What Should a Web Design Package Include?
Web design packages can vary significantly between providers, which can make comparing them difficult.
One package may include planning, design, development, content upload, mobile optimisation and basic SEO, while another may cover only the design and development of a small number of pages.
The right package depends on the type of website you need, the number of pages, required functionality, content responsibilities, business goals and how much work has already been completed.
Understanding what a web design package can include makes it easier to compare providers and determine whether a proposal actually matches your requirements.
If you are currently comparing options, you can also explore our Web Design Packages page for a broader overview of available website packages.
What Is a Web Design Package?
A web design package is a collection of website design and development services provided together as part of a defined project.
Rather than purchasing every website task separately, a business may receive several services within one package.
These can include:
- Website planning
- Sitemap development
- Page structure
- Website design
- Mobile-responsive design
- Website development
- Content upload
- Contact forms
- Image placement
- Basic on-page SEO
- Analytics setup
- Conversion tracking
- Website testing
- Launch support
- Training
- Ongoing maintenance
Exactly what is included varies between providers.
Some packages are designed for small businesses requiring a relatively simple website.
Others may include dozens or hundreds of pages, advanced functionality, ecommerce, custom integrations or ongoing development.
The package name itself is therefore less important than the actual scope of work.
What Should a Web Design Package Include?
There is no single list of services that every web design package needs to contain.
However, a well-structured package should clearly explain what will be designed, developed and delivered, along with the responsibilities of both the provider and the client.
The following are some of the most common components.
Website Discovery and Planning
A website project should usually begin with some form of discovery or planning.
The provider may discuss:
- Your business
- Products or services
- Target customers
- Business objectives
- Existing website
- Competitors
- Required pages
- Website functionality
- Branding
- Content
- Lead-generation goals
- Ecommerce requirements
- Existing systems
- Preferred launch timeframe
The amount of discovery required depends on the size and complexity of the project.
A simple five-page website may require considerably less planning than an ecommerce store or large service website.
The important point is that the provider understands what the website needs to achieve before designing it.
Sitemap and Website Structure
A sitemap outlines the main pages and overall structure of the website.
For example, a small business website may include:
- Home
- About
- Services
- Individual service pages
- Contact
- FAQ
- Blog
- Privacy Policy
- Terms
Larger websites may require additional product, service, industry, location or resource sections.
The structure should make it easy for visitors to find relevant information while also supporting future growth.
Ask whether sitemap development is included within the package or whether you are expected to provide the page structure yourself.
Website Design
The visual design is one of the most obvious parts of a web design package.
This may include:
- Page layouts
- Colours
- Typography
- Buttons
- Navigation
- Headers
- Footers
- Forms
- Image placement
- Calls to action
- Content sections
- Mobile layouts
- Brand styling
Some providers create completely custom designs.
Others work from existing themes or templates and customise them for the business.
Neither method is automatically better.
The appropriate approach depends on the budget, project requirements, branding and level of customisation required.
Custom Design or Template-Based Design?
It is useful to understand what type of design the package includes.
A template-based website may use an existing layout or framework that is customised with your branding, content and images.
This can sometimes reduce development time and cost.
A custom website may involve designing layouts specifically for the business.
Custom design may provide greater flexibility but can require more design and development work.
Before comparing packages, ask:
- Is the website custom designed?
- Is an existing theme being used?
- Can the layout be modified?
- Are premium themes or plugins included?
- Are there ongoing licence fees?
- Who owns the completed website?
- Can another developer work on it later?
These questions can help reveal significant differences between packages that initially appear similar.
Responsive and Mobile Website Design
A modern website should generally be designed to work across different screen sizes.
This can include:
- Desktop computers
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Mobile phones
Responsive design allows page layouts to adjust according to the visitor’s device.
Ask whether mobile optimisation is included as part of the standard package.
Also determine whether the provider tests important elements such as:
- Menus
- Buttons
- Forms
- Images
- Typography
- Tables
- Calls to action
- Page spacing
- Ecommerce functions
Mobile usability should not simply mean shrinking the desktop website.
The website should remain practical and easy to navigate on smaller screens.
How Many Pages Are Included?
