Learn 5 Steps How to Become Web Designer | Easy Guide
To become a London web designer is a dream for many people. The field is constantly growing and changing, and there are always new opportunities to learn and grow. While it is possible to get web design jobs without a degree anywhere in the world, most employers prefer to hire candidates who have at least an Associate's Degree in web design or a related field.
If you're interested to become a web designer, this step by step guide will show you how to get started. In 5 simple steps, you'll be on your way to a career in website design!
However, web designers often specialize in specific areas, such as eCommerce web design or web development for specific industries. It's important to choose an area of specialization that you're passionate about so that you can build a strong portfolio and attract clients in that niche.
Table of contents:
What is a Web Designer?
A web designer is a professional who creates web pages and web-based applications. They work with graphics, text, color theory and other visual elements to create a web page that is both visually appealing and user-friendly.
In addition to designing web pages, web designers may also be responsible for the overall layout of a website, as well as creating logos and other graphic design for the site. To become a London web designer you must have a strong understanding of web standards, as well as be proficient in several web programming languages.
Most web designers also have experience working with content management systems (CMS) and web-based applications. In order to be successful in this field and find a job in London, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest web design trends and best practices
5 Steps to Become a London Web Designer
There are many web designers in the UK and in the world, but what does it take to become one? Here are five steps to becoming a London web designer:
1. Get the right education and training
Nowadays, web design is no longer about just knowing how to code or build sites. To be a successful London web designer, you should have good knowledge of design programs and both technical and creative skills.
That’s why it’s important to get formal education and training, whether that’s through a web design course, an apprenticeship or even just teaching yourself. There is so much material available online for free, such as web design tutorials, that there’s really no excuse not to learn.
However, nothing can replace the value of face-to-face teaching, so if you can afford to study website design at college or university, then that’s definitely the route we would recommend. Great resources for a career change are below.
Free vs Paid online schools & courses:
WebFlow university - free
YouTube videos - free
Openclassroom training program - free
Udemy training videos - paid
Treehouse coding class - paid
Openclassroom professional courses - paid
2. Find your niche
Web designers come from all backgrounds, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. However, it is important to find a web design niche that you are passionate about. This could be anything from e-Commerce responsive design to web accessibility.
Find something that you are excited about and it will make the web design process much more enjoyable. Once you have found your niche, it is time to start building your portfolio.
Work on personal projects in your spare time and put your web design skills to the test. The more experience you have, the better your chances of landing a web design job will be.
3. Stay up-to-date with the latest web design trends
Web designers must always be up-to-date on the latest web design trends and best practices. This includes learning about new web technologies, web design software and web standards.
The more you know, the better equipped you will be to create cutting-edge web designs that meet the latest web standards. One way to stay up-to-date is to follow web design blogs, groups and forums or join popular online communities.
Another is to attend conferences and meetups. This is a great way to network with other London web designers and learn about the latest web design trends. Also, if you’re looking for a web design job, attending these events is a great way to meet potential employers.
4. Stay motivated
One of the most important things for web designers is to stay motivated. This can be difficult when you’re working on a project that isn’t particularly inspiring, or when you’re feeling stuck creatively. However, it’s important to push through these periods and continue to produce your best work.
Also, in the beginning, it can be easy to get discouraged when you’re not getting the results you want. It’s important to remember that everyone starts somewhere and that it takes time to build up a successful web design portfolio or business. Stay positive and keep working hard, and eventually you will see the fruits of your labor.
5. Learn to market yourself
In order to be a successful London web designer, it is important to learn how to market yourself. This includes creating a strong portfolio, writing web blogs, and networking with other designers. But, the most vital part is to promote yourself and your design portfolio online.
This can be done through social media, your own website or even paid advertisement. The website design industry is extremely competitive, so it’s important to make sure that you are doing everything you can to stand out from the crowd.
=> Digital Marketing
To claim the ladder of a web designer it is not just about the technical skills and experience. You will also need to be able to market and sell your responsive design services to potential clients. This is where digital marketing comes in. Digital marketing is the process of promoting your products or services online.
This can be done through a variety of channels, such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and content marketing. By utilizing these digital marketing channels, you can reach a larger audience and generate more leads for your web design business.
