If you are trying to build a business around web design, one issue you may face is the increasingly cheap competition in this industry. People in need of web design are able to find very cheap work especially if they just need something simple. In fact, if they don’t mind spending some time, they can even build a site themselves for very little cost. This is why doing things a little differently and developing other skills is important. Web design should be a piece of an overall skillset that you have. Web design knowledge is definitely still useful, but you will have an easier time getting paid if you have other ways of providing value as well.
Reoccurring Income is Key
The one in done model of web design will be increasingly more difficult as time goes on. Not only are there many website builders that can be used to create simple websites without the need for code, but GPT-4 has shown that it can build a very simple website from a drawing on a napkin. Don’t believe me? Check this out.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/man-draws-website-idea-on-a-napkin-shows-gpt-4-ai-bot-codes-it-in-seconds-12296132.html
This doesn’t mean that web design is finished. It is still useful for a business owner to have a website professionally created but it does mean that if all you are doing is building the website, collecting payment, and on to the next, you will be playing the game on hard mode. Make things easier on yourself and pair your web design knowledge with another skill that gives you reoccurring income. Here is a good list of skills that pair well with web design.
Graphic design: Being skilled in graphic design can enhance your ability to create visually appealing and effective web designs.
UX/UI design: Understanding user experience and user interface design principles can help you create websites that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also easy to navigate and use.
Copywriting: Having strong writing skills can help you create compelling and persuasive content that engages your audience and supports your web design.
Digital marketing: Understanding digital marketing principles such as SEO, social media, and email marketing can help you create websites that not only look great but also attract and convert visitors into customers.
These are just a few different ways that you can separate yourself from the competition of the web design industry. There are likely many more out there. Focus on what your skills and talents are as well as what you enjoy doing and combine them together to formulate something new.
This idea not only works with web design but many other fields as well. There may be alot of competition if you are only doing one thing but if you have 2 or 3 different skills that you are good at, the competition starts to go away.
