--- title: Transparent Pricing for Websites, Hosting, and Marketing description: Choose the perfect package—from a professional base website to full-service media, content, SEO, and video production—all designed to deliver real local leads and memorable storytelling without surprises or hidden fees. canonical_url: https://surfstarmedia.com/pricing language: en-GB date: 2026-07-21T16:53:37Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://surfstarmedia.com/pricing. markdown-tokens: 1824 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://surfstarmedia.com/pricing. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. Transparency is key. Here are clear answers to the questions our clients ask most about pricing, packages, timelines, ownership, and how we help you grow. What is included in the Base Website package? The $3,500 one-time Base Website delivers a fully custom, professional 3-page site (Home, About, Contact) with responsive design, basic SEO best practices, SSL security, contact forms, Google Analytics setup, and full ownership—no ongoing fees to us. You get a modern, fast-loading foundation ready for growth. **Important note on imagery:** High-quality images are one of the most important factors in a website’s success—they build trust, showcase your work, and make your Maine business look professional and approachable. The Base Website price includes the site structure, design, and functionality, **but does not include photography or images themselves**. You have several options: - Provide your own professional photos (strongly recommended—avoid low-res iPhone snapshots or casual family pics, as they can hurt credibility and SEO). - Hire us (or another professional photographer) for custom shoots (additional cost, quoted per project). - Let us source and license high-quality stock photography tailored to your brand (additional fee based on usage). - Use AI-generated images (we can create or refine them to match your style—additional cost). Image packages or custom photography add-ons start as low as a few hundred dollars depending on scope, and they often deliver the biggest visual impact for contractors, realtors, restaurants, and trades. We’re happy to discuss the best imagery approach during our initial call to ensure your site tells a compelling, trustworthy story right from launch. Do I own my website and content? Yes—100%. Once we receive final payment, you own everything we build: the site, code, content, images (provided by you or us), and domain. No monthly lock-ins or "ransom" fees. Take it with you anywhere if needed. How long does it take to launch a website? Base Website: 4–8 weeks typical (much faster with quick content from you). Adding Maine Growth Complete or Enterprise adds time for strategy/content/video. We provide a clear timeline after our initial call. What does "Localized Organic SEO" actually include? Custom strategy targeting Maine/local searches (e.g., "Portland plumber" or "seafood restaurant near me"), ongoing on-page optimizations, Google Business Profile enhancements, local citations, keyword monitoring, and monthly reporting. Focus: real leads for small Maine businesses. Do your packages include content creation? Yes—Maine Growth Complete and Enterprise include 2 high-quality, SEO-optimized blog posts per month (articles, service pages, etc.). We write them based on your input/voice for engagement and search visibility. Upgrade to 1 post per week to dominate results in your field. What video and media deliverables come with Full Media & Marketing Suite? The package is based upon a 6 month cycle that includes: one 3-minute professional video (perfect to highlight fresh projects for YouTube/portfolio), one 30-second TV commercial, one 30-second radio spot, and twelve 10-second social reels. The pricing is for our Production only—no ad buys included. Ad buys (airtime placement) are handled separately because each local station sets its own rates and availability. For TV, stations like WMTW, WCSH, WGME, or others in the Portland/Bangor markets charge based on time slot, audience reach, and seasonality—typically ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per spot run. Local Maine radio stations follow a similar model with their own rate cards. We can advise on strategy, recommend stations that reach your target audience (e.g., local homeowners for contractors), and even coordinate buys if needed—but the actual media spend is paid directly to the stations, keeping your package focused purely on high-quality production. How much will ongoing maintenance and support cost? Included free in Maine Growth Complete ($550/mo) and Enterprise ($1,250/mo): unlimited quick fixes, plugin/CMS updates, security monitoring, backups, and 24/7 uptime checks. No extra charges for standard support. **Important distinction – maintenance vs. content updates:** “Maintenance & support” covers the technical health of your site: keeping WordPress (or whatever CMS we use) current, patching security vulnerabilities, fixing bugs from core/plugin updates, optimizing performance, monitoring for downtime/hacks, and running regular backups. This is essential behind-the-scenes work to protect your site and keep it fast/secure—most clients never see it, but skipping it risks major issues. Content updates (e.g., swapping photos, rewriting service copy, adding new blog posts beyond your package allowance, changing prices, updating team bios, or uploading new project galleries) are separate. These are editorial/marketing changes you control via the easy-to-use dashboard we provide. If you need our team to handle content updates for you (beyond the 2 posts/mo in Growth Complete/Enterprise), we bill at our $150/hour rate (billed in 15-min increments) or can quote a fixed retainer add-on. Many small Maine businesses initially assume “it’s just updating the site we already built,” but separating technical maintenance (included) from content work (extra or packaged) keeps expectations clear and your site both secure and fresh. Why choose Surf Star Media over DIY or cheaper options? We fill the gap for Maine small businesses that don’t have (and don’t want) an in-house digital media team. Our packages deliver professional results far beyond what a DIYer, freelancer, or “nephew with a laptop” can reliably produce—high-quality design, strategic SEO, compelling video, and storytelling that actually attracts revenue. We’ve all started somewhere (we were that nephew once), and cheap/quick options can work for basic needs. But as your business grows, presenting yourself professionally becomes essential—generic templates and casual videos start costing you leads instead of gaining them. Larger companies and corporations turn to us for the same reasons: our distinctive style and approach aren’t available off-the-shelf, and we provide hassle-free project management when internal teams get overwhelmed by big campaigns, special events, or one-off needs. Regionally, we’re the reliable local partner with the boots-on-the-ground tools and expertise to capture and showcase your achievements authentically. Since 2003, we’ve built trust with locals (contractors, realtors, trades, restaurants) and national brands alike—delivering memorable media that drives real growth.