Website Design and Build
Your website is the marketing foundation and online anchor of your art business. Artists with their own website are more credible to potential buyers, collectors, gallerists, agents, businesses, and more. Whether you’re starting from scratch or need a website overhaul, we can help.
The website plans we offer can also be a good fit for art spaces such as galleries, educational centers, art fairs, and more.
We offer 3 website levels plus several Add-On options, including augmented reality (e.g., View in Room, Frame Views), blog set-up, and more. With any level you choose, your art business will have a professional, responsive website that looks great on any device and is structured to add more features as you want them.
Although prices are listed below, the best way to get an accurate cost for your website project is to schedule a free consultation. With several factors to consider, we'll help you choose the right plan to achieve your goals.
How pricing works:
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One-Time Fees: The price shown next to each Plan below is a one-time fee you pay to Austen Agency for the initial design & build of your website.
Ongoing Domain Name Fees: This can range from $12 - $40/year for unique domain names. For competitive domain names, costs can vary from hundreds to thousands. We'll work with you to determine the best domain name and guide you through the purchase process. We always recommend purchasing through the Platform/Host provider. If you haven't purchased one already, please wait and let us do this for you to help make the project run more smoothly.
Ongoing Platform/Hosting Fees: We build on Squarespace and Shopify. The platform cost (with website hosting) is a separate fee that’s paid directly to the platform since you will be the sole owner of your website. These costs are set by the platform, not Austen Agency. The annual cost ranges between $200 - $1000+/year, depending on the capabilities you need. Most platforms allow either monthly or discounted annual payments. We will walk you through these costs during the Initial Consultation.
Free Training: As part of your project, after your website is built and released, we’ll conduct a 30-minute Site Overview on basic website functionality.
Technical Support Plan Fees: After your website is published, if you do not have the time or technical skills to make future changes to your website, we strongly recommend opting into a Technical Support Plan (TSP). If you opt-in, it’s a required 6-month commitment with a separate cost, ranging from $35 - $65/month. You can start/stop the TSP at any time (outside of a 6 month term). Most of our clients use the TSP and find it very helpful to change out their artwork, add fresh content (helpful to SEO), and perform various updates to their website.
Note: If you have a Show & Sell website, one 6-month instance of a TSP is required.
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Once we've agreed to work together, we'll send you our “Agreement of General Terms & Conditions” to sign. This agreement covers important information about how we'll work together including our hours, response times, deadlines, scope changes, third-party providers, ownership and permissions, tools performance, content and more.
After the agreement is signed, we'll send you payment links for your deposit. All payments must be completed online and cleared before work can begin.
Plan Options:
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Free Consultation: We’ll explore your hopes and goals for your art business and make a recommendation on which website level would work best for you. Schedule yours today.
Online Contract: No surprises or gimmicks. We’ll spell out what you’re getting and when.
Tech Start: When we initiate your Squarespace or Shopify plan for you, you’ll get a discount on your first year when you choose their annual payment plan.
Domain Name Acquisitions or Transfers: We'll help you determine the best domain name for your business based on availability and experience.
If you don’t already own a domain name, please wait until our project starts so that your new domain name will be free or discounted for your first year.
If you already own a domain name, we'll evaluate where your domain lives and handle all domain name questions, issues, transfers (if needed), and set-up.
No Co-Branding: We never require (nor ask for) our name to be on your website (but we do reward referrals.)
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): Your site will be secure using the latest standards through Squarespace or Shopify. SSL ensures that your site's visitors' information is secure and encrypted on your site, and prevents hackers from stealing data submitted through your site's forms (and if you include eCommerce, your checkout page), including personal information.
Minimal Custom Code: We only use custom code on your site when absolutely necessary.
SEO Start: We ensure good filenames, URLs, and keywords throughout the website that will help with your appearance in search results.
Site Analytics: We’ll show you how to access your website health and visitor data at any time.
Ownership & Control: After your website is finished and your final payment is complete, we make sure you fully own and are in control of your domain name and website.
Responsive Design: Your website will be designed to look good and work well across desktop, tablet, and mobile.
Browser Icon/Favicon: We’ll design and implement the browser icon for your website.
Image Sourcing & Design: Based on your brand and where needed, we'll source and recommend any stock images needed for your site; we'll also design up to 2 custom graphics as needed.
Communication: We'll schedule a 15-minute weekly check-in during your project. If you have a change request, question, or concern at any time during your project and don't want to wait for our check-in, simply email or text us. We'll respond within 1 business day.
Site Overview: Once complete, we'll walk you through how to access and make minor changes to your site.
1 Free Week of Technical Support: We'll make minor changes to your site as requested for 5 business days after launch. After 5 business days, we're happy to keep serving you through our Technical Support Plan, which is a separate cost, paid for in 6-month increments.
Note: A TSP is optional for Mini-Showcase and Showcase levels, but one TSP instance (6 months) is required for Show & Sell.
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This is the perfect starting point for any artist that needs a budget-friendly, quick and simple digital presence.
