Building A Website For Your Car Detailing Business: The Costs and Options
The are three main options for building a website for your car detailing business.
Your options are:
- Use a DIY Website Builder, approximately $50/month, for a professional-looking website.
- Buy a Template and build a WordPress site for approximately $50 - $100 a month plus one-time fees for web development and the template.
- Use a website generator like Mighty Sites to create a simple, professional website for your car detailing service. With costs starting at just $9monhth.
We'll review each option's process, pros, and cons to help you decide which website option is suitable for your car detailing business. We'll also explore the estimated costs for each solution.
DIY Website Builder
What is DIY website builder software?
DIY website builder software allows you to create your website without learning to code or hiring a developer. Most of these tools include a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easier for non-technical people to build their websites.
What are the benefits of using DIY website builder software?
The main advantage of using DIY website builder software to build a website for your car detailing business is that it allows you to create websites without having to learn how to code. You select the type of content you want on your site, add it, and customize it as needed. This means you can get online sooner and spend more time doing what you love instead of learning how to build a website. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for anyone with basic computer skills to use these services. Some even allow you to upload existing content from other sources so that you don't have to retype everything from scratch.
Popular DIY Website Builder Platforms and Approximate Costs for a Car Detailing Website
Pros and Cons of Using a DIY Website Builder to Build a Website for Your Car Detailing Business
DIY website builder software is an accessible option for building a website, but it has its benefits and drawbacks. Before you decide on which DIY website builder software to use, take some time to consider the pros and cons.
Pros of Using a DIY Website Builder
Cost-effective - If you start a car detailing business, you don't want to spend too much money on a new website. A DIY website builder is an affordable solution for some small businesses. When it is said and done, and you are on a decent business plan, your costs will likely range from $40 - $60 per month.
Accessibility - Many different DIY website builders available today offer a wide range of templates and features. You can choose one that matches your needs and budget.
Getting Started: The process is straightforward, meaning you can sign up and start building a website immediately.
Cons of Using a DIY Website Builder
Amateur - The website looks like amateurs built it. If your competitors have better-looking websites than you, they may be more successful in attracting customers than you are. You can usually tell a website is created by a small business owner using a DIY Website builder.
Time-Consuming - You must build the website, which is very time-consuming. Learning how to use the website builder system and create a new website for your business can take hours. What's worse is that you need to go in and make updates every time something changes in your business which is likely quite often. This valuable time distracts from doing what you do best, detailing cars.
Lack of Templates - Many DIY Website builder platforms won't have any templates explicitly built for car detailing businesses. You'll probably need to use another type of automotive template and try to customize it for car detailing. This will create an even more time-consuming or expensive process.
WordPress Website
WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) that allows you to create, manage and publish your websites. It's an excellent solution for small businesses because it can be potent.
WordPress has been around since 2003, the most popular CMS on the internet. There are millions of WordPress sites online today, including this one.
WordPress Pros
WordPress is open-source software, which means it's free, and anyone can use it. No licensing fees or royalties are associated with using WordPress, which saves you money upfront and ongoing.
WordPress comes with a large community of users who can give you advice when you need it most. Many experts offer services as consultants or developers if you want more advanced functionality on your website than what WordPress already provides.
Customization options. There are thousands of plugins available for WordPress that can help add features and functionality to your site — from ecommerce options through social media sharing buttons or even contact forms — making it easy for you to get started with a website without having to hire a developer or web designer.
WordPress Cons
Security - Your website may be hacked if you don't take security measures seriously. This happens more often than you might think, especially with unsecured websites built on WordPress that their owners have abandoned. Hacking is also likely if you use an outdated version of WordPress or other insecure plugins or themes with known vulnerabilities. And software vulnerabilities aren't going away anytime soon — they're only getting worse as more devices connect to the internet and more bad actors try to exploit them for profit or political goals.
Development - Setting up the WordPress software, hosting, and installing your template are technical tasks. Then you will need to design and customize your template after that. This will require the help of a web developer, so be prepared for the upfront cost of building a WordPress website.
Learning Curve - WordPress can be pretty challenging to learn how to use, customize and update. Most small business owners realize they need a WordPress developer's ongoing help to succeed. This can get costly very quickly.
Estimated Costs of Building a WordPress Website for your Car Detailing Service
- WordPress Template - $29 - $199
- WordPress Development - $500 - $5,000
- WordPress Hosting - $10/month - $50/month
Where to Buy WordPress Car Detailing Service Templates
Several marketplaces sell WordPress website templates. You will need to buy one of these templates and download it for use.
Here are a few places to buy a WordPress website template for your car detailing business.
Small Business Hosting Solutions for a Car Detailing Business WordPress Site
You will need server space to host your site's WordPress software. There are several options for hosting. Here are a few of the most popular and the approximate costs.
- Siteground - starting at $2.99/month
- WP Engine - starging at $25/month
- Bluehost - starting at $4.95/month
Tips for Hiring A WordPress Developer
Here are some tips for hiring a WordPress developer:
It is essential to find a developer who is knowledgeable about WordPress and has experience working with clients in the car detailing space. One way to do this is to look for developers with a portfolio on their website. You can also ask for recommendations from other business owners and friends who use WordPress on their websites.
Make sure your developer can meet your needs. This includes designing the site, setting up the WordPress content management system (CMS), installing plugins and widgets, and making updates to the site in the future. If you need help with these things, ensure your developer knows how to handle them.
Ask your developer what types of projects they specialize in, such as e-commerce shopping carts or membership websites. This will help you understand what kind of experience they have with different online businesses before you hire them for your project. It is essential to know if they have experience designing the types of websites that work well for a car detailing service.
Look for developers that are familiar with best practices when it comes to website design and development so that they will be able to create a plan that works well across all devices, including smartphones and tablets. This will ensure that your site works properly on all platforms so that users can easily access it from any device.
Remember, you are looking for an ongoing relationship with a developer, so find someone with the talent you need. But also someone you trust and find easy to work with regularly.
Website Generator
Instead of trying to build a website, have you considered using a system that will generate one for you?
The Mighty Sites system is a website generator that does all the work of building the website, so you don't have to. In five minutes or less, you will have a simple professional website for your car detailing business. The Car Detailing Website Template is simple, professional, mobile-friendly, and easy to edit.
All you need to do is find or enter your business information, and the system will do the rest.
Mighty Sites starts at only $9/month. There is also a free trial.
Hosting and the template are both included in the price. All you need to do is sign up, and you're done.
It's an excellent alternative to DIY Website Builders and WordPress websites. The only drawback is that Mighty Sites is designed to be simple and professional. That means if you need much customization and want to spend extra money, you should consider WordPress or a DIY website builder.
But, if a simple and professional website for your car detailing business is what you are looking for, the Mighty Sites system may be the perfect fit for you!
Conclusion
In the end, the choice is yours.
New car detailing businesses may want to use Mighty Sites for a simple and professional experience. Others with more time and money may want to consider using a website building like Weebly. In contrast, established businesses with more capital can create a custom build on WordPress.
Either way, you'll have access to many great options and features, so there's no wrong answer.
Best of luck!