Website Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Analysis

There are any number of “website builder” software packages bundled with hosting plans from ISPs. But what does it really cost at the end of the day to build, deploy, manage and maintain one of these sites when compared to our Small Business Website package?  That is a question every smart business owner MUST ask themselves before embarking on a journey to become their own web developer, graphic designer and Internet marketing specialist.

Let’s make a few assumptions and then take a closer look at the true total cost of ownership (TCO) for the first year, as well as follow on years.

Assumption #1 – As a small business owner you value your time at approximately $50/hour.  That is a fairly low estimate.

Assumption #2 – To maintain an effective web presence you will need to spend at least 1 hour per week updating the content of your website.

Assumption #3 – You will spend at a minimum 40 hours setting up your website with an online “website builder.” This is a conservative estimate. Even though many will say you can build a website in minutes that typically does not produce a website with the quality or volume of content needed for your business. A better estimate would probably be more in the 60-90 hour range.

Don’t believe the hype offered up by these “website builder” programs and don’t go it alone. Hire a professional so you can get back to doing what you do best – running your business.