What is WordPress?
WordPress is a flexible and in most cases cost effective, open-source platform for small-medium business. The core WordPress feature is the Blog with categorised articles. It is a great choice for bloggers, coaches/PTs, tradesman, independent businesses and to a great degree estate agents, recruitment companies and other industries alike. All Branderbee WordPress websites are responsive (they resize to match screen size of your device). WordPress is a wonderful tool but it is essential you consult an expert before going ahead with WordPress website.
The real cost?
Just like with any other service, if you choose advanced/premium functionalities the cost of your website will go up. Especially with eCommerce you may want to look at other solutions as managing online shop could be easier for beginners on platforms such as Shopify or Etsy (specifically designed for retailers and small online stores).
For advanced features such as user login, online payments, online forms, forums, pop ups etc. WordPress needs add-on plugins. Many plugins are free of charge but for the advanced features (plugin) authors will charge a monthly subscription (apx. £30/mo per plugin) or a one off payment (up to £200 flat fee).
See full list of Branderbee Website features here.
Pros:
- Design freedom (highly customazible look)
- Huge choice of features and add-ons
- Large number of WP experts on the market
Cons:
- Add-ons can make maintenance costly
- Learning curve/admin of complex sites tricky
- Loading speed could suffer with too much styling
Because at Branderbee we are WordPress experts we will help you decide if the platform is the right choice for your company website. We know what is needed to ensure your website works and loads quickly but looks great at the same time. For a free consultation please call us on +44 (0) 7513 633 470.
Premium Features
If you are thinking of including any of these features or functionalities in your website be aware that they will make your website more expensive to build:
- User login (this often applies to job board websites (applicant user, admin user etc., membership websites, online stores)
- Online form(s) (especially Lead Magnet forms with download, bespoke forms with many questions and file uploads)
- Take payments via website (online store or subscription charging)
- Integrations with 3rd party software/apps (MailChimp, Property Hive, CRM and other)
- niche-specific features (for example client goal tracking on PT website, job posts for recruitment website, property search for estate agents)
The real cost of premium features?
Plugin fees may add up to a substantial amount for complex websites. So if you want to include advanced features be prepared to pay more for building and upkeep of your website.
Plugins need to be updated every month. So if you have many plugins (20+) you could end up doing a lot of work just to keep the website running smoothly (additional cost), maintaining the site.
The more plugins the more complicated it will be to administer the website. Because you will have many options, settings and a longer list of tools.
At Branderbee we only offer plugins essential for achieving your website goals or the ones which will make your life as the owner/administrator easier. We are totally transparent about the pros and cons of each solution so you can make an informed decision and avoid disappointment.
See what’s included in our websites here.
Must Haves
These are the must-haves for your website to look and perform well.
- SSL security certificate (expect to pay more for higher security level)
- Well written copy for your website (including keywords and Calls to Action)
- Photos and icons (either your own or purchased from a stock photography libraries such as Adobe Stock)
Nice Haves
You should try and include as many of these as you can afford.
- Videos and downloads
- Social share and like buttons
- Reviews and testimonials
- On going SEO strategy
- New content every month
- Tools to ease the administration
