Becoming a web designer requires creativity and technical skills. Designers should also have the artistic skills necessary to build an aesthetically pleasing website for brands while supporting their marketing efforts by designing flyers, social media posts, packaging, and other collateral. While web designers work on designing websites most of the time, you will also be asked to do graphic design. If you’re creative and technical, you might make a great web designer. This article will tell you everything you need to know to become a successful web designer.
Develop Your Skills
Web designers need to perform the technical aspects of their jobs, which means utilizing programs to make websites. The best way to develop your skills is to pursue a degree in web design, but many designers are also self-taught. However, getting a job as a designer is easier if you have the background education to help you land your first job. Here are the skills you should focus on:
Graphic Design Software
There are various types of software to help you design websites, including Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Becoming familiar with popular software can help make designing graphics for websites easier. If you don’t have a web design degree, you can find courses and programs to help you learn how to utilize each software effectively to design websites and other graphics.
Programming
Most web designers need to have some knowledge of programming languages so they can facilitate the development of a website and ensure a web developer understands what is required of them to bring the website to life. Therefore, designers should understand the basic languages, including:
- HTML
- CSS
- PHP
- Javascript
- Flash
While you should have a basic understanding of programming languages, you should also understand popular integrations. Integrating digital marketing tools into a website can enhance a website, but your design will need to take those integrations into account.
If you’re going to freelance, it’ll be helpful to have more coding knowledge so you won’t have to rely on a developer. However, if you work for an agency, you won’t have to worry about coding because they should have a team of developers able to make your comps come to life on the website. Whether you work for a company or do freelance, at least all of these skills can be done on any type of computer, Chromebook, or laptop.
Search Engine Optimization
SEO is more than keywords; it’s about providing a great user experience through aspects of the website, especially design. Understanding how web design can impact SEO can help websites rank better. Not only that, but SEO can help you learn about the importance of user experience. You can create a beautiful website, but it’s not effective if it has a poor user experience.
Design Theory
Web design has foundation principles for creating websites, including structure, user experience, and even color theory. These are the types of topics that you’ll learn about in college, but you should also do some research after you graduate to ensure =you’re up to date on the right techniques.
Communications
All web designers need good communication skills to easily explain concepts and understand what is required of them. As a designer, you’ll have to communicate one-on-one with clients to make edits and provide them with a website they’re proud of.
Earn Certifications
Certifications are available in many areas, which can help you further hone your skills whether or not you went to college for design. Certifications can also help you stand out from the competition when applying to jobs or allow you to charge a higher rate. Here are just a few certifications you should look into:
Adobe Certified Expert
Adobe tools are the preferred web design tools used by experts. Obtaining a certification with Adobe products can help you master a variety of programs so you can become a more efficient and well-rounded designer.
Digital Marketing Certifications
If you have a degree in design but not in marketing, you might find yourself confused when joining an agency. Luckily, you can easily take a certification course online to learn the basics of traditional and digital marketing to learn valuable skills that can help you build your career.
Build a Website
Once you’ve honed all of your web design skills, you need to build your first website. Your website can either be a website marketing your skills to find clients or a website about anything; the main purpose of building a website is so you have something in your portfolio for potential employers and clients to view as a reference to your skills.
Look for Jobs
With the right educational background and a website you’ve designed yourself, you can start looking and applying for jobs. Before you apply for jobs, consider the type of work you want to do. Many web designers succeed at freelancing because it allows them to work when they want to; they’re not confined to an eight-hour workday. Not only that, but many freelancers make more money than regular employees. If you’re someone who can easily manage yourself and plan, freelancing might be for you. However, freelancing comes with many additional responsibilities, including paying quarterly taxes, which might seem like an inconvenience. Many web designers are happy to go to a day job and have nothing to worry about when they get home from work.
Consider Specializing
Focusing on a particular niche of web design can help you become more of an expert while making you a highly sought-after job applicant. For example, you can specialize in e-commerce websites and only work with e-commerce companies. When you become a specialist, you can more effectively target businesses in the same niche. These businesses will trust your experience and expertise more because you focus primarily on websites just like theirs.
Becoming a Web Designer
If you’re creative and enjoy working with software that brings your designs to life, then you might make a great web designer. However, to truly know whether this career path is right for you, consider purchasing a design tool, such as Photoshop, and see if it’s something you enjoy. Or, consider earning a certificate or taking classes so you can learn more about what the job entails.