The Cost of a Cheap Website

Why Investing in Quality Design Pays Off

In the quest to create or update a website, it’s tempting to choose the cheapest option available. After all, there are plenty of platforms offering quick, inexpensive solutions that promise professional-looking sites in just a few clicks. But while these options may seem cost-effective upfront, they often come with hidden expenses—both in terms of money and missed opportunities.

Whether you’re a nonprofit seeking more visibility or a small business aiming to grow, investing in a custom, high-quality website design offers far better returns over time than a low-cost, cookie-cutter solution ever could.

Cookie-Cutter Solutions Don’t Fit You

Low-cost website builders tend to offer one-size-fits-all templates. While they can get your site up and running quickly, these templates are often generic and fail to capture the uniqueness of your organization. A website is more than just a digital business card—it’s the face of your brand. For nonprofits, it’s often the first point of contact with potential supporters, donors, or volunteers. For businesses, it’s the foundation of your online presence and often the first impression potential clients will have of you.

Cookie-cutter websites lack flexibility and are unlikely to effectively convey your mission, values, or what makes your organization stand out. A generic site may fail to communicate your nonprofit’s unique story, resulting in missed opportunities for people to connect with your mission and contribute to your cause. For businesses, it can mean blending into the crowd instead of standing out.

Cookie Cutter Solutions Lack Flexibility

Don’t let your website become antiquated with a cookie-cutter approach.

Harder to Maintain and Scale

Cheap website solutions might seem easy to maintain at first, but they often lack the scalability required for long-term growth. As your nonprofit expands its services or as your business grows, you’ll inevitably need more functionality, more content, and new features to stay competitive. Unfortunately, low-cost platforms tend to be rigid, with limited customization options that can quickly become restrictive. This means you could face difficult choices—either settling for a website that no longer fits your needs or paying for costly upgrades or even a complete redesign just to accommodate your growth.

When a site isn’t built to scale, simple updates can become complex, requiring custom coding or third-party integrations that may not always function as expected. This not only makes it harder to maintain your site on a day-to-day basis but can also lead to unexpected downtime or compatibility issues as your business evolves. For nonprofits, this can mean missed opportunities to share your mission or accept donations, while for businesses, it can result in lost sales and reduced customer engagement.

Here at Luke Ertzberger Web Design, we recommend and specialize in Squarespace because it offers the flexibility, scalability, and ease of use that your growing organization needs. Squarespace’s platform is designed to evolve with you, whether you’re adding new services, launching a new product line, or expanding into new markets. Its powerful CMS and built-in tools make site management simple, eliminating the need to constantly rely on a developer for changes. You can easily add new pages, update your content, and even enhance your SEO with just a few clicks.

Beyond simple updates, Squarespace also offers seamless integration of new features as your organization grows. Whether it’s adding an e-commerce section, embedding donation forms, or implementing scheduling tools, the platform’s flexibility ensures your website can expand without the need for expensive redesigns. Your site grows with you, not against you—allowing you to focus on what matters most: growing your business or advancing your nonprofit’s mission.

Build a website that grows with your business and adapts to future needs.

Poor User Experience Hurts Engagement

A cheap website may function on the surface, but when it comes to user experience, it’s often clunky, slow, and difficult to navigate. And while this might seem like a minor inconvenience, poor user experience can have major impacts on your goals. Slow load times, broken links, or difficult navigation frustrates visitors, driving them away before they’ve had a chance to engage with your site. For nonprofits, this means fewer people discovering your cause or taking the time to donate or volunteer. For businesses, it can lead to higher bounce rates, lost sales, and diminished credibility.

Custom websites, like those we design at Luke Ertzberger Web Design, are optimized for user experience, ensuring that your visitors can easily navigate, find the information they need, and take action. Whether it’s donating, volunteering, or making a purchase, a smooth, engaging website leads to better results.

Long-Term ROI for Nonprofits and Businesses

When considering the return on investment (ROI) of a website, many people initially focus on financial returns. While that’s certainly important for businesses, nonprofits should look beyond just monetary gain. The ROI of a website for a nonprofit can manifest in various invaluable ways—whether it’s through increased visibility, a larger pool of volunteers, or higher donation levels. A well-designed website that is easy to navigate, effectively tells your story, and encourages user engagement will pay off by connecting you with new supporters and fostering deeper relationships with your existing audience.

For nonprofits, the website becomes a tool for impact. If your website can clearly communicate your mission, make it easy for visitors to contribute (whether financially or by offering their time), and demonstrate the value of your work, the results can be profound. Potential donors who are moved by your site’s message are more likely to give, and volunteers are more inclined to sign up when the process is intuitive and inspiring. This kind of engagement is what drives long-term success for nonprofits.

For businesses, the long-term ROI is more traditionally financial but equally as significant. A high-quality website built with SEO, user experience, and scalability in mind will do much more than serve as a digital brochure—it will become a core part of your business growth strategy. A well-optimized, user-friendly site will attract more visitors, convert them into customers, and foster ongoing relationships with them. With an increasing focus on mobile browsing, user experience, and search engine rankings, having a site that meets these expectations gives businesses a competitive edge.

Investing in a custom design now allows you to avoid a cascade of future costs. Cheap or poorly designed sites often result in low search rankings, higher bounce rates, and missed opportunities. Over time, that translates to lost customers, reduced revenue, and the need for costly redesigns. By investing in a quality website today, you’re investing in future-proofing your business, ensuring that your website continues to deliver value as your business grows and evolves. From reduced maintenance costs to improved user engagement, the returns on a well-designed website far outweigh the initial investment.

Investing in quality design delivers lasting returns for businesses and nonprofits alike.

Making the Right Investment in Your Website

At Luke Ertzberger Web Design, we understand that no two organizations are the same. That’s why we take an individualized approach to each project, designing websites that reflect your unique brand, mission, and goals. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all templates, because we know your business or nonprofit deserves better.

Our approach is rooted in collaboration. We work closely with you to understand your needs and ensure the website we create aligns with your vision. We specialize in Squarespace, a platform that provides ease of use, scalability, and robust design options without compromising quality. With built-in SEO tools and an intuitive CMS, managing your website becomes simple, whether you’re adding a blog post, sharing updates, or launching a new product.

When you invest in a custom design, you’re not just paying for a pretty site. You’re investing in a tool that will grow with your organization, provide a superior user experience, and help you achieve your goals—whether that’s increasing donations for your nonprofit or driving sales for your business.

Don’t settle for a website that just “gets the job done.” Invest in one that does more—one that truly reflects your brand and helps you achieve your mission. Ready to take the next step? Let’s talk about how we can help you build a website that pays off, not just today, but for years to come.