With more than 400 billion websites and 5.7 billion Google searches per day, web development is certainly more in demand than ever. But what is the career outlook for a newcomer to the web development world and how can you get started?
First, it’s important to know what exactly a web designer or developer does and what skills they need. As a professional web developer, you can expect to work on a variety of projects, be creative with designs and layouts, and ensure that a website is optimised for search engines.
What is Web Design?
Web design refers to the design and development of a website for a business, private person, or a blog. It combines a lot of different skills and disciplines and there are different areas of web design that include:
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- Graphic design
- Search engine optimisation
- Coding and structure
- User functionality
Everything about a company’s website – the layout, colour, graphics, fonts, content and the way it operates – are all determined by the website design. A professional website will have several necessary aspects, including being user-friendly, optimised for search engines, and informative to visitors. While the main aim of web development is to give a company or brand an online presence, a website can be a powerful online marketing tool.
As an aspiring developer, you should also note the trends; an example is Motion User Interface (Motion UI) which is one of the most trending web developments. Another one is voice search optimisation – which has multiplied by 35 times in less than a decade.
What Qualification Do I Need to Be a Web Developer?
Although you don’t necessarily need a qualification to become a professional web developer, there are a few qualifications that can significantly help advance your career options and a few examples from popular universities include:
- BA Design in Digital Media
- BA (Information Design)
- National Diploma/ BA in Technology: Multimedia Design
You can also choose to study from a range of private institutions to obtain a qualification that will prepare you for a career as a web developer.
How to Become a Freelance Web Developer
If you are interested in a web design career and you want to become a freelance website developer, there are a few easy steps to follow. Start by learning as many languages and technologies as you can. The more knowledge you have on programming, the more projects you can take on and the higher in demand you’ll be.
Next you need to establish yourself online with your own website. Make sure that you have a portfolio to show and that you showcase your skills and abilities. Market your services to your target market, for e.g. small businesses that don’t have a website yet, or companies that don’t yet focus on selling online. Finally, set your rates and you’ll be good to go!
For more information on professional website design and how your business can benefit from web development, get in touch with us at 021 797 5536 or enquiry@web-design-cape-town.com.