It’s not 2010 anymore…
and the website solutions we used back then don’t work well in 2025. Here’s why:
The traditional web design story line.
The traditional web design process follows this story line:
- You reach an agreement with a designer based on what they provide and their price.
- You pay a 50% deposit and the designer starts work.
- Hopefully they are doing research into your marketing situation and developing a strategy to guide their decisions. But if you bargained on the basis of price alone, they will probably assume a lot and design something pretty that’s likely to get a thumbs up.
- They design the site with your input on content, you provide any changes you’d like, and you pay the 50% balance fee.
- The site gets published and you’re on your own, hoping the big bill you just paid will cover your website expense for a long time.
What’s wrong with the old pricing and development model?
Fourteen years ago websites were almost always created as a one-time project, requiring clients to pay a hefty lump sum up front. Because web designers generally competed on price, it was common for a web designer to deliver a nice visual design, but without a full suite of marketing services like target audience research, original content creation, thorough SEO optimization, and analytics setup. This left many businesses with attractive but underperforming websites.
One reason this model really doesn’t work in a client’s best interest is still that people looking for websites may not know what to look for. They may default to comparing prices, which is no indicator of quality, what’s included, or how well their site will perform. They naturally hope to buy a website at the lowest price possible, set it and forget it, hoping it will last long enough to offset the expense. But the appeal of a low initial cost dims later when there are hosting costs and unexpected fees for new features or repairs.
Predictions and surprises in traditional web design
The truth is that there is a lot of predicting going on whenever a new site is developed, and even the best strategy will always need adjusting to keep it fine tuned. It takes time to assess a site’s performance with people and search engines. So if anyone’s predictions are off, adjustments need to be made that no one can anticipate. A one-time project doesn’t build in incremental adjustments over time to correct deficiencies.
It also can’t predict technology that is constantly changing. Now digital marketing has taken center stage, reviews and social media are important influencers, and search engine rules determine who gets to rank high. Search technology is constantly changing. With every browser update or new device change, you could end up with a broken site.
A new era: the subscription-based model, WaaS
So much has changed since 2010, and the speed of change has actually increased. The old one-time project model isn’t working well for business owners anymore. For that reason we’re now providing websites-as-a-service (WaaS).
Websites-as-a-service is a straightforward way to show the actual cost of a website in a fixed price format. It’s a subscription-based platform providing website design, hosting, security, updates, and ongoing support. For a minimal setup fee and an affordable monthly subscription, we deliver a well-researched and optimized website that will grow with you.
Examples of "as a service"
"Software as a service" is a good example. It used to be that when anyone bought software, they received a CD with a unique license number and installed it on their hard drive – like Microsoft 365 or Photoshop. The problem with that model was that technology changes so rapidly that you'd soon have to buy an update for your product.
So much of what we use now is in the cloud, meaning it's not on your computer at all anymore, and it doesn't expire. You simply use your cloud subscription as long as you need to, and it's always up to date, without the glitching and lost productivity that results from jumping from one version to the next.
Why choose Websites-as-a-Service?
- Quality and convenience:
No more wondering if there is something you didn't know to ask for, that you should have done differently with your website. - Transparent pricing:
Understand the true cost of your website with no hidden fees. - Cost effective:
You can set your budget and avoid unexpected expense with an affordable monthly subscription. - Continuous optimization:
You can rely on a stable, high-performing website that will grow with you. Our experts will be on the job auditing your site's performance each month, repairing problems as they appear without your even having to ask. - Dedicated account manager:
Consult with your account manager for personalized support whenever you need to.
Say goodbye to unpredictable website expense, huge upfront fees, and worries about your site!
Is WaaS right for your business?
Call for a free consultation about your options.
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