In the following post, we are going to overview what is needed to become a successful web designer in 2023.
How to be a Successful Web Designer
There are many opportunities to niche down or change your direction once you understand exactly what you love to do in web design. A website designer’s tangible skills, such as Photoshop or jQuery, are often the focus of their attention. It takes more than the right equipment or a great grasp of design to be successful in the field of web design. Web designers need both analytical and creative skills.
Whether you’re self-taught, studied on Udemy or you’re holding a bachelor’s degree in design, finding a job as a web designer may not be all that easy, especially without a strong portfolio.
In the unlikely event that you’ve successfully landed a job as a web designer without anything to show on your portfolio. The next thing you’re going to have to worry about is how do I not let my team down and prove myself to be good at what I do?
Studying and working are two different worlds. And even if you excelled academically, you may not have anticipated the challenges you may face in the ‘real world’.
If you’re facing these challenges now or are embarking on a career as a web designer, here are three tips.
Understand UX
UX is an abbreviation for user experience. It relates to how a user feels when interacting with what you have designed/built. In the end, everything you use boils down to one thing: a feeling, an emotion. Interacting with something that you use can be fun and it can also be frustrating.
In many cases, UX can be what makes or breaks your digital product. Good UX comes down to more than how visually appealing your digital product/website is. It’s important to consider things like mobile responsiveness, toolbar placement, navigation, text readability, and more when using colors in web design. Designing from a user’s perspective helps you keep in mind that, they are the ones you are designing for.
Therefore, designs should be foolproof and take into consideration the technology literacy that they might possess. Perhaps ask yourself, if my grandfather were using this, would he know how to navigate the website? Being able to design something that is intuitive and easy to use will help you immensely to build your reputation as a successful web designer.
Understand the importance of SEO, social media, and marketing
Even though you may think this is not your job scope if you are really looking to develop your talents and improve your reputation as a web designer or impress your supervisors/team and clients (maybe even rise up the ranks in your organization). You may do well to learn more about the role of SEO, social media, and marketing. This can be particularly relevant if you are a freelancer. Many brands and companies such as a travel site promoting Albay tourist spots do make a significant amount of sales through their websites.
Marketing is part and parcel of every industry and website designing is no different. What use is a beautifully designed website if people are unable to see it? Having a website is all about getting people to visit, engage, and convert – that’s the whole point. You can make a difference in your project’s success by designing your website, digital product, and application considering aspects such as search and social.
Communication skills
As a successful web designer, you are probably not supposed to sit pretty in a corner cubicle. Being a team player and a people person can be very relevant to your role. Every project you work on is aimed at people, and design is a form of communication.
Being a web designer can kind of be like playing a game of “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes”. There you have to defuse a bomb. And your team or clients are the ones giving you instructions on how to defuse the bomb. Keep your clients, supervisors, and teammates informed of your progress, and pay attention to how people respond to your work. The key to becoming a successful web designer is cultivating an intuition for all kinds of communication (including feedback).
A great designer’s final designs aren’t always what makes him or her stand out, but how they achieve them. Transparency, openness, and easy communication will build a reputation for you, making past customers more likely to recommend you.
