Is having a business website helps increase my income?

[LizbethRoss]

I’m looking to hire this web design Milton Keynes based agency to make an online site for a small business I’m planning to roll out in the future. The thing is, it’s probably going to take a big investment on my part. How big of an income increase can I expect from a well-designed site? Or is it really even helpful on such a thing? I’d love to hear any personal experiences you may have.

 

[Puppuccino]

That's a very difficult question to answer. Too many variables at play to determine how much it'll benefit you. As a retired developer I'd say low cost website builders would be so much cheaper and better for you. If you just want a digital brochure to show off what you do without any special toys then places like Squarespace will save you a fortune and be just as good.

If you're after something truly bespoke then it'll cost thousands from a decent agency that know what they're doing. Oh, and stay away from WordPress. It's a headache.

 

[Handoff]

It's almost impossible to answer that question, it depends on many variables, eg.: business's niche, will they just do design or also SEO, website type (portfolio, e-commerce, landing page, etc), competition, your budget, etc.

If you share some more information, you might get better answers, but, having a website will definitely improve your business. The question is how much and if having an agency made one is worth it.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I would never (well, almost never**) advice anyone to spend much money on their first website.

Even if you have little to no technical expertise then you can set up a basic website using Vix or (the above mentioned) Squarespace to get you started for free, and then - with a cheap plan (around $10/month and upwards) - you extend it with your chosen domain name.

This will let you develop your content and start interacting with your potential clients/customers from that platform, without making any (substantial) investment.

Later on, when you start making money, you may find that the solution (Vix, Squarespace, or whatever you chose) doesn't actually help you grow your business as much as you want it, you might start to hire someone to help you expand on the site (or build a custom solution for you). The advantage is that you - by then - should have a better understanding of your online needs (besides "I need a website"), and can ask the agency for specific things.

** If you know _all_ your KPI's and know exactly how your web presence will allow you to reach an optimal audience and profit, then by all means...