Did you know that web design is one of the professions with the most projection for the future?
Have you been thinking about dedicating yourself to this sector for some time but don’t know how to start?
If you answered yes to both questions, this is the article you were looking for.
The world of web design has the label of “indispensable” for any individual or company that wants to give their business a boost.
What knowledge and skills does a web designer need?
To know how to be a web designer, you first need to know exactly what it is and what skills you need to have.
We are talking about a professional dedicated to creating web pages that reflect a brand’s values, mission, and vision. Keep in mind to capture the business image by differentiating and creatively.
A good designer is one who, besides having technical knowledge, goes a step further by providing a differentiating plus with his creative side.
1. Essential responsibilities of being a web designer
- Create web browsing resources.
- Select the appropriate color palette, typography, and graphic elements.
- Ensure that the page meets the SEO and functionality requirements.
- And most important, meeting customer expectations.
2. Knowledge you need to acquire to learn to be an expert
- WordPress.
- Graphic design.
- SEO.
- Marketing.
- English.
- Prototyping.
- Website security.
- Programming languages
3. Skills to develop
- The first thing is creativity.
- Problem resolution.
- Stress management.
- Time management.
- Emotional intelligence
- Communication.
- Planning.
How to be a web designer
1. Train on a platform like WordPress
Becoming a competitive web design professional is now more feasible than ever.
Currently, you have a wide variety of online tools and resources at your fingertips to be able to make the most of your potential.
In the case of WordPress, it is one of the essential platforms that you must know to dedicate yourself to this sector and learn to make web pages step by step.
The decision to train and get your best version is in your hands, just as Neo had to choose in The Matrix.
It is essential that you spend much of your time acquiring new skills and staying up-to-date with the latest trends.
In the beginning, as with tasks in our personal lives, you will need to put in the extra effort until you acquire the necessary knowledge.
2. Define your service offer
Pay special attention to this aspect since preparing a budget for a web design offer is a task that is not so easy at the beginning.
Thanks to my experience in the sector over the years, I have put together a series of tips that have helped me define a correct budget, and today I want to share them with you.
3. Take into account the costs
Costs are paramount, but you must not lose focus on the customer’s problem-solving strategy.
You will often be asked: Hey, how much does it cost to make a web page?
It depends on many factors, but I will mention the most relevant ones so that you can guide yourself and determine the price ranges:
- Web server and a domain: This will be one of the strong initial investments.
You should not skimp on this budget item since a bad server can cause a website crash or slow loading speed. And regarding the domain, it will be your image on the web.
- CMS: The price will depend on the management system that the web demands. The one I use is WordPress.
- Premium tools: Ideally, you should include Premium resources to obtain better results for your clients.
- Design: It will vary if the client asks for a specific logo design or a personalized theme design.
- Experience: It is not the same if the page is designed by an unknown person or by a person recognized for their professionalism and quality of work.
- Size and type: Different factors must be taken into account, such as the number of pages to be designed, whether it is an E-commerce or a personal brand website. Each typology will vary the final budget.
- Contents: Sometimes, some clients provide you with images and texts on the web. If not, this aspect has an additional cost since it is not part of the design.
4. Study your audience
You must define what your ideal target is, their needs, and what is the most effective communication channel to capture it.
Web designers need to show their designs on Instagram, but attracting clients through LinkedIn is also very important.
Twitter and Facebook are also very good options, but my favorites are those I mentioned.
5. Work on your own web design in detail
This point is essential since it is your brand image. It will represent who you are and what you do.
It must be optimized, functional, and usable, and if you have a good position in Google, it will give you an authority on the web.
Additionally, it offers valuable content for you to achieve authority in the area. But I am not just referring to blog posts, but to audiovisual material or lead magnets that attract subscribers.
Work with dedication on your own designs, and face the inconveniences that arise in the projects, since over time, you will be able to master them until you achieve a powerful and differential brand.
Your work will be your cover letter, so you need to build a good reputation that will help you get clients.
6. Establish effective digital marketing strategies
To consolidate yourself and be an expert web designer, it is not necessary to saturate yourself with massive and complex marketing strategies, but you must implement them according to your needs.
The idea is to promote your services on various platforms in a timely manner according to the objectives you want to achieve.
7. Spread your work on Social Networks
Choose which social networks your clients are on, optimize your profile, and post about previous jobs and topics related to web design until you consolidate your brand.
At this point, with a lot of patience and perseverance, you will start receiving requests from your potential clients.
8. Advertise
Beyond digital marketing strategies (which are very effective), another form of advertising that benefits your product or service is a word of mouth recommendations.
But obviously, you can’t just rely on word of mouth, so having a sales funnel will be essential to your strategy.
9. Empathize with the problems of your customers
Once you have captured your client, you must put yourself in their shoes to understand their problems and be able to propose the most effective solutions. The goal is to have his total trust.
Here begins the task of studying the information of the company that the client will provide you.
A briefing will make all communication easier between you.
10. Promote two-way communication with the client
Another key to keeping a client is communication, and you must keep him informed about the evolution of the project.
If you have doubts and concerns, answer him with cordiality and security so that he feels confident in you.
One of the headaches for web designers is delivery times. Complies with the established schedule and submits the complete work on time and marked with the seal of quality.
11. Collaborate with other professionals
As we have been analyzing throughout the article, various skills are required to be a web designer. However, currently, the most common thing to come across are T-type workers.
They specialize in a specific area but have knowledge of others since it is very complex to find an expert person. That is all that a project demands.
Let’s take the example that your client needs, in addition to the design of their website. In this case, we must resort to a graphic designer.
Is it easy to be a web designer?
For all this, we could summarize that to be a web designer, as in all professions, you must have a vocation and a special predisposition to learn.
Still, personally, I believe that everything can be learned, and you just need to train in the right place.
This is the third time I have mentioned it, but try to always have the muse of creativity with you to achieve more attractive results.
Technology and the Internet are not static, so what is new today will be obsolete in a month. So constant updating with the latest market trends is essential.
It must be a comprehensive professional who has a background in various areas related to web design.
And remember, you learn by designing and only by design. Practice will help you perfect your knowledge and skills.
