How to Become a Web Designer: 2024 Beginner’s Guide
You’ve been thinking about learning web design. Maybe you want to build a website for your small business or side hustle. Or perhaps you’re looking for a new career that lets you work remotely. Whatever your reason, you’re curious if you can actually teach yourself web design from scratch in this digital age. Yes, you can!
This guide will show you how to become a web designer, even with zero experience. I’ll discuss the essential skills to learn, top tools to master, and steps to take so you can start building beautiful, responsive websites faster than you thought possible. I’ll also explain the benefits of joining a community like the Six-Figure Design Club, so ensure you read to the end of this post.
5 Skills You Need to Become a Web Designer
What makes you a successful web designer are the skills you possess and how you utilize them.
Here are 5 essential web design skills to have:
HTML and CSS
User experience design
Graphic design
Content creation
Continuous learning
1. HTML and CSS
To become a website designer, you first need to master HTML and CSS. These languages are the building blocks of web development and allow you to create responsive layouts, typography, forms, and more. Consider taking free courses on Codecademy or freeCodeCamp to learn the basics.
2. User Experience Design
As a web designer, you need a basic understanding of user experience (UX) design. This means creating intuitive user flows, wireframes, and prototypes for websites. You must understand principles like visual hierarchy, whitespace, and accessibility to create accessible websites for users.
3. Graphic Design
Web designers should also be able to pass for graphic designers. Learn principles like color theory, typography, and layout. Get familiar with web design tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, or GIMP. Take online courses or follow tutorials to strengthen your graphic design skills.
4. Content Creation
While web developers focus on the visuals, you still need to understand the content. Learn how to write for the web, optimize content for search engines, and work with clients or copywriters. Strong writing and communication skills are a great addition to a web designer’s skillset.
5. Continuous Learning
Technology is always changing, so web designers need to stay up-to-date with trends. Follow industry leaders on social media, read blogs, take new courses, and experiment with new tools. Skills like e-commerce, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, and web analytics are constantly evolving. Continuous learning is key to becoming a successful web designer.
With the right skills and dedication, you can become a web designer, even if you’re just getting started. However, once you hone your skills, you need to focus on an industry to improve your chance of success. Let’s explore how to become a website designer by niching down to the right industry.
Choosing Your Web Design Niche
Most industries and businesses arguably need a website to thrive in today’s digital age. With 333 million registered businesses worldwide as of 2021, it can be easy to get lost offering services to every business. This is where niching down becomes essential.
When you niche down your service to either a geographical location or industry, you can better tailor your services to address their pain points, which can improve the quality of your service and help you build credibility.
Here’s how to become a web design professional in a specific niche:
Focus on your passion or expertise.
Look for growing, profitable industries.
Choose a platform to specialize in.
Define your target clients.
1. Focus on Your Passion or Expertise
If you have experience in a particular industry, leverage that! Choose a niche where you understand clients’ needs and pain points. You’ll be able to build better websites and market your services more effectively.
For example, if you’re a former teacher, education and e-learning are great niches. If you’re a pet lover, consider pet care, grooming, or adoption sites.
2. Look for Growing, Profitable Industries
While passion is important, you also want an industry that’s growing and able to support your business.
Some of the fastest-growing sectors are:
Healthcare
Financial services
IT and software
eCommerce
These industries constantly need new websites and web updates. Research trends in different sectors to find one poised for growth.
3. Choose a Platform to Specialize In
Rather than trying to learn multiple website builders, focus on one. Become an expert in it and promote that platform to clients.
Two of the most popular are:
Squarespace: An easy-to-use web builder that helps you create a high-quality web page. It’s great for most businesses, portfolios, and blogs.
WordPress: This is a more flexible and customizable platform but with a steeper learning curve. It’s used by major media companies and enterprises.
I recommend starting with Squarespace. Master the design tools, explore the hundreds of templates, and learn the e-commerce and blogging features. Then, you can confidently market your Squarespace web design services to clients.
4. Define Your Target Clients
With your niche and platform chosen, identify your ideal clients.
Do they need an informational website, an online store, or a custom blog?
Determine what services you want to offer, then market to those specific needs. You can also offer extra services like content writing and digital marketing if you believe your clients will appreciate a bundled offer, and you can conveniently offer them as an add-on.
However, that’s not all. To succeed as a web designer, you need the guidance of experienced designers to ensure you’re doing the right thing.
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Getting Proper Training and Education
In addition to the technical skills, you need additional soft and business skills to excel in your web design career. The good news is that there are many affordable ways to get the training you need, from interactive tutorials to accredited programs.
Here is how to get into web design with the right training:
Earn a certificate.
Join a community.
1. Earn a Certificate
Web design certificate programs provide structured curricula to build your skills. You can complete one in a semester at many community colleges or through eLearning platforms like Udacity and Udemy. A certificate shows employers you have a solid foundation. Look for programs that cover web design theory, user experience design, search engine optimization, and content management systems like Squarespace.
2. Join a Community
The web design field is constantly changing, so continuous learning is key. Join online communities like the Six-Figure Design Club to get insights from an experienced designer. You’ll learn strategies for finding clients, setting rates, optimizing your workflow, and building a sustainable business. Most web designers who have taken the Six-Figure Design Club course have reported exponential growth in their design career; you can, too, if you take the exact same steps they took.
With the right technical skills, soft skills, and a growth mindset, you can build a successful web design career, even as a newbie. Continuous learning through online education and participation in a professional community will ensure you have the expertise and connections to thrive in this dynamic field. In a few short years, you’ll be designing innovative websites and helping clients achieve their digital goals.
If you plan to freelance or build a web design career, you need to put together a robust portfolio that reflects your skills. But how do you do this as a beginner? The following section outlines tips that show you how to start as a web designer through a catchy portfolio.
