With the business environment today, almost all companies need to have an online presence to market their products. After all, almost everyone has access to the internet nowadays. You will be missing out on affordable advertising if you don’t.
That’s why businesses are starting to create their own websites. But then, it’s quite hard to build a website that’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing. That’s why web designers are in demand today alongside other careers with a lot of online job opportunities.
Basically, web designers build website designs that are creatively done and effective in enticing and engaging their market.
How do you become a sought-after web designer, you ask? Here are 10 essential skills you should have.
Artistic Skill
Artistic skill should already be a given. As a sought-after web designer, you should know the proper font and colours to attract your target audience. Also, you should know how to mix and match images with the arrangement of text to convey your company’s message.
Creativity
Next is creativity. What sets you apart from the competition? You should be creative enough to show your company’s message in a new light. It doesn’t need to be unique from scratch. You can have influences from other designers and incorporate a new angle in your output.
Software Skills
As a sought-after web designer, it’s a given that you know how to use computer software. Powerful software like Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom, and more should be utilized. After all, most of your output will be digital.
You can use these tools to layout designs that are perfect for what your client needs.
Understanding of UI/UX
User interface and User Experience (UI/UX) is crucial in a website. The customer has a low attention span. If you have a beautiful design but not a user-friendly website, you will surely lose potential customers.
That’s why sought-after web designers should understand UI/UX to create a responsive design for your client’s customers. And this includes design when opened through a
Understanding of CMS
Most websites use a Content Management System (CMS) to arrange data like blog posts, pages, media, etc., to make it easily accessible. Some examples of CMS are WordPress, Drupal, and Magento.
As a sought-after web designer, it’s not enough that you know how to design. You should also know how to use the preferred CMS to incorporate your design elements on the website properly.
Marketing & Branding
It’s not enough to know how to design an “artistic” website. It should appeal to your overall target market and persona. After all, a creative website will not be useful when it doesn’t resonate with your client’s audience.
So you should also know how to follow their marketing strategy and branding when you design their website.
Basic SEO
How do you attract traffic to your website? There are many ways, but arguably, SEO or Search Engine Optimization is crucial for its success. SEO is how search engines (like Google and Bing) ranks websites to show on the first page of the search results. Depending on the keyword, this can attract thousands of visitors for free, later converting to sales.
But some websites are created without this in mind. One example is having large files constantly loading on web pages. Big files can make slow loading times. And it can be detrimental for SEO efforts because bounce rate (or how long the user stays on a site) is a factor.
You should at least know the basics of SEO and incorporate a design that can accommodate this goal.
Communication
Working online poses challenges in communicating. How do we know our colleagues’ true sentiment with our ideas? In some instances, we even have arguments because of some misunderstandings. Can you relay information to them concisely and clearly?
With this, you should have communication skills to work well with your teammates.
Teamwork
You will not be working alone on this project. Most likely, you will be partnered with a web developer, UI designer or even mingle with the marketing team for some inputs.
You should know how to work with a team. Learn how to collaborate with them by understanding their strengths and weaknesses. And let your own strengths support their weaknesses. In this way, you will be a cohesive team that can create the best website for your target market.
Up-to-date
Technology changes every day. What we know as effective and eye-catching now will most likely be replaced with something much better. We should be up-to-date with the latest trends that are happening. What are the new tools and technology in your field?
You can know this by following thought leaders in your industry. You can also join an FB group or Reddit thread to pitch-in to the discussion. In this way, you can always be in the loop without investing too much time and effort in research.
Conclusion
Are you ready to become a sought-after web designer? With the skills above, you are sure to be a cut above the rest. If you’re looking for opportunities in this field, you can check this link for more information. Cheers!
