What to Pay For Your Swimming School Website

Starting a swimming school and need a website, or does your current site need an update? The key question is, "How much does a quality swimming school website cost?"

The answer isn't simple. While different sources suggest costs ranging from $800 to $10,000, these are just rough estimates. The real question is:

What are your website goals?

Are you aiming to attract more students, boost enrollments, enhance brand visibility, or just impress friends and family with your site's look?

There's a big difference between hiring a web development firm to create a beautiful site and finding a team that specializes in building a site that drives business growth. While it's possible to have both an attractive and high-performing website, finding a team that excels at both can be challenging.

It's important to understand that creating a site that attracts, engages, and converts potential students requires more than just good design. You need:

• A designer to shape your vision.
• A developer to bring it to life.
• An SEO expert to ensure visibility on search engines.
• A conversion specialist to optimize user engagement.

With this in mind, let's explore your options and the price ranges for developing a top-notch swimming school website.

Free DIY (Google & Web Host)

Certain web hosting providers like HostGator, GoDaddy, and even Google offer a free website builder alongside their hosting services. Google's option is entirely cost-free, but it comes with the most basic templates and design tools available.

Pros:

• Cost: Free aside from hosting fees.
• Templates: Offers a selection of basic templates.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: Steep learning curve; mastering web development with a builder takes time.
• Hosting: Tied to your hosting provider.
• Template Quality: Limited template quality.
• Integration: Requires self-integration of components.
• Speed: May run slowly.
• Technical Skills: Demands technical setup skills such as domain connection.
• SEO: Lacks SEO optimization.
• Automation: Absence of built-in automation or lead nurturing systems.
• Ownership: You don't own the website.

Paid DIY (Wix and SquareSpace)

Moving beyond free website options, you have web builders like Wix and Squarespace. Plans can start as low as $16 per month, but realistically, you'll need to opt for at least a $27 per month plan since the Lite option is quite limited in features.

It's a good starting point, but be prepared for a learning curve. In many cases, you might end up hiring a Wix developer and spending $500 to $1,000 anyway.

Pros:

• Cost-Effective: Highly cost-effective.
• Templates: Offers a wide range of appealing templates.
• Plugins: Includes free plugins for certain features.
• Domain: No need to handle domain integration.
• Hosting: Hosting is included in the package.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: Steep, consuming significant time.
• Customization: Final product may differ significantly from the template due to lack of text, photo, or design expertise.
• Integration: Limited integration with third-party software outside the Wix ecosystem.
• Additional Costs: May still require hiring a developer at an additional cost.
• SEO: While Wix provides SEO tools, achieving full optimization for search engine rankings can be challenging.
• Automation: Lacks built-in automation or lead nurturing systems.
• Ownership: Ownership of the website remains with the platform.

Next, we'll explore the option of hiring an affordable freelancer from platforms like Fiverr.

Affordable Freelancer (Fiverr)

If you're on a budget, you can use platforms like Fiverr to hire a website designer or developer for anywhere between $500 to $5,000. Fiverr can be a good place to find talent, and you might pay a similar amount to what a mid-range web design agency or an independent developer charges, typically between $500 to $800.

However, the quality of work you receive can be a concern. Many low-cost freelancers may deliver subpar results without you realizing it. They often rely on free WordPress templates and multiple plugins to piece together your site.

This approach can result in a website that:

• Lacks responsiveness across different screen sizes.
• Isn't optimized for search engines.
• Fails to convert visitors effectively.

Additionally, since you're not spending a lot, you might not get the design you envisioned. Cheap freelancers may cut corners or claim that certain design elements are impossible within your budget.

Many freelancers on Fiverr aren't necessarily skilled designers or developers; they're proficient at working with templates and plugins to create a functional website, but this often means sacrificing quality and customization.

If you choose this route, it might be wiser to invest in a custom website through platforms like Wix or Squarespace. At least with these services, you know the guidelines are being followed.

Pros:

• Affordable Pricing: Cost-effective, ranging from $500 to $5,000.
• Ownership: You own the website.
• Custom Design: Tailored design to fit your swimming school's needs.

Cons:

• SEO Optimization: Lack of SEO optimization for Google rankings.
• Conversion Optimization: Limited conversion optimization for generating leads and students.
• Integration: Challenges in integrating with third-party CRM or tools.
• Hosting: Need to purchase a hosting plan separately.
• Design Quality: Risk of not achieving the desired design.
• Maintenance: Lack of ongoing maintenance support.
• Automation: Absence of built-in automation or lead nurturing systems.
• Performance: Potential for slow website performance.
• Technical Setup: Requirement to handle technical setup such as domain connection.
• Timeline: Project completion may take 1 to 2 months.

Next, we'll discuss the option of an intermediate web design agency for a swimming school website.

Intermediate Web Design Agency

These are the usual web design agencies, and they usually charge between $2,000 to $10,000 for creating a swimming school website. I don't have any issues with them. The real challenge is finding the right one that can deliver outstanding results.

The tricky part is, to have an excellent website that attracts and converts more students, you need to hire an agency with a talented designer, a skilled developer, someone who knows SEO well, and an expert in boosting conversion rates.

