One of the most popular blog posts I’ve written discusses how much to pay for a website, which focuses on the client side of web design and development. Lately, though, I’ve noticed a lot of search traffic for things like how much to charge for a website and what should i charge for web design, so I figured it was time to address that end of the spectrum as well.Piaget cognitive learning theory

One of the first things you should know about rates for design and development is that they vary wildly. There is no magic formula, and no one will mail you a suggested rate list if you decide to go into business building websites for other people.Piaget cognitive learning theory that said, there are a few ways to determine what kind of rates are fair based on the client’s needs, your skills, and a number of other factors.Piaget cognitive learning theory what to charge for a website – questions to ask yourself 1. What can I actually do?

Don’t mistake me; there are plenty of people who will gladly pay someone to set up a hosting account, install wordpress, and slap a $25 theme on it.Piaget cognitive learning theory but if that’s what you do, don’t call yourself a designer or developer because you’re not. (sorry, but it’s true.) instead, offer wordpress setup services and realize that you can’t charge thousands of dollars for a service that requires 15 minutes and the ability to read and use google. 2.Piaget cognitive learning theory what would I expect to pay someone else for the same quality I provide?

Personally, it’s hard for me to imagine paying someone else to build a website since I can do it myself.Piaget cognitive learning theory but when I really think about my own level of knowledge and skill, what value I can and cannot provide to clients, and what problems I can help them solve, that gives me an idea of the range I should be in when I determine my rates. 3.Piaget cognitive learning theory what are other people charging?

I absolutely cringe when I think about what I was charging even a couple of years ago, and I’m sure one day I’ll cringe at the rates I charge right now.Piaget cognitive learning theory but the only way I know what’s fair is by comparing my work to that of other people in my niche. Joining a mastermind group gave me a place to bounce pricing ideas off other people and it has been incredibly valuable. 4.Piaget cognitive learning theory what are my clients willing to pay?

I realized pretty quickly that I would never be able to raise rates while I was working with clients in the personal finance niche.Piaget cognitive learning theory eventually I made the tough decision to price myself out of that group completely. And you know what happened? Some other people in that niche began offering cheap theme customizations, filling the gap and taking the clients I no longer wanted.Piaget cognitive learning theory I found new clients who were willing to pay what I was charging. The world didn’t end. Should you charge by the hour or by the project?

In most cases, hourly work is unfair.Piaget cognitive learning theory why should I make less money for having the experience to do things quickly? I can knock out a development project in two days, but does that mean my work is worth less than that of someone who takes a month to do the same work?Piaget cognitive learning theory in most cases, I prefer pricing by the project, taking into account not only the time it takes but the knowledge and skills I bring to the job.Piaget cognitive learning theory

I can’t tell you a dollar amount to charge because I don’t know who you are, what you do, and how well you do it. As I said before, the best way to figure out pricing is to see what people with a similar skill set are charging.Piaget cognitive learning theory if you really want to know, schedule a consultation and we’ll chat about your business – I’ll be happy to give you an estimate of what kind of rates you can expect!Piaget cognitive learning theory

While there is no one-size-fits-all rate for web work, knowing what you’re worth and being able to explain that to your clients is absolutely essential if you want your freelance business to succeed.Piaget cognitive learning theory don’t be afraid to adjust your pricing if you need to – the good thing about working for yourself is being able to flip switches until you find a system that works.Piaget cognitive learning theory

As someone who has used website templates in the past to assist family and friends get a web presence, I was a little put-off when reading your article.Piaget cognitive learning theory although I respect the experience and talent of great designers and developers (I am a creative director in a marketing agency and work with designers daily) I do think there is room in the world for respecting sites like square space and weebly for small business owners.Piaget cognitive learning theory also, there is a certain amount of design talent required for making a template look good, it is not as easy as drag and drop and you are done.Piaget cognitive learning theory the interfaces and template designs in the do-it-yourself market are getting easier to use and better looking by the day and I think it’s a great option for people seeking a virtual business card, branding opportunity or small shop.Piaget cognitive learning theory there are many people in business today that would like some web presence but just aren’t going to play top dollar for high end development or design work.Piaget cognitive learning theory I personally find some of the templates (even themeforest ones) to be attractive and a very practical solution for many small businesses.

Hi…I’m probably too late to get an answer to my question, but I’m going to try anyway.Piaget cognitive learning theory I’m 64 and live in the outer banks of north carolina, a vacation spot where the economy for locals is behind the national average. Before moving here, I lived in the washington metro area, where I spent 25 years as a freelance writer and editor and later co-owned a communications company.Piaget cognitive learning theory I’m an excellent writer and spent most of my career developing marketing materials for clients. I’ve also worked extensively with designers and graphic artists and done a lot of publications and production work.Piaget cognitive learning theory

So here’s the thing … since moving here, I’ve launched five websites—a blog, two real estate sites, an online store, and a site for a skincare consultant.Piaget cognitive learning theory I’ve used three different content management platforms and experimented with a few others. All work has been done for free, but I consider that the cost of learning.Piaget cognitive learning theory I’ve gained a lot of experience, and everyone has been totally pleased. Now I want to do the same work as a freelancer.

If you need a portfolio and don’t have one, I think your best bet is to find a couple friends/relatives who need a website and offer to build it at a reduced rate.Piaget cognitive learning theory that’s what I had to do when I switched to WP from static HTML – I didn’t have any examples of WP sites, so I had to bite the bullet and do some really cheap work.Piaget cognitive learning theory personally, I’d advise against demo sites UNLESS you remove the company info, logo, etc. And make it a generic example. Otherwise people may wonder why none of these projects are live, or why that particular business changed the website after the fact.Piaget cognitive learning theory

If I’m working on a project where the theme was built by someone else, I always ask for a login so I can take a look at the existing code before I give a quote.Piaget cognitive learning theory my contracts also have a section about the possibility of issues with code written by another developer. It’s rare for me to take on that kind of work because there is so much potential for things to go badly.Piaget cognitive learning theory I don’t display a portfolio anywhere, which is intentional; if a designer is interested in a partnership, I prefer to share links with that person individually so I can explain any of the things that weren’t my fault or strange choices the client might have made. 🙂