Small Budget, Big Impact: How the Right Website Pays for Itself
Do you have a small organization that provides a valuable service or sells wonderful products, but few people seem to know about you?
According to recent research compiled by Forbes, there are currently more than one billion websites, a new website is created every three seconds, and 29% of business is conducted online. Unsurprisingly, 43% of small businesses planned to invest in improving website performance, as their websites are the first impression for 48% of internet users.
These statistics emphasize the importance of all organizations having a well-designed, optimized website for reputational credibility, industry thought leadership, and opportunities for return on website investment, whether through increased grants and private donations for non-profits or online sales for businesses.
A professionally designed website is essential to achieving those goals. For smaller organizations concerned about the cost of developing a website, know that one can be developed affordably and deliver a solid return on investment.
Develop a Minimally Viable Product and a Budget
Having a great website is an investment, but one that smaller organizations can make incrementally. Consider scaling your website's development in stages over time to manage your investment effectively.
If you’re starting from scratch, ask yourself, “What is the minimum viable website presence I need to get started?” This approach can spread out the expense of a new website and accelerate the conversion of visitors into customers or donors.
Also consider the cost of ongoing website maintenance, and whether you should outsource the design and development or keep it in-house. If you lead a smaller organization, you may lack the capacity and staff resources needed to optimize your online presence and drive revenue.
Develop a twelve-month website budget to manage your estimated annual expenses and new sources of revenue. Compare those costs to your anticipated income, whether through grants, donations, or sales of services or products, monthly over that same period. Able to work for you in any time zone, a website opens up the possibility of a new income stream for smaller organizations.
An Example
Let’s say it takes a couple of months and costs you $X for a brand-new, well-designed, minimally viable website that states your organization’s mission, provides monetization and conversion opportunities, showcases a handful of relevant articles on the blog, and contains an active social media feed with your organization’s latest news and updates.
If the website generates an income of at least $X within the first year, you have already paid for the cost of the initial website development. The additional cash flow can be reinvested in further website development to generate additional revenue or in other areas of the organization.
Now Launch
Instead of limping along with a basic website or no website at all, organizations seeking to grow should invest in a well-designed, search-engine-optimized website that can attract a wider audience.
Integrating your website with your social media presence helps keep your organization top of mind for potential customers and donors, encouraging them to buy your products, participate in your programs, and engage with your organization.
Staged, progressive website development increases an organization’s likelihood of getting the best return on its promotional dollars by attracting new, more engaged customers or donors who support the organization's mission, values, and products or services.
Contact us to receive a complimentary consultation and custom quote for website development.
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A great website is an investment—but it doesn’t have to be made all at once. For smaller organizations, building a site in stages is a smart, scalable strategy that helps manage costs and delivers a quicker return on investment.