Pros:

• Reasonably Priced: Still affordable, in my opinion.
• Ownership: You own the website.
• Custom Design: Tailored to fit your swimming school's needs.
• CRM Integration: Likely integrates with your CRM system.
• Hosting Setup: They handle setup on your hosting platform.
• Quality Design: Potential for a well-designed website if you choose the right agency.

Cons:

• SEO Optimization: SEO results may vary.
• Conversion Optimization: Limited optimization for generating leads and students (possible but not guaranteed).
• Hosting: Need to purchase a hosting plan (usually not expensive).
• Agency Selection: Need to carefully evaluate web development agencies.
• Maintenance: Monthly fees likely around $200.
• Automation: No built-in automation or lead nurturing systems.
• Performance: Potential for slower website performance (many agencies overlook speed optimization).
• Technical Setup: Responsible for handling technical setup such as domain connection.
• Timeline: Project completion may take 1 to 3 months.

Website Rental Services

Some companies offer the option to rent a pre-built website, which they've designed and distributed to numerous swimming schools. This can be a viable choice and typically comes with a monthly fee of around $300.

However, while a few of these services may optimize the website for generating leads, many won't prioritize SEO optimization unless you opt for additional services. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a cost-effective solution that gets the job done without breaking the bank, this could be a suitable option.

Pros:

• Affordable Pricing: Costs around $300 per month.
• Ready-made Website: Hassle-free setup with a pre-built website.
• Hosting Included: No need to worry about hosting fees.
• Conversion Potential: Opportunity for conversion optimization.
• Maintenance: Service provider handles maintenance.

Cons:

• Lack of Customization: Website isn't uniquely designed for your swimming school.
• SEO Optimization: Limited SEO optimization.
• Automation: No built-in automation or lead nurturing systems.
• Performance: Possible slower website performance.
• Ownership: You don't own the website.
• Setup Time: Setup process may take 2 to 4 weeks.

Next, let's discuss Monstro's Website Solution tailored for swimming schools.

Monstro's Website Solution

Let's discuss our own offering at Monstro. We include a website with every plan we offer. Similar to the rental option mentioned earlier, our packages come with a range of additional benefits, all within the same price range of $299 to $499 per month.

Pros:

• Affordable Pricing: Our plans range from $299 to $499 per month.
• Premium Design: Designed by our top-notch designer.
• Fully Managed: We take care of everything for you.
• No Additional Hosting Fees: Hosting fees are included.
• Optimized for Conversion: Expertly optimized to attract and convert more students.
• Fast Loading: Prioritizes speed for optimal user experience.
• SEO-Optimized Content: Content follows industry best practices for SEO.
• Maintenance and Support: Ongoing support and maintenance included.
• CRM and AI Integration: Seamlessly integrated for automated lead follow-up.
• Quick Setup: Rapid 7-day turnaround time.
• Lifetime Updates: Receive updates to stay current with trends and strategies.

Cons:

• Template-Based Design: While not custom-designed, our templates are tailored to your needs.
• Ownership: You won't own the website outright; it's part of our service package.

Premium Web Development Consultants

At the highest end of the spectrum are premium web development companies, charging anywhere from $8,000 to an astonishing $100,000 or more. The sky's the limit here; you can imagine and create the most exquisite, award-worthy website possible.

These top-tier options cater to brands seeking unparalleled distinction and exclusivity. I once worked with a client who struggled with conversion issues and wanted more leads from their website. Despite my recommendations, they chose to invest $50,000 in crafting a meticulously customized website, driven by their desire to stand out from their industry rivals.

Did it attract more customers? Unfortunately, no. Their conversion rates remained the same. This highlights the importance of clarifying your objectives. Do you prioritize a visually stunning website with intricate animations, or are you focused on acquiring more students? These goals often differ.

Pros:

• Industry Recognition: Potential for industry accolades and recognition.
• Full Ownership: Full ownership of the website.
• Impressive Online Presence: Admirers aplenty, marveling at your impressive online presence.
• Enhanced Integration: Enhanced integration capabilities with third-party CRM and tools, courtesy of the substantial investment.

Cons:

• High Costs: Exorbitant costs involved.
• Conversion Optimization: Unlikely to be optimized for conversion.
• SEO Limitations: May lack SEO optimization for improved Google rankings.
• Financial Misallocation: Potential for financial misallocation.
• Hosting Costs: Additional expenses for hosting are still applicable.
• Extended Timeline: Extended development timeline, spanning 3 to 6 months.

I hope this is what you were looking for! If you need further adjustments or have more content to revise, just let me know.

What Should You Consider?

When it comes to creating your swimming school's website, the decision is up to you. However, it's essential to have a clear understanding of your desired outcomes.

What exactly do you aim to achieve with your website?

• Generate more leads and attract new students.
• Receive recognition or awards.

If your goal is to generate more leads and attract new students, partnering with Monstro or a similar company is recommended. These entities have industry expertise and can provide you with a functional website that effectively converts visitors into leads. If you don't have the budget of $8,000 to $10,000 required to hire a development team, SEO consultant, and CRO (Copy & Conversion Rate Optimization Expert), or if you're unwilling to invest months in learning these skills, outsourcing to such companies is your best bet, in my opinion.