This plan does not include eCommerce features; visitors cannot purchase your works via your site, but they can contact you to purchase. You can also link to any platform where your works are for sale (such as a gallery that sells your work, or online marketplace like Fine Art America or Etsy).
We use the Squarespace platform for this website level.
The Mini-Showcase is a 1-pager website with up to 7 sections. It includes everything in the “Standard Features” plus the following:
Pages: 1
Works: Up to 15. Have us add more once on a Technical Support Plan or on your own.
Navigation: Basic
Home Page:
Header/Navigation with your name or logo + your social links
Large banner image and wording
Gallery of up to 15 images of your works with optional title, description, price and links to any gallery or online marketplace.
About Section with image
Contact Form for consumers to reach you
Subscribe Section with button link to join your mailing list (if applicable)
Footer with Copyright information
Color Options: Black, white, and gray theme so that your artwork stands out.
Font Options: Montserrat or Open Sans.
Timeline: After our Free Consultation, domain name acquisition, and you’ve submitted all of your images and wording for everything using our Upload Form, our build time is 4 business days.
Deposit: 50% (non-refundable) + any Add-Ons
Remaining Due (after completion and before we transfer ownership to you): 50%
Technical Support Plan for this Level: Recommended, $35/month
Add-Ons for this Level:
Additional Works in Shop: $50 for every 5 additional works, or add more as part of the Technical Support Plan
Instagram Feed Section on Home Page: $60
Video Banner on Home Page: $75 (your file)
ChatBot Set-up + Training: $250
Email Marketing Set-up + Training: $300
Developing a Video Banner for your Home Page: $400
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Showcase is an excellent choice for any artist that desires a professional digital presence with their choice of fonts and colors. Compared to the Mini-Showcase, this plan adds more pages, more artwork, design choices, and other options that provide an excellent impression and helps your SEO.
This level does not include eCommerce features; visitors cannot purchase your works via your site, but they can contact you to purchase. You can also link to any platform where your works are for sale (such as a gallery that sells your work, or online marketplace like Fine Art America or Etsy).
We use the Squarespace platform for this level, unless you have plans to upgrade to an eCommerce site within a few years. In that case, we would work with you to determine whether Squarespace or Shopify is most appropriate. If you determine that Shopify will be best, add $450 to the cost, because the Design & Build process takes longer up front.
The Showcase Plan features 5 pages including the Home page with up to 7 sections. It includes everything in the “Standard Features” plus the following:
Pages: Home, Gallery, About, Contact, Policies, and your choice.
Works: Up to 20. Add more once on a Technical Support Plan.
Navigation: Basic
Home Page:
Header/Navigation with your name or logo + your social links
Large banner image, wording, button link
Gallery section with up to 9 images of your works with optional title, description, price, and button link to your larger Gallery page with all works.
About Section with image and button link to your About page
Contact Section with button link to your Contact page for consumers to reach you
Subscribe Section with button link to join your mailing list (if applicable)
Footer with several links and Copyright information
Color Options: Choose your colors; these should be predetermined by you. Most artists select shades that allow their art to stand out, such as black, gray, and white.
Font Options: Choose your fonts; these should be predetermined by you.
Timeline: After our Consultation, domain name acquisition, and you’ve submitted all of your images and wording for everything (using our Upload Form), our build time is 7 business days.
Deposit: 50% + Add-Ons
Remaining Due (after completion and before we transfer ownership to you): 50%
Technical Support Plan for this Level: Recommended, $40/month
View Add-On options below.
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Show & Sell is a smart investment for any dedicated artist that wants to optimize their profit by selling to buyers directly through their own professional online shop.
Built for life with our one-time Design & Build fee, you'll fully own your website on an eCommerce platform used by millions of businesses.
Compared to Showcase, this plan adds a wide range of eCommerce capability options and creates an impressive website, enabling visitors to confidently purchase your works instantly. Buyers can pay using a wide range of cards, Apple Pay, and more.
For artists offering limited or open edition prints, we'll determine if your favorite print provider can be integrated into the website. We can also recommend print providers that integrate.
Platform Options:
We build eCommerce sites on Shopify and Squarespace.
If your collection size will stay fairly small and consistent over time, Squarespace is an option. The one-time Design & Build cost is $3500 for up to 20 works to start, plus your Add-Ons of choice.
If you're a prolific artist and will be growing your online gallery over time, we strongly recommend the Shopify platform, which costs an additional $450, for a total of $3950 (also for 20 works to start) plus your Add-Ons of choice.
Shopify is the recommended eCommerce platform for several reasons, including:
Access to the popular Shop App Network with millions of ready buyers
Faster page load times, which is critical on image-heavy art websites
More navigation/menu options
Easier addition of Wishlist/Favorites functionality
More product page layout options
Faster bulk edits
Better Point-of-Sale integration
Ongoing innovation for lower costs due to millions of businesses using Shopify for eCommerce
And more
Our initial Design & Build time takes longer with more customization than Squarespace, which is why there's a slightly higher cost, but it's always our top recommendation for eCommerce.
