SEO3 min read
What is SEO? A plain English guide for Southport businesses
What SEO actually means, how Google decides who shows up first, and the simple steps that help Southport businesses climb the results.
Read post ↗Key takeaways
- Our average website costs around £500, depending on the specifications and needs of your business.
- The biggest price factors are the number of pages, online selling and any custom features.
- Watch out for monthly retainers: they can cost far more than the website over a few years.
The short answer
At COF Works, the average website costs around £500. The exact price depends on the specifications and needs of your business, which is why we give every client one fixed quote after a quick chat. Once it is agreed, that is the price. No monthly retainer, no surprise invoices.
What affects the cost of a website?
- Number of pages: a simple one page site for a tradesperson costs less than a ten page site for a clinic with several services.
- Selling online: an online shop with products, stock and checkout takes more work than a site that collects enquiries.
- Custom features: booking calendars, quote calculators, galleries and integrations all add time.
- Content: if you already have photos and words, it is quicker. If you need help writing them, it takes a little longer.
The hidden costs to watch out for
The price of the website is only part of the story. Before you sign anything, ask about these:
Monthly retainers
Many agencies charge a monthly fee for as long as your site is live. A £100 a month retainer is £1,200 a year and £6,000 over five years, often more than the website itself. And if you stop paying, you can lose the site.
Who owns the website?
Some providers keep ownership of your site, domain or content. Always check that you will own everything outright.
Website builder subscriptions
DIY website builders look cheap at first, but the monthly subscription never ends, and you are doing all the work yourself.
The ongoing costs you will actually have
With a COF Works website, the only ongoing costs go directly to the platforms, not to us:
- Your domain name: usually a small yearly fee to keep your web address.
- Shopify plan: only for online shops, paid monthly to Shopify.
- Netlify hosting: free for most small service business sites.
Compare like for like: when you get quotes, add up what you will pay over three years, not just the first month. A one off fee usually wins by a mile.
Is a cheap website worth it?
A website is only worth what it brings in. A site that loads slowly, looks dated or cannot be found on Google costs you customers every day, whatever you paid for it. The right question is not "how cheap can I get it?" but "will this bring me more customers?"
Get an exact price for your website
Every business is different, so the quickest way to know your exact price is to ask. Tell us what you need and we will come back with one fixed quote, usually within a working day.
Quick answers
How much does a website cost in Southport?
At COF Works the average website costs around £500, depending on the specifications and needs of your business. You get one fixed quote up front.
Are there monthly fees?
Not from us. The only ongoing costs are paid directly to the platforms: your domain renewal, a Shopify plan for online shops, and Netlify hosting, which is free for most small service sites.