A question I am often asked from people seeking a career in web design is how did you get started and what does one need to know to create websites?
The first thing to understand is that there is a big difference between a web designer and a web developer. A web designer will code the visual layout (create the framework), where as a web developer will add content to the layout and customize its styling per their client’s specific needs. You can think of it this way — a designer builds the house and a developer furnishes it.
In the past it was common for web professionals to do both the visual design and the website development yet with modern websites this is rarely the case since responsive layouts require extensive knowledge in coding HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (JQuery), Adaptive Mobility, and PHP (or ASP per the development type) for contact forms and other interactive content. If the layout is for a CMS theme then there are additional functions needed to populate the database and to assemble the dynamic template parts.
How I got started
In short, while I did study web design in college, it’s been over 10 years so much of what I learned is not all that applicable today. That being said, web-related classes I took included HTML, JavaScript and PHP for web development, Photoshop and Flash, PageMaker and PowerPoint, MS Word and Excel, Business Management and Server Networking, Pschology and Sociology, Advanced English Composition, and Art appreciation. Modern web students will most certainly have a more tailored curriculum than what I had, yet what’s popular and necessary today is likely to change or be obsolete in a few years.
For those new to web development, my suggestion is to ensure that at a minimum you have a solid understanding of HTML, know how to work with graphics, understand layout basics for web and print, know how to research and write compositionally, and know the fundamentals of on-page SEO. If you work within a company that employs a web team, the development tasks will be divided per one’s specialty — for which a web developer will be responsible for developing the chosen layout, including the addition of text, graphics, and styling elements of the pages. There will be a content writer to provide page copy and write blog posts, another person handling social media, someone tasked with all SEO needs, a graphic designer assisting with visual elements, and a team leader to communicate with the client and oversee the project to completion.
Team development is great, though I personally prefer to be involved with all aspects, which is the role of the “freelance” web developer. For the freelance web developer, there needs to be a solid foundation in:
- HTML and CSS (current and previous versions)
- Graphic Design (for web and print)
- Layout Design (WordPress, Joomla, Static)
- Content Writing / Content Sourcing
- SEO (on-page, backlinks, competitor assessments, tracking)
- Social Media (integration and content creation)
- Business Management and Communication
You may be thinking, does one need to learn web development in college? I don’t think so if you’re a self starter and highly motivated. There are lots of great books and abundant resources online. But college helps one to mature intellectually and I personally think the best developers have a broad foundation of knowledge that extends beyond what is traditionally taught. Yet if your goal is to work for a company then having the degree will certainly help provide the necessary credibility and may land you your dream internship or job.
If your goal is to be freelancer then it’s best to keep your day job until such point that you’re making enough money. For myself it took approx 4-years before I was able to support myself entirely from web development. Thankfully I have gradually seen my business increase since I began web development professionally in 2002. When you build trust relationships with your clients by providing quality and value most will stay your clients year after year.
Beyond education, the next important consideration is learning to evaluate what is needed for a new website, and what’s needed in a redevelopment. When I look at a web page I consider a lot of factors:
- Industry expectation and the target demographic
- UX design (ease of use and content flow)
- Visual design (look/feel, professional appeal)
- Use of animation and interactivity
- Logo integration with respect to placement and styling
- Use of images and color
- Typography and general styling elements
- Business message, services, selling points
- Text application, including CTA
- Padding / Margins
- Social Media provisions
All in all, web development has two primary focuses — visual layout engagement and content optimization.
A web page needs to immediately capture a visitor’s interest and to encourage them to initiate an action — purchase, contact, learn more, or gain a favorable impression of the company. For the search engines the web page needs needs to load quickly and the keywords/phrases that are targeted for need to be added in the right way and in the right places. There is on-page SEO, which includes keyword variation and appropriate repetition using the headings (H1 to H3), body content (header, main, footer, sidebars), links and images; and there is off-page SEO which includes the meta-title, meta-description, schema and rich snippets, and alt/title tags (images/links).
Becoming a design expert requires practice
For new developers I would recommend building as many websites as you can, do it for your friends, family, create community websites, anything to just learn. Develop an online portfolio of your web design work. Join Facebook groups, learn from websites with good info, such as MOZ. And most importantly, evaluate web pages closely in regard to all of its elements. If you come across something you don’t understand, then research it. Learn what you don’t know.
And when you represent your skills to others, be honest. Don’t present yourself as an expert until you have the knowledge and experience to meet the needs of a client. There is nothing professional web developer’s hate more than someone disingenuous or incompetent representing our industry.
