How Much Does It Cost to Build a WordPress Website?
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) around currently and for good reason – it’s free to use, very flexible and has a huge community behind it. It also powers a lot of larger websites including this one so it’s well established as a leading CMS. If you’re looking to create a new website or are in the process of doing so then you may ask yourself how much does it cost to build a wordpress website? The answer to this question is a little more complicated than you may think and it depends on a variety of factors. First let’s take a look at the different options available to you when it comes to creating a wordpress website.
Free Versus Paid Versions
The first thing you’ll want to consider is whether you want to build a free or paid version of your website. When it comes to cost-free versions of wordpress the main benefit is that you don’t have to worry about the hosting. The downside to this is that the limitations are pretty high. For example, you can’t install any plugins or themes and the content is limited to the amount of storage space that the free version provides. So in other words, it doesn’t offer a lot for free. Paid versions of wordpress offer a more robust feature set which allows you to create a fully-featured website. The down side to this is that you’ll need to pay for the service each month.
Shared Hosting Or Self-Hosted WordPress
Another thing to consider when building your wordpress website is the type of hosting you’ll need. Shared hosting means that your website is hosted by a third party and it’s often times over-saturated so make sure you’re aware of the risks before you sign up for it. Self-hosted wordpress is when you install WordPress on your own server which is a much more secure option than having your website hosted by a third party. It’s usually the recommended approach as it gives you total control over what happens to your site and you won’t have to worry about hosting restrictions or security concerns. The downside to this is that it requires a bit of technical know-how which many people may not be comfortable with.
RAM And Disk Space
Another thing you’ll want to consider when building your website is how much RAM and disk space you need. If you’ve ever built a website or used WordPress before you’ll know that it’s really easy for the program to consume a lot of RAM due to the way it handles all the caching and storing of content. The best practice when it comes to building a website is to start with a cheap hosting plan that offers 1GB of RAM and 20GB of disk space. If you find that you’re running out of space very quickly then it may be time to upgrade your hosting plan. Having more RAM and disk space will help ensure that your website performs fast and that your visitors have a pleasant experience.
Amount Of Content
WordPress can be extremely flexible when it comes to how much content you want to include on your site. You may decide that you want to include only a small number of posts or pages or you may want to create a blog that generates income through affiliate marketing. When it comes to the amount of content you want to include on your site, it’s important to consider how search engines like Google index and rank websites with content.
You may want to include a large number of posts or pages in order to gain a high search engine ranking and ensure that your site appears when people search for content related to your niche. On the other hand, if you’ve decided that you want to create a blog that focuses on fitness, you may want to include a limited number of posts or pages in order to ensure that your site is accessible to as many people as possible. In this case, you may want to create a landing page with a handful of posts or pages that draw visitors into your blog.
Size Of Your Website
It’s also important to consider the size of your website when determining how much it’ll cost to build. Do you want to create a site that’s just mobile-friendly and fits perfectly on a smartphone screen? Or do you want to create an immersive web experience that’s backed by high-quality content and offers a rich user experience on all devices?
If you’re planning on building a mobile-friendly site that fits perfectly on a smartphone screen then you may want to have a look at Squarespace as they offer a variety of plans that make it easy to create a fully functioning website without the need to hire a designer. In this case, the price may be right but it’s important to keep in mind that the content may appear a little bit mismatched on a mobile device. As mobile usage continues to grow, it may be time to consider expanding your horizons and creating an immersive web experience for your users.
Additional Considerations
Once you’ve decided what you want your website to include and how you want it to function it’s important to consider a number of other factors. Do you want to use a proxy because certain countries place restrictions on the content you may want to post? Are you planning on monetizing your site? If so, do you want to implement a classic affiliate marketing program or a membership program where people pay a monthly or yearly subscription?
It’s also very important to consider the security and privacy measures that you’ll need to take before you begin building your website. Do you want to use a free service like WordPress or do you want to hire a developer to build you a custom platform?
Hopefully after reading this article you now have a better understanding of how much does it cost to build a wordpress website. Keep in mind that this is a living document and it’ll continue to evolve as your needs change and new technologies appear. If you have any additional questions feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to help out.