Website Value - Whats Your Business Website Worth?

If you were asked to put a value on your website what would it be? Perhaps you paid a small fortune and commissioned a top design agency to build it. It would still be worth at least what you paid for it, right?

It's a sad fact that a great number of websites are worthless. They give no value to their owners and are little more than a drain on resources. Would it surprise you if your website was classed as one of these?

The World Wide Web is made up of millions of webpages so it's not surprising that many are rarely seen by human eyes other than their owners' and creators'. These unfulfilled webpages are like trees in a forest. They can make as much noise as they want, but if no one is around to hear it then who is to know they ever made a sound? Too many of those that are seen by people are poor at encouraging progress through the sales cycle i.e. they don't persuade the reader enough to progress to the next stage whether that's submitting a sales query or making a purchase.

So how have you determined the value of your website? Have you only taken into account its cost to build and maintain or have also considered what it actually does for you and the value it adds to your business? Ask yourself this question, if you were to put your website up for sale, how would you convince a potential buyer that it was worth the asking price? Would you sell it on the basis of how much it cost to build or on the strength of the benefits it brings?

Do you think owners of expensive luxury cars are motivated by how much they cost to build, run and service or because of things like the prestige they give the owner, the superior performance and higher levels of comfort? In this context, it may be easier to recognise value and worth, but when it comes to your website can you do the same? If your website provides you with no measurable benefits or is a tree in a lonely forest then how can you be sure it's worth anything?

Suppose we're comparing two very different websites; one cost $10,000 to build, looks very impressive, but converts poorly, generates little interest and the other cost $1,000 to build, wouldn't win any design contests, but consistently generates fresh leads and converts a high percentage of prospects into customers. Which of these websites do you think is worth more?

Now ask yourself again, what's the value of your website?

William Lee is the proprietor of Web Star Creations (http://www.webstarcreations.co.uk), has a BSc degree in computer science and a background in blue-chip IT systems.

More Web Development Articles

How To Keep Your Website Sticky
Developing a website with content that entices visitors to return over and over again is something that takes time and effort to put together. This checklist can give you a great start on creating a popular website that entices readers to hang around on your site.

Are You Being Scammed By Your Web Design Company?
This is a growing concern amongst many business owners. Does your web design company own you? This may be possible if you've allowed them to host your web site for you and also register your domain name for your company.

Running An Effective Website
Running an effective website is a continuous process. I have compiled five (5) ways of doing it on a regular basis.

Building a Web Store on Shoestring Budget in less than Four Hours
Starting a business online is no longer as difficult as it used to be! Now, there are plenty of interesting business ideas that anybody can pick up from various Internet resources. Startup related cost, which used to deter many in taking action, has become negligible.

Earning From Your Website
Before you start building your site, ask yourself "WHY?". Why did you decide to build your own web site.

Learn to Build a Better Online Business Website Using Keywords and Content
Are you aware that 90% of the websites on the Internet today are a waste of time and space. You have probably been on some of the sites I am referring to.

What Business Owners MUST Know BEFORE They Commit To Having A Web Site
Q1.Why would I need a web site? A1.

Six Basic Reasons Why Visitors Stay On Your Web Site
1. The first page appears quickly.

Top 10 Webmaster Challenges
Webmasters deal with a myriad of complex design challenges every day. This article will discuss the top ten challenges and provide solutions and tips for solving each problem.

Make Your Web Site User-Friendly!
Making a web site is easy. Making a good web site is not so easy.