Full-Time Website Manager vs. Fractional: A Total Cost Comparison for Mid-Sized Organizations (Part 1 of 3)
Your organization needs someone to manage your website. This is clear. But should you hire a full-time employee? Or should you work with a fractional website manager?
In comparing a Full-Time Website Manager vs. Fractional, the wrong choice can cost your organization thousands of dollars every year. It can also waste your team’s time and create problems with your website.
This article series will help you understand both options. We will look at the real costs. We will see what you get with each choice. By the end, you will know which option is better for your organization.
What Is a Full-Time Website Manager?
A full-time website manager is an employee who works only for your organization. They come to your office every day (or work from home full-time). They work 40 hours each week. You pay them a salary every month.
This person handles everything about your website:
- Updates and changes
- Technical problems
- Security
- Speed improvements
- New pages and content
- Working with other team members
This guide explains in detail
what is included in professional website management packages and what organizations should expect.
What Is a Fractional Website Manager?
A fractional website manager is an expert who works for several organizations. They give each organization a specific amount of time each month.
Many growing organizations now use
fractional website management services to access expert support without the cost of a full-time hire.
For example, they might work 10 hours per month for your organization. They work 10 hours for another organization. And 10 hours for another one.
They handle the same tasks as a full-time manager:
- Updates and changes
- Technical problems
- Security
- Speed improvements
- New pages and content
Agencies and businesses managing multiple WordPress properties can also explore wordpress managed unlimited website pricing — a cost-efficient model for multi-site management. For a complete standalone guide to the fractional model — including cost ranges, monthly deliverables, and a step-by-step getting started framework — read our professional website management guide.
The Real Cost of a Full-Time Website Manager
Many leaders think hiring full-time costs only the salary. This is not true. There are many hidden costs. Let’s look at all of them.
Direct Salary Costs
In the United States and Canada, a website manager salary is between $50,000 and $75,000 per year. This depends on experience and location.
Salary: $60,000 per year
This is $5,000 per month
But the salary is not the only cost. There are many more costs below.
Additional Employment Costs
When you hire an employee, you pay more than just salary. Here are the additional costs:
1. Benefits (20-30% of salary)
- Health insurance
- Retirement contributions
- Paid vacation time
- Sick days
- Holidays
For a $60,000 salary, benefits cost about $15,000 per year.
2. Taxes (7-10% of salary)
- Employer payroll taxes
- Unemployment insurance
- Workers compensation
For a $60,000 salary, taxes cost about $5,000 per year.
3. Equipment and Software
- Computer: $1,500
- Software licenses: $1,000 per year
- Office space (if needed): $3,000-6,000 per year
- Training and education: $1,000 per year
Equipment and software cost about $6,500 per year (average).
4. Recruitment Costs
- Job posting fees: $500
- Time spent interviewing: $1,000
- Background checks: $200
Recruitment costs about $1,700 (one-time cost, but happens every time someone leaves).
Total Annual Cost for Full-Time Manager
Salary: $60,000
Benefits: $15,000
Taxes: $5,000
Equipment/Software: $6,500
Recruitment (spread over 3 years): $567
TOTAL: $87,067 per year
Monthly cost: $7,256
To understand how this compares financially, you can
view fractional website management pricing and packages.
Hidden Costs You Must Consider
There are more costs that many organizations forget:
1. Management Time
Someone in your organization must manage this employee. They need:
- Weekly check-ins
- Performance reviews
- Goal setting
- Problem solving
This takes 3-5 hours per month from a manager or director. If that person earns $80,000 per year, their time costs about $38 per hour. That’s $152-190 per month in management time.
2. Training Time
A new employee needs time to learn:
- Your organization’s goals
- Your website system
- Your brand and style
- Your processes
This takes 2-3 months. During this time, the employee is not fully productive.
3. Vacation and Sick Days
When your full-time manager is sick or on vacation, your website work stops. You have no backup person. Most employees take 15-20 days off per year.
4. Limited Expertise
One person cannot be an expert in everything:
- WordPress
- SEO
- Security
- Speed optimization
- Design
- Content strategy
Your full-time manager will be good at some things. But they will be average at other things. This means some work will not be done at expert level.
Risk of Employee Turnover
The average employee stays in a job for 2-4 years. When your website manager leaves:
- You pay recruitment costs again ($1,700)
- You lose 2-3 months of productivity (training time)
- Your website work stops or slows down
- You might lose important knowledge about your website
Whether hiring internally or externally, it’s important to recognize the
red flags in website maintenance plans to avoid costly mistakes.
What’s Next?
Now you understand the true cost of hiring a full-time website manager. The salary is only part of the cost. The real cost is $87,000+ per year.
But is this worth it? What about fractional website management? How much does it cost? What do you get?
Part 2 of this series explains the cost of fractional website management and compares both options side by side.
After that,
Part 3 provides a clear decision framework to help you choose the right option for your organization.
We will look at fractional management costs. We will compare the two options side by side. You will see exactly how much you can save.