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dollars and sense

An inside view of the real cost of a website—and why this investment may be worth every penny

By Erinn Morgan

Is a professional website a crucial marketing component to your business? Many ECPs answer a resounding "yes" to this question, saying it is a necessity for today's web-savvy customer base.

"Customers associate a good website with a professional setting," says Mario Palermo, OD, owner of Palermo Eye Care in Arlington Heights, Ill. "And, we know it can drive customers into our office."

An informative, highquality website is also key to attracting those patients who are considering a healthy investment in their vision. "I was just told by a patient, ‘Any time I'm considering to spend a sizeable amount of money on something, you better have a good website,’" says Michelle Bautista, practice manager at Access Eye Centers in Fredericksburg, Va.

In addition to a professional atmosphere and basic information, many ECPs are taking their web presence to the next level with interactive features such as online appointment scheduling, access to patient forms, and even product sales. In fact, online sales of goods and service continued to grow at a steady clip in 2008—up 17 percent to $204 billion in 2008, according to the National Retail Federation—even in a down economy.

Web design company EyeVertise specializes in creating sites specifically geared toward the needs of ECPs

The necessity of a professional website in today's retail environment does not necessarily dictate that it must be complicated. At Visual Effects Optical in Chicago, Ill., owner Chet Steinmetz, OD, actually pared down his website recently. "It was way too complicated before," he says. "The new version has been simplified to enable one click to take you to everything. I just wanted more informational stuff on there and the rest of it is about what I do and how I work with patients." Steinmetz worked with an outside firm to get the job done.

Having a site that's focused and right for your needs is great, but you may be wondering: What does this must-have marketing tool cost?

UPFRONT COSTS

Whether you plan to launch a new site or redesign an existing one, there will be costs involved unless you are an ECP, web design expert, and hosting guru all wrapped into one. While there are simple, affordable template sites out there for you or your web designer to work with, the tone and focus of your office and dispensary can be better maximized if your site is custom-designed. Web design experts also say custom sites obtain better search engine optimization.

"We don't even do template sites because first impressions are so important for what people see on the web, plus it gets kicked down on search engines because templates are viewed as duplicate content," says Terry Adler, optician and co-owner of EyeVertise, an optical website design firm. "Each of our sites is custom—if you spend a little, you get a Yugo and if you spend a lot, you get a Lexus. Most people don't need the Lexus, so you might want to go for the Pontiac."

Website design packages at EyeVertise include three options: Reach, which is a custom yet basic informational site (cost: $1,200); Teach, which is a custom site designed to educate visitors (cost: $1,900); and Keep, which delivers both basic and educational information plus easy-to-access patient forms (cost: $2,900).

Another optical website design firm is TNT Optical, the two-year-old offshoot of the veteran site design firm for the dental profession, TNT Dental. Owner Tim Kelley says their focus is also on custom sites that have a flat fee associated with their complete design, including copywriting and development. Packages include Silver ($2,000), Gold ($3,000), and Platinum ($5,000).

"The difference is that you can add more areas of content as you move up the levels," says Kelley. "The Platinum adds in interactive pieces like online forms, surveys, an online shopping cart for sales, and appointment making." TNT Optical also puts the onus on search engine optimization via the site's written copy.

For those looking to revamp an existing site, Kelley notes that TNT will "re-skin" it for $2,000, no matter how big the site is. "We will strip it down to the core and rebuild it with a custom design," he says.

To many ECPs, spending a few thousand dollars on a professional website is a worthwhile investment. While having a professional firm design and maintain your site will ultimately save you precious time (which often equates to money), the costs can ultimately be compared to those of other marketing mediums that the web has replaced. "I think it's insignificant, really. Especially when I think what I used to spend on the Yellow Pages, this is nothing," says Palermo.

ONGOING COSTS

In addition to the upfront design and development costs involved with a website, ECPs who prefer to have expert handling of their site's continued maintenance and hosting can also anticipate minimal monthly fees. Web design firms offer services ranging from simple web hosting and email account support to continuous copy updates and photos.

"Fees can range from $79 to a couple hundred a month to maintain and market your site depending on what you want," says Kelley, who notes that the lower-end pricing includes unlimited updates and search engine optimization. "The key is to get your site up on the first page of Google or Yahoo when people run a search because views drop off dramatically after the first page," adds Kelley.

At EyeVertise, monthly fees run between $50 and $150 for hosting and maintenance like minor changes to copy and images. Again, most ECPs find the ongoing costs palatable, especially since their websites reap so many rewards. "I pay my fees on a yearly basis, but it all seems reasonable and it's worth every ounce of money I spend on it," says Steinmetz.

There are a few extra services that can also tack on costs for ECPs, including search engine optimization. "We charge a $600 one-time fee if we do search engine optimization when we're setting up the site," says Adler. "But we charge $1,200 if we need to go back in and add it in later because we basically have to open up the engine again."

Top: Visual Effects Optical's site offers plenty of information within a few clicks; Access Eye Centers' site is easy to navigate

Adding other special services into your site design, such as building a chat room, e-blast capabilities, or market tracking (such as following visitors as they move around your site), will also have a cost attached. Be sure to clarify your needs and any cost involved with your web design firm before signing on the dotted line. In the end, getting what you want—and can afford—will be key to your website's success. EB