One of the most lucrative venues the Internet has provided is in the field of web design. Today, more and more people and businesses need skilled freelancers who can create and maintain their websites and this is where web designers come in.With the continuous roll out of broadband services in various parts of the globe, it is not surprising many businesses want to establish a corporate website. After realizing how the Internet can help their business, many company owners want to establish their own web sites to boost their marketing strategies.
Aside from jumping into the bandwagon of modern technology, having a website also gives companies a powerful online presence.
Becoming a Web Designer
Undeniably, the market is growing for freelance web designing today. If you are a web designer and you are considering freelance work, then it is now time to narrow down your options. The market for web designing continues to grow as long as there are companies who need web designers in creating a front for traditional businesses or services.
An excellent resource to learn about launching a freelance career is Andy Anderson’s book or audio book, “How to Make Money from Home as a Freelancer,” published by http://www.paydaypublishing.com/.
Aside from having businesses as potential clients, freelance web designers can also rely on the billions of existing web pages on the Internet because these sites will need to be designed, built and maintained later on. If you're planning to do freelance web designing, then you should gain knowledge and experience to become one.
The first thing you need to consider is getting educated about the field. Today, there are many colleges and universities that offer multimedia courses and degrees. By enrolling in one of these educational institutions, you can learn different disciplines to become an expert in the field of freelance web designing.
Secondly, you need to reassesses your skills to become a successful freelance web designer. To become a competent web designer, you should be able to complete a web site on your own. By doing this, you will have the knowledge in designing the layout of your client’s site while designing the elements that involve the use of Photoshop and Illustrator (Adobe) or Fireworks and Freehand (Macromedia).
Also, to become a successful freelance web designer, you need to understand aspects such as: design and image optimization to give good download; making the site easy to use; making it more search engine friendly; and most importantly, making it cross browser compliant. You will also need to have a good knowledge of HTML code as well as how to use an HTML editor to create a web page.
If you'ret new in the industry of freelance web designing, you might be using Microsoft Front Page; but most freelancers say that newbies should veer away from using it because it has a lot of proprietary codes that are oftentimes non-cross browser compliant.
Macromedia's Dreamweaver is the best option to create a site because it will save you time and energy when compared to hand coding. Aside from that, it is also important for you to understand the HTML behind the design.
Aside from Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop with Imageready, both Illustrator, and Flash can also help you create better web sites.
Freelancing as a Web Designer
In the movie Star Trek, space is considered to be the final frontier. Since ordinary civilians are not yet able to complete the voyage to seek new worlds, the best thing anyone can do is reach out to people in different states and countries by communicating in cyberspace.
The Internet has become valuable for a lot of people. Not only can someone send an email or do research, this can also be used to transact business. This is better known as electronic commerce and the only way to do this is by creating a website.
The website should feature the products or services that the entrepreneur is offering. Those who want to sell NBA apparel should offer the merchandise so that customers can check it out. Those who like it can place an order and the only thing to do is pack it and send this to the recipient.
Not everyone is a computer expert or has the slightest inkling of how to make a website. Fortunately, the entrepreneur can get help from a freelance web designer who can put everything up and make it happen.
Illustrating or graphic designing is one of the industries where freelancing is abundant. Because the job can be arranged in a per project basis, more and more potential clients prefer to hire freelance illustrators or graphic designers because they don’t have to pay the artists just like the regular employees.
If you are in the field of illustration or graphic designing and you would want to accept freelance jobs or projects, then you should start building, promoting and marketing yourself. According to most freelance illustrators and graphic designers who are into the field of freelancing, a freelance graphic designer should be possess a dedicated passion for a demanding job and clients as well.
If you are a full time web designer and you are planning to go freelance, here's a set of considerations you might want to contemplate on before indulging into an adventurous yet demanding job.
1. Determine and set your goals. Just like in any job, becoming a freelance web designer will require you to set and determine your goals before finally jumping over a new set up. Since becoming a freelance web designer will eat much of your time especially if you're just starting, you need to contemplate if you should drop your day time job and if you can handle meticulous and demanding clients at hand.
Part of determining and setting your goals is asking yourself what you are getting out of the career shift and what made you decide to do this.
2. Assess yourself. Going freelance means you need experience, discipline, knowledge, and expertise in the field you are in. If you think you have these traits, then you should also assess if you have the drive and ambition to turn your skill into a success.
Also, you have to ask yourself if you have the willingness and the patience to start a new career. It is important that you have the talent, drive, and motivation to generate more income from your potential clients.
3. Check your business acumen. Knowing different business routes and knowing how to run a business will definitely help you become a successful freelance web designer.
4. Gauge your capability to decide. Decision-making is a very important aspect in freelancing. If you are really planning to freelance, then you should have the heart and the mind to decide. Since you'll be making a lot of decisions eventually, you should start learning to decide wisely.
5. Check your overall attitude towards shifting to a new working environment. Before finally jumping into freelancing, you should ask yourself how to handle stress, possible rejection, and competition.
