Today, those who know nothing about coding and web design can create a website with a click of a button. This is all thanks to sites such as WordPress and website templates that can be easily purchased online. This has made the web designers’ world very competitive.
However, web designers who offer exceptional services and stand out from the crowd are still in high demand. In this article, we look at ways that you as a web designer can join this league of highly sought after web designers.
- Create Designs That Stand Out
Many firms offer web design as part of their digital marketing business. However, a good number of these firms use ready-made templates or provide websites built with poor coding that clearly don’t live up to the price tag.
If you are trying to buy a website designer for cheap then you usually get what you paid for. Excellent designers know their worth and therefore aren’t going to build you an entire website for $300.
Professional web designers value their time because they know there are a lot of things to consider when building a proper, well-converting website.
The design should be unique and not copied from a template. It should be attractive in the mind of your target audience and have a great user-experience to keep visitors on the site.
Paul Rand, the renowned designer of the IBM and UPS logos famous quote that, “the public is more familiar with bad design than good design.”
When you get an opportunity to serve a client, it is your chance to shine. Ensure you offer custom made sites that are not only pleasing to the eye but functional too. This will make your work stand out. The result: you will see customers coming back and referring you to their friends.
- Keep With Up With the Trend
The world of web design is constantly changing. Your clients will come to you expecting the best. After all, you are the expert. That means you need to know what is trending in the web design world and what is outdated.
For example, sliders used to be very popular for web designers just a few years back, but many new designers understand that home page sliders can often be distracting, get ignored, and also slow down website load speed.
There are some cases when sliders are used effectively to convert visitors, but many times they should be avoided since they appear like advertisements that are cycling for the customers instead of guiding them toward a specific goal.
Parallax scrolling is a popular trend in web design as well, but like any design aspect it can be done right, and it can be done wrong. Parallax scrolling should be used sparingly on websites since overdoing it can defeat the purpose of it. Make sure it adds value to the web page when using it and don’t use it too much.
If you want to offer the best web design service to your customers you will need to educate yourself and stay fresh in the industry. A few ways you can stay in the know include:
- Visiting reputable website developer sites to see what they’re creating
- Taking online classes
- Testing new ideas and designs
- Seeking mentorship from proven professionals
- Only Show off Your Best Work
According to creativelive.com today, people have greater control over the medium than ever before. Creating websites is easy even for those who have little knowledge of web design.
However, showing your work helps clients see just how good you are at your job. It sets you apart from other amateur web designers. Notably, consider the web developing skills you want to show off and use projects that highlight these areas.
If you want to prove your skill in javascript then create some cool animations and effects on your portfolio website. Your goal should be to wow the visitor from the first impression and keep them interested the whole time they are inspecting your portfolio.
If you put work earlier in your career that you didn’t consider great then you are potentially scaring off customers. To keep your brand image strong you should ensure every website you show off is gorgeous and professional looking.
To do an even better job of turning visitors into clients be sure to include positive reviews from clients you have worked with in the past. These will help earn the trust of visitors because they know other people have had great experiences with your work. The two most important things clients care about when hiring a web designer are price and skill. If others can vouch for your skill along with your beautiful designs then you will be able to justify charging a higher price.
- Design with the Client’s Needs in Mind
Excellent websites are not about you, they’re about the client. Some questions you can ask yourself before you develop a website are:
- How can I solve the client’s problem?
- What do the client’s customers want to see on a website?
- How much time will this project take?
- What content do I need from the client to effectively build the website?
Such questions will help you work with your client in mind. Many clients say that they want sites that are simply functional and easy to use. Other clients want flashy websites that wow the visitor right away with images and fancy effects, with less focus on text.
Every client is different, just make sure you design for the client’s wishes, not for your own. Many times you’ll deal with clients that tell you to do something that goes against what you think looks good. You can suggest trying something different, but if you face resistance from the client just remember never to argue. The client is paying you to build the website they have in mind, it doesn’t always have to make sense to you.
- Create Long-Term Relationships
How you treat your customers will determine if they come back or not. It also determines if they consider you a worthy web designer that they can refer you to their friends.
If you speak to web designers you’ll notice that the majority of their jobs usually come from referrals. When customers are happy with the work you’ve done for them they are eager to recommend you to friends and family that need a website. People trust word-of-mouth referrals more than any other medium so make sure you make every client happy.
Simple things such as great customer service, reliability, prompt communication, and fair pricing can make you stand out from the competition. Treat your customers with respect and aspire to create long-term relationships with them.
If possible try to offer additional services that you can provide for your clients after their website is built. The most common services a web developer offers to their clients is website maintenance and search engine optimization. Both of these services can be charged month-to-month, meaning you are staying in constant contact with your client while providing additional value for them.
Bottom Line
As a web designer, standing out from the others in the field largely depends on you. Be sure to continue learning about the trends in your field and how to offer more value to your customers.
Hopefully, these tips will help you rise above the competition.