The number of pages included is one of the most important things to clarify.
A package may include:
- 1 page
- 5 pages
- 10 pages
- 20 pages
- A defined number of service pages
- A custom number of pages
Do not assume that every page you require is included.
Ask whether pages such as the following count towards the package limit:
- Home
- About
- Contact
- FAQ
- Service pages
- Product pages
- Blog
- Privacy Policy
- Terms
- Landing pages
- Location pages
Also ask what happens if additional pages are required later.
The provider should ideally explain the cost or process for adding them.
Website Content
One major difference between web design packages is who supplies the content.
Some providers include copywriting.
Others expect the client to provide all text.
Some may provide basic editing or formatting without actually writing the content.
Clarify whether the package includes:
- Website copywriting
- Editing
- Proofreading
- Content formatting
- Service-page content
- Product descriptions
- Blog content
- Calls to action
- Uploading existing content
- Migrating content from an old website
Content responsibilities should be established before the project begins.
A website can be delayed significantly when design is completed but the required content is not ready.
Images and Graphics
Images may be supplied by:
- The client
- The web designer
- A photographer
- A stock-image library
- A graphic designer
Ask whether the package includes:
- Stock images
- Image sourcing
- Image editing
- Cropping
- Compression
- Image optimisation
- Custom graphics
- Icons
- Infographics
- Photography
Also determine whether any image-licensing costs are included or charged separately.
Website Development
Once the design is established, the website needs to be developed.
Development may include:
- Building page templates
- Creating navigation
- Adding content
- Configuring forms
- Installing required plugins
- Creating responsive layouts
- Setting up menus
- Configuring buttons
- Adding images
- Implementing website functionality
The development requirements can vary dramatically depending on the website.
A straightforward informational website may require relatively little custom development.
A complex platform may require substantial programming.
Make sure the package clearly describes what functionality is included.
Content Management System
Many business websites use a content management system, or CMS, allowing the website owner to update certain content without rebuilding the website.
Examples may include systems used to manage:
- Pages
- Blog posts
- Images
- Products
- Services
- Team members
- Testimonials
- FAQs
Ask whether the package includes CMS setup and whether you will have administrator access once the website is completed.
You may also want to know whether the provider offers training.
Contact Forms and Lead Generation
Business websites frequently require forms for generating enquiries.
These may include:
- Contact forms
- Quote forms
- Booking forms
- Consultation requests
- Newsletter sign-ups
- Download forms
- Application forms
Clarify how many forms are included and how complex they can be.
For example, a simple contact form may require only a few fields.
A detailed quotation form may require conditional questions, file uploads or several sections.
If generating leads is an important objective, forms and calls to action should be considered during the design process rather than added as an afterthought.
Basic SEO Setup
Web design and SEO are different services, but some basic SEO elements may be included within a web design package.
These could include:
- SEO-friendly page URLs
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
- Heading structure
- Image alt text
- Internal links
- XML sitemap setup
- Search-engine indexing settings
- Mobile usability
- Basic page-performance considerations
However, a web design package should not automatically be assumed to include a complete SEO campaign.
Ongoing SEO may require additional work such as:
- Keyword research
- Content strategy
- New content
- Technical SEO
- Link acquisition
- Competitor analysis
- Ongoing optimisation
- Reporting
If search visibility is important to your business, ask exactly what SEO work is included.
For a broader overview, explore our Website Design Services page.
Analytics and Conversion Tracking
Website analytics can help businesses understand how visitors use the completed site.
A package may include setup of tools such as:
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Conversion tracking
- Form tracking
- Call tracking
- Ecommerce tracking
Not every website requires every tracking system.
However, businesses should ideally be able to understand whether the website is generating useful activity.
Ask whether analytics setup is included and what actions will be measured.
Website Speed and Performance
Website performance can affect usability.
Web design packages may include basic performance work such as:
- Image compression
- Caching
- Code optimisation
- Plugin optimisation
- Hosting configuration
- Removal of unnecessary scripts
The level of performance optimisation can vary considerably.
Ask what work is included rather than assuming terms such as “fast website” represent a particular technical standard.