=> SEO
One of the most effective digital marketing channels for web designers is SEO. It is the process of optimizing your website for the search engines, so that you can rank higher in the search results. This, in turn, will help you to get more web traffic and generate more leads.
1. Onsite SEO:
Is all about optimizing your website for the search engines. This includes things like optimizing your web pages for the right keywords, creating compelling title tags and meta descriptions, and by improving the website’s overall structure. In addition, website designers should also focus on optimizing their images and website design for better web usability.
2. Offsite SEO:
Is all about promoting your website through other channels which can include things like link building, social media marketing, and by getting listed in web directories. These activities will help to improve your website’s link popularity, which is a major ranking factor for the search engines.
- Link building: Is the process of getting other websites to link back to your website. This can be done by creating high-quality content, optimizing your web pages for the right keywords, and by promoting your website through social media and other channels.
- Social media marketing: This is a great way to connect with potential clients and promote your own business. This can be done by creating social media profiles for your business, and by regularly posting updates and sharing your work. With paid social media advertising, you can reach a larger audience and generate more leads that want paid website services.
- Web directories: Getting your web design business listed in web directories can help to improve your website’s link popularity and search engine ranking. This can be done by submitting your website to web directories related to your industry, such as the botw.org or google business profile.
=> PPC
Another effective digital marketing channel is PPC advertising. With PPC, you can create ads and pay for them to be displayed on the search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone clicks on your ad, they will be redirected to your website. This is a great way to get targeted web traffic and generate leads.
=> Content Marketing
Another digital marketing tactic that web designers can use is content marketing. This involves creating informative, keyword-rich blog posts, infographics, and other types of content that will help you to attract web traffic and generate leads.
Top 6 Essential Skills You Need
1. Technical Skills
You will need to have a good understanding of programming language and web technologies, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In addition, you should also be familiar with web software's, such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator or Sketch.
Every soft skills you put on your resume will make you more attractive to potential employers. But don't worry you don't have to be a technical genius to become a designer, all you need is a willingness to learn and some basic IT skills and communication skills.
2. Creativity
A successful London web designer needs to be creative, as they will need to come up with innovative designs that appeal to their target audience. In the beginning, you may find it helpful to look at other websites for inspiration or look at web design award participants, but eventually you should be able to develop your own unique style over the time.
Don't forget that web design is all about creating a user-friendly experience that engages and inspires the user. This means that your designs need to be both visually appealing and functional.
3. Marketing
To become a web designer you also have to have good digital marketing skills. This is because they will need to promote their own business, and generate leads. As mentioned above, content marketing, social media marketing, and PPC advertising are all great digital marketing channels that web designers can use to get their name out there.
To make money you have to invest in yourself and your design business. Also, don't forget that web design is a business, and like any other business, you need to be able to sell your services.
4. SEO:
A web designer should also have a good understanding of SEO. This will allow them to optimize their web designs for the search engines, and generate more web traffic. Onpage optimization, link building, and keyword research are all important SEO techniques that designers should be familiar with. In addition, install SEO plugins and understand how to use Google Analytics is a vital task to learn.
5. Time Management:
A good web designer needs to be able to manage their time effectively, as they will often have to work to tight deadlines. This means that you need to be able to prioritize your tasks and work efficiently. Working as a freelancer web designer gives you a great opportunity to learn how to manage your time.
One of the most important things is to create a work schedule and stick to it. This will help to ensure that you get all of your work done on time, and it will also help to improve your productivity. But if you work for an agency or in-house as an employee, then you will need to be able to juggle multiple projects at the same time and meet deadlines.
Both scenarios require excellent time management skills and the ability to multitask. In addition, it's also important that you learn how to manage client expectations. If a client wants something that is not possible, you need to be able to explain this in a professional manner. So, effective communication skills are necessary.
6. Attention to Detail:
To become a London web designer you must have a keen eye for detail, as you will have to make sure that the website designs are free of errors. This means that you need to be able to proofread your work and check for any spelling or grammatical errors.
In addition, you should also test your designs on different browsers and devices to make sure that they are displayed correctly. Ask for feedback from friends and colleagues, and use design tools to help you with the process.
