How much does a solar website cost? Hint - It's NOT about no. of pages.

Discover the true cost of developing a solar website by examining the value it generates for a company. Stop thinking about pages, start thinking about value.

Updated:
January 31, 2023
Discover the true cost of developing a solar website by examining the value it generates for a company. Stop thinking about pages, start thinking about value.
Lucian Wu
Lucian Wu

The cost of your new website should be proportional to the value that it brings, and the impact it has on the company. 

NOT how many pages your website has. 

Stop thinking about what the costs are to web development agency, but to the effect that the new website can bring your company.

Typically, here are the figures you should be looking at:

Your company revenueCost of a new websitePercentage of revenue
<$100k$1,000Up to 1%
$100k to $1m$10k1% to 10%
$1m to $5m$10k to $50k1% to 5%
$5m to $25m$50k to $125k0.5% to 2.5%
$25m to $100m$125k to $250k0.125% to 1%
>$100m>$250kunknown

In addition to these rough figures, some other factors would affect how much it’ll cost

  • A shorter deadline increases would increase the cost.
  • Working with a specialist in your nice would affect the cost.
  • Certain guarantees that are agreed beforehand, because the development agency would be taking on more risk than usual.

If you’re looking to get a further indepth look, keep reading.

A website for your solar company should be an investment

Developing a website for a solar energy company is a significant investment, and one that requires careful consideration. Traditionally, the cost of developing a website has been calculated based on the time and resources required to build it. This approach makes sense from the perspective of the developer, who wants to accurately bill for their work. 

However, for you, the client, it may not accurately reflect the value generated by the website.

In this article, we aim to take a different approach to evaluating the cost of developing a solar website. Instead of focusing solely on the time and resources required, we will consider the value generated by the website. This includes not only the costs involved in developing and launching the website but also the ongoing benefits that it can provide, such as increased visibility, engagement with customers, and revenue.

By focusing on the value generated by a solar website, we can gain a better understanding of what a reasonable investment might look like. In this way, we can help solar energy companies make informed decisions about their digital presence and maximize their return on investment.

In the following sections, we will discuss the various factors that influence the value generated by a solar website, the costs involved in developing one, and how to calculate the return on investment. We will also provide real-world examples of solar websites and their costs to help illustrate our points.

Value generated by the website:

The value generated by a solar website for a solar company can be significant, and can come from a variety of sources. One of the most important factors is the website's ability to convert visitors into customers. This can be influenced by several factors, including the website's design, functionality, and the quality of the content it provides.

To illustrate the impact that these factors can have on the value generated by a solar website, consider what a good web developer can help you with, and the difference they can make.

Let’s just take conversion rate and bounce rate.

A conversion rate is the percentage of visitors that becomes a lead. The bounce rate is the percentage of visitors that visits one of your pages, and then leaves.

Website MetricOriginal ValueImproved ValueImpact
Conversion Rate5%7%40% Increase
Bounce Rate70%50%28.6% Decrease

Assuming a website generates 100,000 visits per month, an increase in the conversion rate from 5% to 7% would result in an additional 2,000 leads per month. This represents a 40% increase in the number of leads generated by the website.

A decrease in the bounce rate from 70% to 50% would result in a reduction in the number of visitors leaving the website without engaging with its content. Given that 50% of the visitors would remain on the website, this would result in an increase in engagement, improved user experience, and potentially increased sales.

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In addition to the direct impact on conversion and bounce rate, there are many other ways in which a solar website can generate value for a solar company. 

Here are a few examples:

Increased Visibility: 

A well-designed and optimized solar website can improve the company's visibility and reach, making it easier for potential customers to find and engage with the company.

Improved Customer Engagement

A solar website can provide a platform for customers to learn about the company's products and services, ask questions, and provide feedback. This can help build trust and foster stronger relationships with customers.

Increased Brand Awareness

A professional and well-designed solar website can help establish the company as a leader in the industry, and increase awareness of the company's brand and products.

Lower Marketing Costs: 

By providing a central hub for all of a company's digital marketing efforts, a solar website can help reduce the costs associated with marketing and advertising, as well as increase the effectiveness of these efforts.

Risk of a bad website

Having a bad website can have significant impacts on a business, regardless of its size. A poorly designed website can affect the brand image of the company and lead to a decrease in credibility and trust from potential customers. A website that is slow to load or has a confusing navigation can lead to high bounce rates, causing potential customers to leave the site without taking any action. This can result in lost sales and decreased revenue.

Additionally, a website that is not optimized for search engines can have trouble ranking in search results, making it difficult for potential customers to find the company online. A bad website can also make it harder for a company to collect and analyze valuable data about its customers, hindering its ability to make informed decisions about its marketing and sales strategies.

For larger companies, the risks of a bad website are even greater. A poorly designed website can lead to a significant loss of sales and revenue, as well as damage to the company's brand reputation. It is for this reason that larger companies invest in high-quality websites and ensure that they are designed and maintained by experienced professionals.

In contrast, small businesses may be tempted to purchase low-cost websites, but this can be a mistake. The risks of having a poorly designed website are higher when working with a budget-friendly option, as the design and functionality may not meet the company's needs or expectations. The long-term consequences of having a bad website can be significant and far-reaching, making it essential for businesses of all sizes to invest in a high-quality website that meets their needs and protects their interests.

Return on Investment

Return on Investment (ROI) is an important factor to consider when deciding on the cost of a solar website. ROI is the amount of profit made as a percentage of the initial investment. In this case, the initial investment would be the cost of developing the website. Calculating the ROI of a solar website can help companies determine whether the investment is worth it, and if it will generate a positive impact on their business.

To calculate the ROI, companies must consider the amount of revenue generated from leads generated by the website. For example, if a company generates $200,000 in revenue from leads from the website and the cost of developing the website was $50,000, the ROI would be 300%. This means that for every $1 invested in the website, the company made $3 in return.

Hidden Costs of a website that most people don’t think about

Time to completion

The longer it takes to develop and launch a website, the more opportunities your business may miss. Time is money and every day without a website means potential customers are going to your competitors. This can negatively impact your revenue, so it's essential to plan the project effectively and prioritize a quick launch.

Revisions and miscommunication

Revisions can add up quickly, and miscommunication between the client and the developer can lead to costly mistakes. This can result in wasted time and resources, causing delays in launching the website. To avoid this, make sure you have clear and concise communication with your developer and agree on a plan that works for both parties.

Hosting

A slow server, especially for mobile users, will affect your website's speed, user experience and search engine optimization. This could drive away potential customers, so it's important to invest in a reliable and fast hosting solution.

Ongoing marketing

Websites need marketing in some capacity in order for people to find you. This could include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing. These ongoing marketing efforts can add to the overall cost of your website, but are necessary for driving traffic and generating leads.

Conclusion

I know this was not the blog article you were expecting to read. 

Developing a solar website should not be approached simply as a cost, but as an investment. 

The value generated by a well-designed, optimized and properly marketed website can be substantial. As seen from the examples discussed in this article, a slight increase in conversion rate or a decrease in bounce rate can lead to a substantial boost in revenue. 

It is important for companies to invest in a website that will generate a high return on investment by converting visitors into leads and sales. A website that is slow, poorly designed or difficult to navigate can have a negative impact on a business, costing valuable time and potential sales.

What are you waiting for?

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