Websites are the digital front door for nearly every business today. Yet surprisingly, 27% of small businesses still don’t even have one! And according to statistics, a whopping 86% of small businesses plan to build or overhaul their website in the next few years. It’s a great opportunity to offer service for every digital agency.
This presents a massive opportunity for digital agencies. Small businesses need websites, but most don’t want the expense and hassle of a completely custom-designed site.
That’s where you come in!
By offering simple, templated websites as a service, you can land new clients quickly, wow them with a polished new online presence, and lock in lucrative recurring revenue.
In this post, we’ll break down exactly how to profit with websites as a service, using tools like HighLevel to streamline and scale the process.
The Problem with DIY and Custom Website Design Services
Today, small businesses have two main options when it comes to getting a website:
- DIY site builders like Wix or Squarespace. The business owner struggles through building a site themselves.
- Hiring a web design agency. The agency charges $5,000, $10,000 or more for a completely custom-designed website.
Most small businesses don’t want the hassle of DIY website design. But they also can’t justify the huge expense of a fully custom site. This leaves a big gap in the market.
Enter the websites as a service model.
Websites as a Service: The Best of Both Worlds
With websites as a service, you give clients the quality and custom look of an expensive bespoke website. But you use templates and automation to deliver it at an affordable price point.
It’s a win-win. Clients get a polished, functional website at a fraction of the cost of custom design. And you get to deliver that “wow” factor and lock in lucrative recurring revenue.
Let’s look at how two successful companies are using this model.
Restaurant Engine
These guys offer website packages for restaurants starting at $199 setup and $49/month hosting. They use themes and limited customization options to streamline the process.
iMatrix
iMatrix has provided template websites for over 9,000 chiropractors as well as other healthcare specialists. They charge more than Restaurant Engine but have nailed the model of easy templated sites.
These companies prove websites as a service work across industries from restaurants to chiropractors. The key is using templates and automation to allow for some customization while keeping your costs low.
Most small business owners have heard horror stories about the time and cost involved in getting a custom-designed business website built.
So when you approach them with the offer of a professionally designed and built website for a fraction of what they expected to pay, they are going to be intrigued and excited at the possibility.
Of course, in order to deliver at such an affordable price point, you do need to leverage templates and limit the amount of custom work involved.
But most small businesses are perfectly happy with that trade-off. They mainly just want a site that looks polished and makes them appear credible to customers.
The websites as a service model allows them to get that for an affordable setup fee and reasonable monthly hosting rates. Also, you can offer 3 simple services with Gohighlevel for fast customers.
Stack Up Recurring Revenue With Built-In Upsells
The true beauty of the website as a service model is the recurring revenue. Once a client is using you for web hosting and maintenance, they tend to stick with you for years.
And the website gives you the perfect low-friction entry point to upsell clients on your other high-margin services.
Here are just a few of the ways you can add services to increase monthly revenue:
- Charge extra for add-ons like chat widgets, appointment scheduling, or analytics.
- Offer email and SMS marketing integrated with the website.
- Provide ongoing content creation and SEO optimization.
- Manage paid ads tied to the website.
- Monitor leads and calls generated from the site.
- Offer social media account management and ad buying.
- Build automated email follow-up funnels for leads captured on the site.
- Set up retargeting ads to previous website visitors.
- Create and manage customer review generation campaigns.
- Install heatmaps and other tools to optimize on-site conversions.
The key is to think expansively about all the marketing services you can provide that integrate with and amplify results from the foundational website. A simple $97/month website suddenly turns into $297 or $497 per month when you stack on some of these profitable services.
The website serves as the gateway to hook clients and demonstrate your skills. You can then introduce additional services over time to maximize the lifetime value of each client you acquire.
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How to Deliver Templated Websites in Just Days
The biggest objection agencies have about offering templated sites is that custom design is their specialty. But with the right tools, DIY website builders are now delivering great-looking, custom-feeling websites.
This is where HighLevel comes in.
HighLevel makes it incredibly easy to set up beautiful, functional websites in just days using pre-made templates. And the platform is purpose-built for digital agencies.
Let’s walk through how easy HighLevel makes the websites as a service model:
Step 1) Select a Template
HighLevel comes pre-stocked with dozens of professional website templates for all types of businesses.
You can start with one of theirs. Then have a designer custom-build 2-3 additional templates for your niche (i.e. law firms, plumbers, etc.)
This gives clients some design choices while keeping their workload low.
Step 2) Customize the Site
Use HighLevel’s simple custom fields to quickly personalize the site with the client’s:
- Business name and logo
- Contact information
- Color scheme preferences
- Image choices
- Existing website copy if they want it
The ability to customize the template site makes the client feel like they have a custom, one-of-a-kind website. Even though you barely lifted a finger!
Step 3) Launch in Just Days
Thanks to the template and custom fields, you can easily launch a professional new website for a client in just a few days.
The quick launch excites clients and gets your foot in the door providing services.
Step 4) Stack on High-Margin Services
Remember, the website itself is just the start. From here, you can upsell clients on additional digital marketing services integrated with the site.
For example, HighLevel lets you:
- Install a web chat widget to capture leads
- Sync email and SMS marketing with the site
- Connect social media messaging
And more. Each service adds to those lucrative monthly recurring fees.
Offer Websites to Hook Clients for the Long-Term
So, in summary, here’s why every digital agency should be offering websites as a service:
- Huge market demand from small businesses
- Deliver a “wow” factor with a polished site
- Low effort for you to use templates
- Lock in profitable recurring revenue
- A website is the gateway to selling additional services
With the HighLevel platform, you can roll out templated websites for practically any type of client.
If you’re ready to start landing more clients and stacking up monthly fees, now is the time to start offering websites as a service. It’s your ticket to creating a highly profitable digital agency!
Getting Started with Website Services
If you’re sold on offering websites as a service, here are a few tips to get started:
- Choose Your Niche
Don’t try to be everything for everyone. Pick a specific niche like dentists, gyms, law firms, etc. so you can tailor your templates and offerings. - Build Your Templates
Work with a designer to create customized templates and sample sites for your niche to showcase. - Streamline Your Process
Map out a step-by-step process for capturing client info, delivering websites, and onboarding for additional services. - Offer Packaged Options
Price out bundled packages like a “Starter” or “Pro” website plan so pricing is simple. - Train Your Team
Make sure anyone client-facing understands and can explain your website offerings. - Create a Dedicated Website Page
Have a website page that lays out your website services and packages clearly for prospects. - Leverage High-Converting Offers
Consider a limited-time free website offer or free trial to get clients in the door.
With some planning and preparation, you can start offering profitable website builds in no time.
Be sure to track client response rates, conversion rates, and profit margins over time to refine your website service offerings. Also, check out my proven framework for structuring crazy profitable high-level service packages.
The Time is Now for Website Services
Websites are only increasing in importance for small businesses. Those who wait to establish their online presence will get left behind.
By positioning yourself as the affordable website expert for your niche, you can capitalize on the massive demand from small business owners for better online visibility.
So whether you currently offer web design or are looking to expand your services, the website as a service model is perfect for right now.
With the HighLevel platform allowing you to deliver templated sites quickly and easily, the barriers to entry are low. And the recurring revenue potential is high.
Now is the time to make your website build a core service offering of your digital agency. Claim your stake in this hugely profitable model to set your agency up for long-term success!
All the best,
PS – I made six shifts in my approach to building my business that allowed me to grow quickly and stop trading my time for money. You can learn them here. 👈🏻
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