Let's face it, there are lots of website design firms in business today. For some reason, the spectrum of pricing among website design and development firms has become very confusing. Some firms will charge as low as a few hundred dollars while others will charge tens of thousands. Sometimes the price is based on pure functionality but sometimes the gap will still be huge for what may appear to be the same end result.

Or is it?

This disparity in pricing has led buyers to become even more price-conscious. I see all sorts of unreasonable budgets as a result of people expecting to be able to pay very little for a high-quality, professional website.

Why do some firms charge much more than others and why should you pay more?

Design quality. One of the most significant markers of trust for your organization is the image your website presents. Countless studies have proven that a well-designed, user-centric website increases the level of trust that your constituents have for your organization. Website design and development firms that charge very little cannot afford to hire the best designers and they cannot afford to spend a lot of time on design. This leads to a sub-standard image and a missed opportunity to inspire trust. Firms that charge more, however, can afford to hire designers that are at top in their professions and who have experience in usability and how design relates to the user experience. They are also given enough time to craft a design experience that keeps constituents engaged.

Support. Website design and development firms that offer low prices typically skimp on support. Because they are understaffed, it can sometimes take a very long time to get a response and if you do get a response, it may not be from someone experienced enough to truly resolve your issue. Firms that charge a higher price can afford to hire the best support people. This will matter when you have a question or an issue to resolve.

Infrastructure. Do you want your website hosted on cheap servers and running on cheap software? Me, neither. Especially since website load time has an affect on your marketing. The hosting platform and software used to power your website can make a huge difference in the reliability and functionality of your website. Cheap hosting and cheap software leads to poor performance and frustrated users, which translates to lost leads. Quality equipment and mature software will facilitate a reliable environment for your website to function.

Consulting and industry knowledge. Do you know exactly where design elements should be placed for maximum effect? Do you know the simple tricks to ensure that visitors read your web content? Do you know what usability rules to follow to encourage lead generation? How about the rules for creating a search-friendly website? If you know all this, then you probably don't need any consulting. However, if you are looking for experience and guidance in order to create a website that converts visitors into leads, then you may want to be willing to budget for a firm that can offer this type of consulting. Low-priced firms typically don't have the time or the experience to include revenue-generating advice into the process. More mature firms that charge higher fees typically have a process that is based on years of experience and time spent on research. They send their people to marketing and technology conferences to help them become better at their jobs. They read the latest research on usability and marketing techniques. When you invest in a quality website design and development firm, you help them invest in a high-quality base of knowledge that benefits their clients.

Security. A hacked website can be a very expensive problem for your organization, especially if you are doing any type of e-commerce. Skimping on your website budget can often times lead to skimping on security. A security-conscious website design and development firm needs to invest in strong security practices and tools. I see open-source ("free") CMS platforms getting hacked all the time, which leads to embarrassment and lost leads. I would prefer to spend a little more on website tools that have a strong track record for security.

I am certainly not an advocate for spending too much on a website for no reason. Organizations need to make sure they are getting value for their investments. However, budgeting a few hundred dollars is typically going to be money wasted. I encourage organizations to be willing to create a realistic budget for a website so that the right dots are connected and it becomes a profit center, rather than an expense.