Throughout the years, web creating has actually ended up being a growing number of a prevalent skill. Long gone are the days when a "webmaster" was in charge of whatever -from creating pages to composing material and promoting the site. All while making a good living out of this.
Today everybody is a web designer. Free and paid for software application enable to create a complete style, or skin, for a website without any understanding of XHTML, CSS or Photoshop. Not to discuss all the graduates from public and private courses that were trained to create website, pages and content management systems.
So it might appear like there's little to no reason to become a freelance web designer today. However this is not totally real. As much the tools have advanced, they are still just that: tools. They may randomize background images and create a pleasing color design, however they do not have the mind and the skill of an individual.
And, regrettably, so do lots of web designers that produce sites without any visual worth, tough to browse and look at. Sites, in one word, that can not convert their visitors into repeated visitors. Also, despite owning maybe the entire Creative Suite, they only fire up Photoshop and overlook such a powerhorse as After Effects is for Web Video production.
Which's all, the three tips that will assist you in earning a living from freelancing webdesign are already in front of your eyes, but let's have a appearance in information to each one of them:
1. Provide value just a skilled human can offer. Devices are terrific timesavers, and somebody using a $100 application can produce twenty website faster than you can prepare the very first. But they will all be comparable, cookie-cutter produced, design templates. The type of site that doesn't show the site owner's goals and expectations. So make this clear, and spell it out on your LinkedIn profile or Facebook page: you do care for your consumer the method a factory-style designer will never have the ability to do.
2. Make certain you can design sites that convert. Conversion is whatever when it concerns web design. And it does not stop at web marketing. Every web site wants its visitors to transform. Registering for the RSS feed, visiting a sponsored link, or possibly simply considering the "Message" the site owner is attempting to spread out. Conversion can only be attained when you prepare the site for a very particular target visitor. And once again this is something only an human can do. Start tidy, do not think an eCommerce site needs to look corporate or a gaming site needs to be strong and contrast. Instead, make it clear to your possible employer that you'll provide him or her with an remarkable research effort, much earlier than when you'll begin jotting down CSS rules and look after DOCTYPES.
3. Be on the forefront to new innovations. Just a few years ago it was difficult not to find "flash introductions" and images of people shaking hands. Now they have actually disappeared from all the sites where trained, smart, web designers are at works. But they still live, and I can ensure you one thing: those site's owners experience a lack of conversion that irritates them. Show them you can eliminate their discomfort with a case study, or perhaps better a video case research study. Possibilities are you own a webcam, so have a excellent haircut, purchase some licorice (it works marvels when it comes to enhancing your voice recordings) and tape-record a brief section where you explain how and why they can gain from a contemporary, well thought out method.
Don't overdo it with a Powerpoint presentation, keep it expert but on a personal level. And program, show, reveal them how an ugly site can be developed into a well oiled converting maker. All since you have invested a few hours taking a look at how to turn a fixed Photoshop logo into business looking video with After Impacts' 3D electronic camera motions and a little bit of screen catching.
In summary, all you have to do is to supply something an unskilled person with the right tool can not supply: a innovative, UpWork individual advantage. Of course this indicates you'll have to invest some evenings in front of your Mac or Pc, scratch your head over After Results compositions or the ins and outs of digital video postproduction. However it's well worth it and will give you a increase in no time. Remember this formula: Creativity plus Understanding equals Success.