Building Your Web Design Portfolio
To land clients as a freelance web designer, you need a solid portfolio of websites you’ve designed. Your portfolio showcases your skills and the types of projects you can take on.
Here are some tips for building an effective website design portfolio:
Highlight your design approach and process.
Include a diversity of designs and website types.
Offer discounts and promotions.
Ensure your designs are the best you can offer.
1. Highlight Your Design Approach and Process
When building your portfolio, emphasize the overall design and user experience. Discuss your design process and decisions to help potential clients understand your approach. For example, you might explain how you chose a color palette that aligns with a client’s brand or selected easy-to-read fonts for an informative website. Adding written context to your portfolio helps clients connect with your work.
2. Include a Diversity of Designs and Website Types
You’ll want to include a variety of website types like business, e-commerce, blog, and portfolio sites. A diversity of projects shows your range as a designer. As you design more sites, continue expanding your portfolio.
Aim for at least 3–5 live websites to start, and build up to 10–15 over the first year or two of your web design business. Don’t just include your best work but also some simpler sites to demonstrate your ability to work with different needs and budgets.
3. Offer Discounts and Promotions
Consider offering discounted or pro bono design services at first to build your portfolio. For example, you might design sites for local small businesses or nonprofits in exchange for being able to feature them in your portfolio. This allows you to gain experience and have more sites to show potential clients, even when you’re just starting.
4. Ensure Your Designs Are the Best You Can Offer
When potential clients view your portfolio, they should get a sense of your web design style and skills. So make sure each site you include looks professional, functions well, and aligns with current web design standards. Pay attention to details like responsive design, loading speed, clear navigation, and an optimized user experience. Your portfolio reflects your abilities as a designer, so put your best work forward.
With a solid portfolio of professional-looking websites behind you, you’ll be well on your way to finding web design clients and establishing your freelance business. Keep refining your portfolio over time, removing older projects and adding new websites you design. For inspiration, check out my Squarespace website design portfolio. Lastly, you’ll want to expand your horizons through networking and actively prospecting for new clients, and I’ll show you just how to do that.
Networking and Finding Clients
As a website designer, your success largely depends on the quality of your network. You should make conscious efforts to build relationships with potential clients and helpful communities.
Here are some practical tips on how to be a website designer through relationship building:
Build your online presence.
Get involved in the web design community.
Network at events.
Reach out to past clients.
Explore job sites.
1. Build Your Online Presence
Your online presence is your calling card as a web designer. Start by creating profiles on websites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Dribbble to help establish your credibility.
Share any new project you’re working on to showcase your work. Include details on past projects, client testimonials, and your design qualifications and experience. An email newsletter and a blog where you provide helpful web design tips and advice are other great ways to boost your visibility.
2. Get Involved in the Web Design Community
Look for local web design meetups and events in your area and start attending. You’ll connect with others in the industry, learn new skills, and find new clients.
You can also join web design communities online like the Six-Figure Design Club, Web Design Talk, Reddit’s /r/web_design subreddit, and Indie Hackers. Provide value by answering questions, giving feedback, and sharing your knowledge. Some of these connections may turn into client opportunities.
3. Network at Events
Attend conferences and events geared toward web designers and developers like Google Developer Groups (GDG) and Smashing Conference. These are prime networking opportunities that allow you to strike up conversations, exchange business cards, and look for potential clients or collaborators. You never know where a chance encounter may lead.
4. Reach out to past Clients
If you’ve done web design work before, contact past clients and ask if they have any new projects or if they know of anyone else who may need web design services. Satisfied clients are one of the best sources for finding new work. Offer an incentive, like a discount on their next project or some cut for any referrals.
5. Explore Job Sites
Websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and 99Designs are popular places for businesses to find web designers. Build a strong profile, set your rates, and start bidding on projects that match your skills. These sites make it easy for new web designers to find entry-level web design jobs, build their portfolios, and gain experience. As your reputation grows, you can charge higher rates and find better clients.
With time and persistence, you’ll gain valuable experience, build your portfolio, and establish a network of connections in the web design world. Keep putting in the effort to market your services, and new clients will come your way. The key is to start taking action and get your name in front of as many people as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do You Need to Do to Become a Web Designer?
To become a website designer, you need to master design programs like Adobe Creative Cloud, CorelDraw Graphics Suite, or Inkscape. It’s also essential to learn web languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, understand UX/UI principles, stay updated with the latest web trends, and build a portfolio to showcase your work.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Web Designer?
The time it takes to become a web designer can vary: self-taught individuals might acquire necessary software skills in as little as 6 months; an associate’s degree takes about 2 years; and a bachelor’s degree usually requires 4 years of study.
Can I Teach Myself to Be a Web Designer?
Certainly, you can teach yourself to be a web designer. With dedication and resourcefulness, many have learned web design and development without formal courses, building skills over time through practice and online resources. It may take longer, but self-teaching is a viable path to this career.
Conclusion
That, in a nutshell, is how to be a web designer. The key is being patient, trying out new skills, and building up your portfolio piece by piece.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is an amazing web design career. But if you commit to continuous learning and growth, you’ll be well on your way. The demand for talented web designers isn’t going anywhere, so take the first steps now to start turning your creative passion into a profession.
If you’re learning web design so that you can build your own website, the time required may be longer than expected. Consider hiring a web designer instead. However, if you’re inclined towards building a career in web design, consider joining the Six-Figure Design Club today!
Your designer
I'm Sam, an award-winning Squarespace web designer. I have worked with every type of business, building platforms for solo entrepreneurs through to multi-million dollar corporations. If you want to discuss a potential project, you can email on sam@bycrawford.com or get in touch with me here. Alternatively, you can book in a free 15-minute consultation call here.
