Built to win
What a Business Website Actually Costs in Lakewood Ranch
If you have been getting quotes that all look different and none of them explain what is included, you are not alone. This page breaks down the real cost of a business website in Lakewood Ranch, from design through hosting, with no buried numbers.
A Straight Answer on Website Cost
Most business owners in Lakewood Ranch spend more time trying to figure out what a website costs than they do actually building one. You get quotes missing hosting. Packages with fees nobody mentioned upfront. Numbers that balloon once someone finally explains what is actually included.
This page gives you a straight answer. Here is what a website build with me actually costs, what is included, and what you will pay directly to hosting and domain providers after launch.
If $2,000 is not the right investment right now, that is a reasonable place to be. This page will help you understand what you are buying when you are ready to move forward.
What the Investment Looks Like
The starting price for a Gagne Marketing website is $2,000. That covers a 4-page WordPress site built from the ground up for local search and AI search visibility.
A plumber who lands one new job from the site can cover a big chunk of that investment in a single call. A lawn care company with one new recurring client at $150 a month covers the full amount in about a year. That is not a guarantee. That is the math when a properly built site does what it is supposed to do.
- Discovery and research. I look at your business, your service area, your competition, and the questions your customers are already searching for.
- Four custom pages in WordPress. Home, Services, About, and Contact as the typical starting set. Built from the ground up, not a template with your logo swapped in.
- Two blog posts written for you. Not filler content. Posts built to answer real questions local customers are actually searching for.
- Local search structure built in. Not added later as an upsell. The SEO foundation is part of the build from day one, not a separate line item.
- AI search optimization. So your business has a better shot at showing up when someone asks ChatGPT or Google AI for a local recommendation in Lakewood Ranch.
- Google Business Profile alignment. If you already have one, I audit it and align your service areas, listed services, and business information with the site. If you do not have one, I help set it up correctly from the start.
- Google Search Console integration. Your site is connected to Google from day one, not something you sort out six months after launch.
- Plugin setup and performance. Security configuration, performance optimization, and the behind-the-scenes work that keeps a WordPress site running well.
- Hosting and domain setup help. Accounts you own and control, with guidance from me on what to pick and how to connect everything.
What You Can Add Later
Most web designers sell packages. I charge for what you actually need, when you need it. If a pressure washing company in Lakewood Ranch wants to add a Bradenton service area page six months after launch, we do that when they are ready.
Additional Pages
Service pages, location pages, or anything else the business grows into. $150 to $200 each, added when you are ready.
Additional Blog Posts
Researched and written for your business, targeting real questions local customers search for. $75 to $100 each.
Hosting, Domain, and What You Pay Directly
These costs go directly to the providers. They never pass through me. You own both accounts from day one.
Hosting: SiteGround. For most small local service businesses in Lakewood Ranch, the StartUp plan is the right fit. It starts at $2.99 per month for the first year and renews at $17.99 per month. One website, 10GB of storage.
If you think you may want a second site down the road, the GrowBig plan makes more sense. It starts at $4.99 per month for the first year and renews at $29.99 per month. Unlimited websites, 50GB of storage.
The intro price is for the first year. After that, you pay the standard monthly rate. I walk through this with every client before they sign up so there are no surprises at renewal.
Domain: Porkbun. Around $11.99 per year. I recommend Porkbun for clean pricing and no upsell games at checkout. You register it. You own it. I help get it connected correctly.
What This Is and What It Is Not
This is:
- A flat starting price with no hidden fees
- Local search and AI search optimization built into every build
- Google Business Profile alignment included
- WordPress only — you own everything after launch
- One person working directly with you from start to finish
This is not:
- E-commerce or custom application development
- Hosting or domain management after launch
- Monthly retainers or ongoing management fees
- Guaranteed first-page rankings
- Packages with features you did not ask for
What Cheap Options Actually Cost
Low-cost web builds are common in the Lakewood Ranch market. Here is what they typically skip.
- No Google Search Console integration. The site exists but Google has no clean connection to it from day one.
- No GBP alignment. The website and the Google Business Profile tell different stories, which hurts visibility in both local and AI search.
- No local search structure. Pages are built to look good, not to be read correctly by Google or AI tools.
- DIY platform lock-in. Wix and Squarespace sites limit local search performance and are hard to leave once you have invested in them.
- A site that does not bring in calls is not a cheap website. It is an expensive one that just does not look like it.
How Access and Ownership Work
To connect your site to Google Search Console and align your Google Business Profile, I will need temporary access to your Google account during the build. That access ends when the project wraps up. This is a normal part of a proper setup that most web builders skip entirely.
During the build, I am set up as the WordPress administrator. Once final payment is received, you take full ownership and administrator access. The site, the hosting account, and the domain all belong to you from that point forward. You are not renting anything from me.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire Anyone
What is included in the price and what costs extra?
Every legitimate web designer should be able to answer this without hesitation. If the answer involves package tiers, vague deliverables, or a list of add-ons you have to opt out of, that tells you something about how the project will go.
Is SEO part of the build or a separate service?
For most web designers, SEO is sold separately after the site is built. In my builds, local search structure is part of the design from the start. It is not a checkbox feature — it is how I build.
Who owns the website and domain when it is done?
You should own both. The hosting account, the domain, and the WordPress site are all in your name from day one. I help set them up, but they belong to you. Walk away anytime and take everything with you.
Do you handle hosting or do I set that up myself?
I recommend SiteGround and walk you through setting up your account. But the account is yours. I do not resell hosting or take a cut. You pay SiteGround directly at their standard rate.
Do you guarantee rankings?
No. I build the best possible foundation for local search and AI search visibility. What Google does with that foundation is outside anyone's control. Anyone who promises you first-page rankings is making a promise they cannot keep. How a designer answers this question tells you most of what you need to know about who you are dealing with.
Other Ways I Can Help Your Business
Web design is one part of a broader set of services for Lakewood Ranch small business owners.
AI Business Consulting
I review how your business runs and identify where AI tools can save real time. You get a written plan with clear priorities so you know exactly what to do and why.
Google Business Profile
Your GBP is one of the first things AI search tools and Google use to verify your business. I audit and optimize your profile so it is accurate, complete, and set up to show up in local and AI search results.
Website Redesign
Before spending money on a new site, it helps to know what is actually holding you back. I review your existing site and give you a clear picture of what to fix, what to leave alone, and if a full rebuild makes sense.
Web Design
I design and build clean WordPress sites for Lakewood Ranch small businesses. Local search is built in from the start, not added as an afterthought.
Manatee County & Local Service Areas
I work with businesses throughout Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Web design, AI consulting, and site support are all available. I can meet in person or work by phone and video call.
Ready to Talk Through What Makes Sense?
If you run a business in Lakewood Ranch and want a clear picture of what a site would cost and what it would actually do for you, that is what the first conversation is for. No packages, no pressure, no obligation.