Website Security
Security responsibilities should also be clear.
Depending on the platform and package, the provider may configure:
- SSL
- Software updates
- Plugin updates
- Security plugins
- Backups
- Login protection
- Spam protection
Some of these services may form part of an ongoing maintenance package rather than the initial build.
Ask what security measures are included at launch and who is responsible for maintaining them afterwards.
Website Testing
Before launch, the website should generally be reviewed and tested.
Testing may include:
- Desktop layouts
- Mobile layouts
- Tablets
- Navigation
- Buttons
- Forms
- Internal links
- Images
- Videos
- Contact details
- Page loading
- Ecommerce functions
- Browser compatibility
The level of testing should reflect the complexity of the website.
A simple informational website requires different testing from an ecommerce store processing online payments.
Website Revisions
Most web design projects involve some level of client feedback.
The package should clearly explain:
- How many design revisions are included
- What counts as a revision
- When revisions can be requested
- Whether revisions apply to design or content
- What happens when the included revisions are exhausted
- How additional work is charged
Terms such as “unlimited revisions” should also be clarified.
Ask what the provider considers a revision and whether changes to the original project scope are included.
Website Launch
The package should explain what happens when the website is ready to go live.
Launch work may include:
- Connecting the domain
- Configuring hosting
- Installing SSL
- Moving the website from staging
- Updating DNS
- Testing forms
- Checking important URLs
- Setting redirects
- Submitting a sitemap
- Checking analytics
- Final testing
If an existing website is being replaced, redirects can be particularly important.
A redesign should consider what happens to existing URLs rather than simply deleting the old website.
For more information about this type of project, see our Website Redesign page.
Domain and Hosting
Do not assume that the domain or hosting is included within the web design price.
Some providers include hosting.
Others require you to purchase it separately.
Ask:
- Is hosting included?
- For how long?
- What happens after the initial period?
- Who owns the hosting account?
- Who owns the domain?
- Are email accounts included?
- Are SSL certificates included?
- Are backups included?
- What are the renewal costs?
Ideally, businesses should clearly understand which services they own and which remain dependent on the provider.
Website Training
If you will manage parts of the website yourself, training can be useful.
Training may cover:
- Editing pages
- Adding blog posts
- Uploading images
- Updating products
- Managing forms
- Adding users
- Changing menus
- Performing basic maintenance
Some providers include a training session within the package.
Others provide documentation or videos.
Ask what support is available once the website has launched.
Ongoing Website Support
The end of the website build does not necessarily mean the end of all website work.
Ongoing support may include:
- Software updates
- Plugin updates
- Backups
- Security monitoring
- Minor content changes
- Technical support
- Website monitoring
- Hosting
- Additional development
These services may be included for a limited period or offered through a separate maintenance plan.
Determine what happens after launch before agreeing to the package.
What Should Be Clearly Defined in a Web Design Package?
Before agreeing to a web design package, make sure the scope is clear.
Look for information explaining:
- Number of pages
- Design approach
- Website platform
- Mobile design
- Content responsibilities
- Images and graphics
- Forms
- Website functionality
- Ecommerce functionality
- SEO setup
- Analytics
- Revisions
- Testing
- Hosting
- Domain responsibilities
- Training
- Launch
- Maintenance
- Project timeframe
- Payment schedule
- Additional costs
- Work specifically excluded
Two packages with similar prices can contain very different levels of work.
Comparing the actual scope is therefore usually more useful than comparing the package name alone.
Website Package or Custom Quote?
Some providers offer predetermined website packages.
For example:
- Starter website
- Small business website
- Business website
- Ecommerce website
- Premium website
Other providers create a custom quotation after discussing the project.
Standard packages can make it easier to understand approximate pricing.
Custom quotations may be more appropriate when requirements are unusual or complex.
Neither approach is automatically better.
The important question is whether the proposed scope matches what your business actually requires.
How Much Work Should a Web Design Package Include?
There is no universal amount of website work every business needs.
A local service business may require only a small number of pages.
