By Tom Veal 29th July 2019
By Tom Veal Business
When pay monthly websites first came on the scene they were targeted at start-ups and micro-businesses without the revenue to outlay thousands on a professional website. However, pay-monthly websites aren’t only for the very small – they are actually the perfect solution for companies of all sizes. Read on to find out why we think pay monthly websites are the future for all businesses….
1. They suit all budgets
If you’re a fledgeling business who just needs a very basic information website there are some great deals out there which will give you a ‘starter’ website with a bespoke design for incredibly low rates (£20-£50 per month). However, if you need something a little more from your websites such as blogging capability, a CMS, an online booking system, online shop or international versions then there are some companies who will offer this full-scale professional service on a pay monthly basis without the large outlay that this type of service typically requires.
All business owners will testify to the importance of maintaining cash flow in and out of their business and a pay monthly website allows just this with one manageable ongoing payment.
2. You get a professional design
Do not underestimate the power that a professionally designed website can have for your business.It’s true that you can pick a template website design and customise it for your needs and many of these are really aesthetically great designs, however, where template designs fall short every time is that they do not understand your business or your customers.Professional design starts by truly understanding your business and what elements your website needs to be the most user-friendly, the best experience for your customers and the best converter for you.A pretty template site is unlikely to offer you a very good customer experience which will mean a huge hit on your search engine rankings and potentially on your profits.
3. You get to avoid the pitfalls of DIY
DIY and template websites definitely have their place and can offer you a website for next to nothing – however, we have learnt over the years that the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is very true in the world of websites.As well as not being professionally designed, if you go for a free/budget website you may find you run into serious problems further down the line with no support available to be able to fix them or you may want to make changes to your website which just aren’t possible.
4. Your very own in-house professional
Without a doubt, the number one reason our pay-monthly clients love the service they get from us is the ongoing support they get.If you pay a one-off fee for your website to be designed, it is likely that your designer will step away from the project shortly after go-live and you won’t have the flexibility to make changes 2, 4 or 6 months down the line without paying them at an hourly rate.However, if you have an ongoing pay-monthly contract then it is like having a web expert as part of your team.You can call them any time to fix bugs, make changes, add content or revise the design as your business grows.And all with the peace of mind that your payments don’t change allowing you to plan your finances with confidence.
5. Peace of mind
Did you know that there is work required every month to keep a website live and working well?If you were hoping to pay once for a website and then leave it unchanged for a couple of years then please be cautious – not only is this bad for your search engine rankings but also you are leaving yourself open to security breaches.If you have an ongoing pay-monthly website then your provider will ensure all security updates and site upgrades are applied to ensure your data is kept secure and your website continues to work well.
6. Updates are included
Having a pay monthly contract allows you to make changes to your website as often as you need whether it’s adding an email address, updating some pictures, adding something to your ‘news’ feed or fixing broken links – the support you need is just a phone call away and won’t impact on the cost at all.The best pay monthly contracts also offer a complete redesign of your website every 1-2 years to ensure that it carries on being the best experience for your customers and the best performing site for you without becoming outdated.
7. No hidden costs
Most people expect to pay for their website as a one-off cost but don’t anticipate additional fees for website hosting (where your website data is stored) domain registration, email addresses, maintenance or security updates.With a pay monthly contract, you can forget about all these ‘extras’ knowing they are all taken care of and included in your single, manageable monthly payment.
8. Support with emails and social media
If you need email addresses and social media to be linked into your website but aren’t sure how this works then fear not – email and social media integration is included with pay monthly websites including adding additional accounts at a later date – and with a pay monthly site from Essiem, we can even help you get set up.
9. Responsive as standard
When we say a website is built to be responsive, we mean it adapts to be viewed on different screen sizes such as smartphones and tablets.A responsive website is no longer an optional add-on – it is very safe to say for the majority of websites over 50% of your visitors will be on a mobile device (and in some industries, this is over 90%). If your website is not built for mobile devices then your mobile viewers are likely to leave your website and search engines will demote you on results pages.With a professional website under a pay monthly contract then your website will be built to be mobile-responsive as standard.
10. No long-term commitment
We would definitely recommend checking the small print if you are signing up for a pay monthly website as some companies will tie you into a minimum term.But with a pay monthly website from Essiem, there is no minimum term giving you complete flexibility to leave at any time if your requirements change.
If you want to invest in high-quality website design but without paying the full balance upfront then it’s worth considering a pay monthly website. For many companies, the initial outlay for a professional website can be difficult, perhaps you don’t have the balance spare at the moment, you’re investing your cashflow elsewhere, or maybe you are just starting out and want more for your business than a cheap DIY starter website.
That’s why we offer a pay monthly option on all our websites. Our pay monthly designed websites are exactly the same as our normal website design projects except we break down the cost over a period of time that you feel happy paying.
If you think a pay monthly website could be for you, then you can find more information and FAQs on https://www.essiem.co.uk/expertise/pay-monthly-website-design/ where you can also book your free consultation.