The technical side makes sense only if you work exclusively on the coding, but if you're more into web design and user experience you should focus on those areas.
Web Designers Tool:
There are a number of web design tools that can be used to create beautiful website designs. Here are just a few our London web designers use:
- Adobe Photoshop: This is a popular web tool that allows you to create high-quality web designs. It's also possible to use Photoshop to edit photos, and create graphic design and logos.
- Adobe Illustrator: This is another popular tool that allows you to create vector graphics for web projects. Vector graphics are ideal to learn web design theory as they can be scaled up or down without losing quality.
- Adobe Dreamweaver: Allows you to create web pages and web layouts with ease. It also comes with a number of web design templates, as well as a code editor.
- Sketch: Is specifically designed for Mac users. It's perfect for creating web design theory and app designs, and it comes with a number of website design templates.
- Canva: Creating graphic design for website projects. It's also possible to use Canva to create social media images, logos, and infographics.
- SEO: Some good search engine optimization tools are Moz Pro, SEMrush, Ahref, Surfer and Raven Tools. The right tools can help designers to improve their search engine rankings and optimize web designs for the search engines.
- Content management systems: WordPress, WebFlow. Shopify, Wix and Joomla, just a few to build websites. These content management systems allow talented web designers to create and manage web content with ease.
- Jasper: AI powered txt generator that helps to create high-quality web content. A great choice for blogs and long-form web content.
Freelance Web Designer vs Web Design Agency Employee
Freelance Web Design - is a website designer that works on a freelance basis. They typically work with multiple clients at the same time, and they manage their own web design projects.
FREELANCER PROS:
- You have the freedom to choose your own projects and client base.
- You can choose your own working hours and take time off when you want.
- You get to keep all of the profits from your work.
- You have the opportunity to build your own brand.
FREELANCER CONS:
- You may have to work long hours to meet deadlines.
- You may have to deal with difficult clients or project requirements.
- There is no guarantee of steady work, which can lead to periods of financial instability.
Web Design Agency Employee - is a designer that works for a web design agency in London or elsewhere. They work on a variety of projects for different clients, and they are usually managed by a web design manager.
AGENCY PROS:
- You will have a stable income.
- You will receive benefits such as health insurance and vacation days.
- You will have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects.
- You will receive training and support from your agency.
AGNECY CONS:
- Management can sometimes be difficult, as you may have to adhere to strict deadlines and design standards.
- You may not have as much creative freedom as you would if you were working freelance.
- Time management can be challenging, as you may have to balance multiple projects at once.
Regardless of the option you choose, make sure to have a good CV where you list all your talents and skills, you could try a free CV maker, that can help you not forget any detail!
Average Salary Estimates
The average salary in the web design industry in the United Kingdom is typically between £30,000 and £85,000+ per year. Factors that impact salary can include your level of experience, the type and size of the company you work for, and whether you are working freelance or as an employee.
Salaries can also vary depending on the specific role you play within a design, such as a web development, user experience (UX designer), user interface (UI) design, web content management, or web design project management.
Designer Salary:
Junior Designer: £25,000 - £35,000
Senior Designer: £35,000 - £45,000
Lead Designer: £45,000- £85,000
Each of these roles comes with its own unique set of necessary skills and responsibilities, and as such, salaries can vary widely. For example, web developers (UX design) typically have more technical knowledge and often earn higher salaries, whereas web content managers are typically responsible for managing web copy and design projects.
Conclusion
So, if you're looking to become a web designer, these are the five steps that you need to take. While it may seem like a daunting task, with the right resources and guidance, you can become a web designer in no time!
Whether you choose to work freelance or as an employee for an agency, you'll be able to find the role that's right for you. And, with a little bit of effort, you can earn a competitive salary in this exciting and rewarding field. So, what are you waiting for? Start your career path today!
Do You Need Help?
At Fit Design, our expert web developer team offers a range of design services to help businesses get the most out of their web presence. Whether you're looking for bespoke web design work, or you need help with web development, SEO, an eCommerce solution or digital marketing we can help.
Get in touch today with our web designers and find out more about how we can help you take the next step.
