WordPress websites are known to cost little. But this can also run quite differently. […]
Companies that commission a WordPress homepage or blog usually expect small prices. In most cases, standard plugins are used – for example for search engine optimization – or so–called themes (design templates), which are available from 50 euros. However, it can also be different: large WordPress projects can cost a million euros and more. This is how WordPress costs add up.
On platforms like Themeforest you can find so-called themes that can be downloaded for little money. Avada or Thrive Themes are well-known names here. However, the problem with these design templates is that they are relatively rigid. Design adjustments are only possible to a certain extent. For larger WordPress projects, it makes sense to create your own web design. For this purpose, a designer is commissioned in the first step, which creates so-called mockups (design drafts) with graphic design tools such as Photoshop or Sketch. This can take about 40 to 200 hours. With market hourly rates of about 100 euros, the costs – only for this area – can add up to 20,000 euros and more.
But that’s not all: in the next step, a frontend developer has to convert the whole thing into HTML and CSS, which in turn takes time. After all, today the designs have to work on different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.), devices (PC, smartphone, tablet, etc.) and systems (iOS, Android, Windows). The frontend developer must implement this task pixel-precisely. You can set 50 to 100 hours for this. You should not forget that the programmer is also responsible for testing. This is essential to ensure that your WordPress website works as planned.
When it comes to WordPress plugins, some standard plugins are available. For example, YOAST SEO (search engine optimization) or Contact Form 7 (create contact forms). WordPress plugins like these make the work easier for developers, because they can be installed with one click and require only minor adjustments. The problem here is that not all extensions fit on any project. In some cases there is no specific plugin yet, in others individual programming is necessary.
An example of this would be a product configurator: an online shop often has a way to compare prices and also to put together products. Choices of different colors, sizes, materials and sometimes design changes are feasible. However, the programming of such a custom plugin can take several months, usually two to three WordPress programmers, designers and / or project managers work on it.
The financial outlay for this can easily run into the hundreds of thousands, as a developer can cost between 10,000 euros and 20,000 euros per month (if a company recruits this through external agencies or an IT service provider).
In most cases, content management systems like WordPress are all about presenting content. For example, an automobile manufacturer can present its current models. As far as the images are concerned, companies can also rely on stock photos, which can be obtained from corresponding portals for a fee (usually a monthly fixed price). However, this is not enough for many IT projects. Then professional photographers have to be hired to stage the products. This too can cost tens of thousands of euros. In particular, when not only image but also video material is to be produced.
At the same time, of course, it is also about being found on the Internet. This is where Search Engine optimization (SEO) comes into play. SEO can be highly profitable for companies if the content is indexed in a prominent position (i.e. as high as possible) on Google and other search engines. Some SEO projects are also outsourced to specialized agencies. Measured by the added value to be achieved, this is usually anything but a favorable undertaking.
The fact that visitors come to the website is not enough these days. Visitors also need to convert to customers. The number of visitors who take a certain action during their stay is also called conversion rate. The optimization of this value is called conversion rate optimization. For example, instead of one in 100 website visitors converting two, this corresponds to an increase in the conversion rate of 100 percent.
The process of conversion optimization is highly profitable and can have a huge impact on sales. In the WordPress environment, there are specialized IT and marketing service providers that cover the area of conversion rate optimization. The prices are correspondingly high.
The hosting of a website may still be cheap, as there are corresponding web hosts. However, the maintenance of the website is already more complex. WordPress launches new versions at regular intervals. Then themes and plugins need to be adjusted accordingly to ensure compatibility. Not infrequently, bug fixes are also necessary. For the maintenance of a WordPress website, companies can therefore budget around 20 percent of the total project costs.
A look at the possible costs shows: The construction of a comprehensive website based on WordPress can be quite expensive, especially if not exclusively standard components are used. Such a project is not done with a theme, a couple of standard plugins and a page builder. Accordingly, you should not underestimate the price.
Sascha Thattil is an avid blogger and India expert. As Managing Director of YUHIRO, he builds digital remote teams in India for agencies, software companies and IT departments.
