that is not hard on the eyes. A good webmaster will also optimize the site for you for an additional cost. SWIRT comes to mind!
Hope this helps and best of luck
Harry.
Sorry to say but doing a site in WORD is not the way to go! Yeah it may be easy..but the fellow said he wants a professional web site.:-(
.
Hi!
Thanks for the comment. I know where you are coming from, however, I get nothing but compliments about my website, so setting up initially in Word is not a bad thing. Take a look and tell me what you think. www.tuckedinntheharbour.com
Cheers Harry
 
yes, but check out the portfolio of whoever you hire. in my own opinion, the website i HAD, that was created to my specs by my son was .. by far .. superior to the new website for the place created by a 'professional'. i guess i shouldn't say any more.
potty-mouth.gif
 
Hello Re: your website.
Please check out our website at www.tuckedinntheharbour.com. I designed it on Microsoft Word and then had a Webmaster put it into HTML for $600.00 Canadian. It was a labour of love, but quite easy to do. The research took a lot more time than the actual design. If you do go this way, I would always suggest going with a soft soothing colour combination that is not hard on the eyes. A good webmaster will also optimize the site for you for an additional cost. SWIRT comes to mind!
Hope this helps and best of luck
Harry.
Sorry to say but doing a site in WORD is not the way to go! Yeah it may be easy..but the fellow said he wants a professional web site.:-(
.
Hi!
Thanks for the comment. I know where you are coming from, however, I get nothing but compliments about my website, so setting up initially in Word is not a bad thing. Take a look and tell me what you think. www.tuckedinntheharbour.com
Cheers Harry
.
catlady said:
Sorry to say but doing a site in WORD is not the way to go! Yeah it may be easy..but the fellow said he wants a professional web site.:-(
You might want to read his post again before you jump on someone. He didn't say he made the site in Word. He had a preliminary layout of it done in Word, and then hired a professional to code it in html.
TuckedInntheHarbour said:
Hi!
Thanks for the comment. I know where you are coming from, however, I get nothing but compliments about my website, so setting up initially in Word is not a bad thing. Take a look and tell me what you think. www.tuckedinntheharbour.com
Cheers Harry
Your site is great. It shows off the inn very well. Looking at the site, I'd believe you if you said that it was done by someone that charged $5000 for the work.
 
It depends on lots of things. How many professional photos you have taken & how long the photographer is there and then what they do with the photos to enhance them. It seems like professional photographs are almost the larger ticket item than the website design. If you can find someone to work with collaboratively, you might spend less money. In other words, you write the text and talk to the web designer about the layout and so on. I'm happy with my photographs (I took them) but they could definitely be much better if a professional took some vs me with my 4 megapixel camera :)
Then, there's how many pages to the website and how long that takes to set up. I think you could get a pretty professional site if you hired most of it out for around 3 grand. But then you'll have to pay someone to update it, etc. You still need to stay on top of the site to check for broken links, update your specials, attractions, and so on.
Best of luck finding someone who can work with you within your budget!
 
If you are scoping out a budget, budget $3000-$6000 for a site and pro photos. Then count yourself lucky if you get it for less. Prices on both photographers and websites are all over the map so it all depends on who you find and where you find them.
 
Hello Re: your website.
Please check out our website at www.tuckedinntheharbour.com. I designed it on Microsoft Word and then had a Webmaster put it into HTML for $600.00 Canadian. It was a labour of love, but quite easy to do. The research took a lot more time than the actual design. If you do go this way, I would always suggest going with a soft soothing colour combination that is not hard on the eyes. A good webmaster will also optimize the site for you for an additional cost. SWIRT comes to mind!
Hope this helps and best of luck
Harry.
TuckedInntheHarbour said:
A good webmaster will also optimize the site for you for an additional cost.
I'd refine that by saying that a good webmaster will optimize the site for you for the same price as the development because a good designer doesn't look at optimization as an optional add-on. A good designer will build it right, which includes the design that promotes good health with the search engines.
That being said, there are plenty of people that break optimization into an add-on. I lump them into the same category as car salesmen that sell cars but think tires are an option. ;)
 
well, i am a firm believer in you get what you pay for. a great website is definately an investment and if done well, is not going to hurt you in any way. i'm pretty sure you and & i have emailed before, correct, ben?.
I totally agree with you. The most difficult part will be to find the right person/company where you get the service you paid for.
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']And you are correct we emailed before.[/FONT]
 
You had better figure $5000 to start. If you are lucky maybe you could find someone to to it for about $1500...but I doubt it. That is if you hire a real professional!.
catlady said:
You had better figure $5000 to start. If you are lucky maybe you could find someone to to it for about $1500...but I doubt it. That is if you hire a real professional!
$5000 seems a bit extreme. A better answer would be "it depends".
The price will vary depending on the number of pages and how many bells and whistles. You also need someone to put it together who understands the intricacies of Google and the other search engines, the various scripting languages and photo editing. If you don't have a logo, you'll probably want to have one designed.
I did my own website, but I'm also a retired graphic design artist with a full gamut of software and web background.
http://www.oakcreekbnb.com
.
You are lucky as you have the background to build you own website. I had a close look and I like you website. It’s structured and informative.
See, my problem is that I’m a marketing professional in the leisure industry but not a web designer or professional photographer. So my point is if you want to be successful you need a really good website and if you buy a B&B you should at least put away a reasonable budget for a very good Website. I Just don’t know how much I should put into my budget.
 
Hello Re: your website.
Please check out our website at www.tuckedinntheharbour.com. I designed it on Microsoft Word and then had a Webmaster put it into HTML for $600.00 Canadian. It was a labour of love, but quite easy to do. The research took a lot more time than the actual design. If you do go this way, I would always suggest going with a soft soothing colour combination that is not hard on the eyes. A good webmaster will also optimize the site for you for an additional cost. SWIRT comes to mind!
Hope this helps and best of luck
Harry.
Sorry to say but doing a site in WORD is not the way to go! Yeah it may be easy..but the fellow said he wants a professional web site.:-(
.
Hi!
Thanks for the comment. I know where you are coming from, however, I get nothing but compliments about my website, so setting up initially in Word is not a bad thing. Take a look and tell me what you think. www.tuckedinntheharbour.com
Cheers Harry
.
Hallo Harry,
du hast eine sehr schoene website.
I guess you understand still some German. Your website is very nice. Just one personal point, I for myself like bigger pictures. But this is really subjective.
I also wanted to but together the content, but I need someone who puts my ideas into the web.
 
yes, but check out the portfolio of whoever you hire. in my own opinion, the website i HAD, that was created to my specs by my son was .. by far .. superior to the new website for the place created by a 'professional'. i guess i shouldn't say any more.
potty-mouth.gif
.
seashanty said:
yes, but check out the portfolio of whoever you hire.
It’s a good point, But also difficult. Finding a “professional” person/company, which are worth the money.
 
If you are scoping out a budget, budget $3000-$6000 for a site and pro photos. Then count yourself lucky if you get it for less. Prices on both photographers and websites are all over the map so it all depends on who you find and where you find them..
I was also thinking of a range of $5,000 to $10,000. Which in my eyes are reasonable if you consider that you purchase a B&B and the website will bring you the most business. As well as this would be only around 2% to 3% of the purchasing price of the B&B.
 
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