Another business may need:
- Dozens of service pages
- Multiple locations
- Ecommerce
- Booking systems
- Customer accounts
- Integrations
- Custom forms
- Multilingual content
Factors that may affect the scope include:
- Number of pages
- Website functionality
- Design complexity
- Content requirements
- Ecommerce requirements
- Existing website
- Integrations
- Branding
- Photography
- SEO requirements
- Target market
- Required launch date
This is why businesses should be cautious about comparing packages solely by the number of features listed.
More features do not necessarily mean a more suitable website.
What Should You Compare Between Web Design Providers?
When comparing web design packages, consider more than the advertised price.
Ask each provider:
- What pages are included?
- Is the design custom or template based?
- Who creates the content?
- Are images included?
- Is mobile-responsive design included?
- Which platform will be used?
- Are forms included?
- Is basic SEO included?
- Is analytics setup included?
- How many revisions are included?
- Is hosting included?
- Who owns the website?
- Will I receive administrator access?
- Is training included?
- What happens after launch?
- Are there additional charges?
- What is the expected timeframe?
The answers make it much easier to compare packages on a like-for-like basis.
Be Careful With Vague Website Promises
Website packages are sometimes marketed using broad promises such as:
- “Guaranteed results”
- “Unlimited everything”
- “Instant SEO”
- “Perfect Google rankings”
- “Unlimited revisions”
- “Unlimited pages”
Ask what these claims actually mean.
For example, unlimited revisions may still apply only to the original design scope.
Similarly, a website described as “SEO optimised” may include only basic on-page setup rather than ongoing SEO.
Clear deliverables are more useful than broad marketing terms.
How To Choose a Web Design Package for Your Business
Start with what the website needs to achieve rather than choosing a package simply because it is labelled Starter, Business, Gold or Premium.
Consider:
- What is the main purpose of the website?
- Who is the target customer?
- How many pages do you need?
- What functionality is required?
- Do you already have branding?
- Who will create the content?
- Do you need ecommerce?
- Do you need online bookings?
- Is SEO important?
- Do you need ongoing maintenance?
- Who will update the website?
- What budget can you realistically maintain?
Then compare providers based on how well their proposed work addresses those requirements.
Compare Web Design Packages Before Choosing a Provider
Web design packages can make website services easier to understand, but the package name itself is far less important than what is actually included.
Look closely at the design, number of pages, development, content, functionality, mobile optimisation, SEO setup, revisions, hosting, support and ownership arrangements.
Most importantly, make sure the package is appropriate for your business rather than simply choosing the option with the longest feature list.
Compare Digital Services helps Australian businesses explore professional website design providers and request quotes based on their project requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Web Design Packages
What Is Usually Included in a Web Design Package?
A web design package may include planning, page design, website development, responsive layouts, content upload, forms, basic SEO setup, testing and launch support. The exact scope varies between providers.
Does a Web Design Package Include Website Content?
Some packages include professional copywriting while others require the client to provide the content. Ask whether writing, editing and uploading content are included before comparing prices.
Is Hosting Included in a Web Design Package?
Sometimes. Some providers include hosting for a defined period while others charge for it separately. Check hosting costs, renewal fees and who controls the hosting account.
Is SEO Included With Web Design?
Some basic SEO setup may be included, such as page titles, heading structure and search-engine indexing settings. A complete ongoing SEO service is usually a separate scope of work, so confirm exactly what is included.
How Many Pages Are Included in a Web Design Package?
This varies between providers. Packages may include a fixed number of pages or be quoted according to the project’s requirements. Check what counts as a page and what additional pages cost.
Are Website Revisions Usually Included?
Most web design packages include some form of revision process, but the number and type of revisions vary. Make sure the provider clearly explains what is included.
Will I Own My Website After It Is Completed?
Ownership arrangements can vary. Confirm who owns the website, design files, content, domain, hosting account and any software licences before beginning the project.
How Do I Compare Web Design Packages?
Compare the actual scope, number of pages, design approach, functionality, content responsibilities, SEO setup, revisions, hosting, support, pricing and ownership terms rather than package names alone.
Is the Cheapest Web Design Package the Best Option?
Not necessarily. A lower-priced package may include fewer pages, less customisation or fewer services. Compare the scope and suitability of the package as well as the price.