Millions of businesses use both platforms. We can review your goals and help you decide in our Consultation. We're also happy to give a demo of the inner workings of both platforms.
View our Add-On options below (for either platform) to create the ultimate art business website.
Show & Sell features up to 7 info pages including the Home page with several sections, plus 20 product pages, and additional pages required for eCommerce capability. It includes everything in the “Standard Features” plus the following:
Pages: 7. Home, Shop/Gallery, About, Contact, Policies, and 2 of your choice. In Shopify, additional Collection pages are automatically created by the Category and Tags taxonomy we create.
Works: 20 Included at base price. Add more up front as Add-Ons, or add more later once on a Technical Support Plan, or on your own.
Navigation: Complex, Filtered. Shopify includes a mega-menu option (recommended).
Home Page Sections:
Header/Navigation with your name or logo + your social links
Large banner image, wording, button link
Gallery and sections as you define. Includes images of your works with optional title, description, price, and button link to your larger Gallery.
About Section with image and button link to your About page
Contact Section with button link to your Contact page for consumers to reach you
Subscribe Section with button link to join your mailing list (if applicable)
Footer with several links and Copyright information
Color Options: Choose your colors.
Font Options: Choose your fonts.
eCommerce Requirements: Launching a website with eCommerce capability requires the business owner to have several policies and processes in mind; we can advise but not decide these for you. You’ll need to spend additional work time with us in order to enter your business details into the appropriate areas. This includes:
Data required by Stripe, Shopify Payments (recommended), or Squarespace Payments. These are online payment processors integrated into these platforms, used by millions of businesses to process and manage consumer payments and payouts to business owners. This will require your legal name, address, social security info, business banking information and other important data.
Optional: Data required by Square or Shop, which are Point-of-Sale payment processor options
Selection of Apple Pay and other payment options
Shipping Policies and Processes, including your shipping provider(s), the shipping options you want to offer, price of shipping, areas you’ll ship to, shipping insurance policies, and other information.
Refund Policies and Processes.
Sales Tax Policies and Processes. Please seek advice from your accountant. Shopify comes with basic tax integration. For Squarespace, a tax app is an additional ongoing cost paid directly to the provider (such as Tax Jar or Avalara).
Commitment to regular log-in to your website platform to manage transactions (to print shipping labels and mark orders as fulfilled, for example).
Categories of your work as applicable to allow visitors to use filters (such as size, medium, theme, etc.)
Timeline: After our Initial Consultation, domain name acquisition, and you’ve submitted all of your images and wording for everything using our Upload Form), our build time is 14 - 20 business days depending on your platform of choice.
Technical Support Plan for this Level: Due to the technical and process-oriented nature of eCommerce, we require at least one instance (6 months) of our Technical Support Plan after your website is built. 100% of clients have various questions and situations come up in their first few sales, and since we do not handle questions without a TSP, this is required for the first 6 months.
Without major Add-Ons, this level TSP is $50/month.
With major Add-Ons of View-in-Room, Offer Courses, or Membership Areas, this TSP is $65/month.
Deposit: 50% of total cost including any selected Add-Ons
Remaining Due (after completion and before we transfer ownership to you): 50% of build fee, plus one 6-month term of our Technical Support Plan.
Add-Ons for this level:
Additional Works in Shop: $150 for every 5 additional works, or add more as part of the Technical Support Plan.
Instagram Feed Section on Home Page: $50
Video Banner on Home Page: $75 (your file)
ChatBot Set-up + Training: $250
Email Marketing Set-up + Training: $300
Blog Set-up + Training: $100 - $300 depending on your goals
Developing a Video Banner for your Home Page: $500
Augmented Reality / View-in-Room + Virtual Exhibits Technology Integration: $300 one-time fee; vendor cost is ~$280/year
Offer Online Courses - Set-up + Training: $1000
Membership Area(s) (for Patrons, Exclusive Buyers, etc) Set-up + Training: $1000
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For all:
Additional Works: $150 for every 5 beyond plan limit. Or add more later, gradually on a Technical Support Plan, or on your own.
Instagram Feed Section on Home Page: $50
Video Banner on Home Page: $75 (your file)
ChatBot Set-up + Training: $250
Email Marketing Set-up + Training: $300
Developing a Video Banner for your Home Page: $500
Blog Set-up + Training: $100 - $300 depending on your goal
View-in-Room + Virtual Exhibitions Technology Integration: $300 one-time fee; vendor cost is ~$280/year
Show & Sell Only:
Offer Online Courses - Set-up + Training: $1000
Membership Area(s) (for Patrons, Exclusive Buyers, etc) Set-up + Training: $1000
The Process
Schedule your free consultation phone call to discuss which level would work best for your goals and budget. Once we agree to work together, we’ll send an agreement and payment link for the deposit, collect your files and wording, and get your website built! Depending on the website level you choose and other factors, this service will require 30 minutes - 5+ hours of your time across a few Zoom sessions for prep and review.
