Small business owners often need to balance cost-efficiency with functionality in web development. Drawing from the experiences of Founders and CEOs, we’ve compiled eleven cost-effective strategies, ranging from choosing WordPress for simplicity to utilizing WordPress and freelance expertise, to enhance your web presence without breaking the bank. When it comes to DIY web development on a budget, here are 11 tips and tricks:
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- Choose WordPress for Simplicity
- Use Pre-Existing Asset Libraries
- Adopt a Modular Design Approach
- Leverage Open-Source CMS Platforms
- Drive Traffic With Free Tools
- Personalize WordPress Themes Economically
- Invest in Quality Hosting and Development
- Customize Pre-Designed Templates
- Incorporate Customer Testimonials
- Conduct Early User Research and Testing
- Utilize WordPress and Freelance Expertise
Choose WordPress for Simplicity
As a seasoned software engineer, I appreciate the value of simplicity and choosing the right tool for the task at hand, and that is why I choose WordPress for all of my simple content, blog, and small business websites. What WordPress offers for such projects are:
1) A simple yet powerful content management system: Easy to learn, a breeze to manage content once you’ve got the basics.
2) An extraordinarily powerful ecosystem: There are thousands of free/premium themes and plugins that will cover your needs from a simple coffee shop design to e-commerce integrations.
3) Endless resources and communities: How-to articles, community forums, freelance experts, etc.
I create and manage WordPress sites on my own, but you don’t need to be a techie to run a WordPress site. Most hosting providers will just set up WordPress for you if you ask them to. Even if not, there are thousands of WordPress experts out there on sites like Fiverr, etc. Just tell them what you need, and you will find an expert who will get it done for you within a reasonable amount of time and an affordable budget.
Ender Ozkanal, Founder, Customer Service Pal
Use Pre-Existing Asset Libraries
A small-business owner can save time and reduce their costs for any website development project by using a pre-existing asset library.
A company’s values and goals will need to be reflected in any website project it undertakes if it wants to get results from the website itself.
Whether it’s conveying important information to the website user or nudging them to take a specific action, this is usually achieved by building specific components and widgets to aid these goals and values.
For example, an e-commerce store relies on its product’s reputation, so building a widget to automatically collect and display new customer reviews will be important in building its product’s reputation.
The problem is that designing and developing these kinds of widgets requires both time and money, and the project may not have the scope for this.
Rather than designing and developing a widget like this from scratch, both time and money can be saved by using a pre-existing asset library.
These assets will already be ready to use and will simply need to be styled to better fit the overall website’s theme and branding.
Sam Robinson, Owner, Webspider
Adopt a Modular Design Approach
I often employ a modular design approach in web development. This involves creating reusable components or modules that can be used across different parts of the website or even in future projects. It reduces development time and ensures consistency in design. This approach is particularly cost-effective for businesses that plan to scale or expand their web presence over time.
Hardy Desai, Founder, Supple Digital
Leverage Open-Source CMS Platforms
As a small business owner, I’ve successfully employed a cost-effective strategy for web development: leveraging open-source content management systems (CMS) like WordPress. Instead of building a website from scratch, using a robust and customizable CMS significantly reduces development costs.
WordPress offers a vast library of free themes and plugins, allowing for a tailored and feature-rich website with no extensive coding or customization expenses. The community support for open-source platforms provides a wealth of resources for troubleshooting and enhancements.
By tapping into these existing frameworks, I’ve saved on development costs and expedited the website creation process, enabling a quicker online presence for my small business.
Dhari Alabdulhadi, CTO and Founder, Ubuy Kuwait
Drive Traffic With Free Tools
A highly cost-effective strategy we’ve employed for web development is leveraging the power of free tools to drive traffic to our site. Initially, this meant investing in developers to create these tools, but now, with advancements like ChatGPT, it’s become far more accessible and budget-friendly.
By offering valuable, industry-specific tools on our website, we attract our target audience without the high costs typically associated with web development and traffic generation. This approach enhances our site’s functionality and appeal as well as establishes our brand as a resourceful and helpful industry player. It’s a prime example of smart resource utilization, where the investment is more in creativity and less in capital.
Justin Silverman, Founder and CEO, Merchynt
Personalize WordPress Themes Economically
WordPress, an open-source content management system, is one cost-effective web development strategy I’ve used as a small business owner. It’s user-friendly and doesn’t require extensive coding knowledge.
For our digital agency’s website, we chose a customizable WordPress theme, which allowed us to create a professional-looking site without the high costs of custom development. WordPress’s wide range of plugins enabled us to add functionalities like SEO tools and contact forms easily.
This approach saved on development costs and simplified ongoing site maintenance, making it a practical and economical choice for our web development needs.
Daniel Bunn, Founder and Director, DB IT
Invest in Quality Hosting and Development
Please invest in decent website development, at least. Why? Because it’s the online face of your company. Your website shows how serious you are about your products and services.
So, buy hosting from a great platform. I chose Hostinger for their industry-leading after-sales service. Then you can go for a freelance website developer if you are on a tight budget. Although, research extensively.
Otherwise, go for a proper website development service provider, as they have enough resources and take accountability for their work. But the only deciding factor for a small business owner could be the possibility of hiring developers from an affordable market, such as India. Many website development agencies here are highly cost-effective yet maintain industry-level quality if not more.
Bhavik Sarkhedi, Growth Head and CMO, Content Whale
Customize Pre-Designed Templates
In my experience as a small business owner, leveraging open-source platforms like WordPress proved to be a cost-effective web development strategy. My unique technique: customizing pre-designed templates instead of building from scratch. This approach significantly reduced development time and costs while allowing for tailored designs.
Utilizing free or low-cost plugins enhanced functionality without hefty expenses. Embracing open-source platforms and adapting pre-made templates offered a budget-friendly yet personalized solution for robust web development in my small business.
Gillian Perkins, CEO, Startup Society
Incorporate Customer Testimonials
Adding customer testimonials and reviews to your website is always a good idea. When users read satisfied comments from previous customers, it lends trust and credibility to your business.
It is a minor detail that often gets overlooked in web development, but it is a game-changer for small businesses looking to legitimize their website by establishing trustworthiness.
Having strong social proof leaves a good impression and minimizes any perceived risk among customers who are on the fence about trying out your offering.
Luciano Bellacci, Head of Marketing, Group Online
Conduct Early User Research and Testing
A cost-saving strategy I use is conducting thorough user research and testing during the early stages of web development. By understanding the target audience’s needs and preferences, I can design a site that meets their expectations without unnecessary features.
This prevents costly redesigns or additions later. User testing with prototypes or beta versions helps in refining the site based on real feedback before full-scale development.
Chad Sultana, Founder, Chad Sultana
Utilize WordPress and Freelance Expertise
Having a website is essential, but web development can be expensive. As a small business, open-source platforms like WordPress can save you a lot of money. The WordPress ecosystem offers a vast array of free or affordable themes and plugins that reduce upfront costs and simplify maintenance.
You don’t need to have any expertise in web development either. Freelance or contractual web developers can help edit the pre-designed templates to your taste. Websites like WordPress have made e-commerce possible for thousands of business owners. They offer customizable features that you don’t need to build an in-house team for.
Pascal Culverhouse, Founder and Managing Director, Electric Tobacconist
