01 logo

The Secret to Starting a Web Design Career in Seattle

Web Design Jobs

By Seattle Web DesignPublished 3 years ago 8 min read
1

Web Design is the process of creating websites. It involves the layout of the website as well as the content and graphic design. There are several pathways one can take as a web designer.

The more knowledge you have, the easier it is to find what your specialty is. Some prefer to hard code from scratch, other use what we call "What You See is What You Get" editors like Adobe Dreamweaver.

All websites are designed using a combination of HTML and CSS, and more often than not Javascript as well. Using these languages together creates a dynamic website that can attract customers to your product.

Getting Started

When beginning a new career, it can often be overwhelming figuring out where to start. The first thing you will want to do when deciding on a career in web design is to get an education. Yes, it is possible to find a job without a degree. However, it is best to do research for an Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Web Design, or a related field.

Aside from college, there are quick programs or boot camps you can do in less time to earn a certificate and have something to put on a resume. Some of these include Codecademy, Flat Iron School, and Coding Dojo.

In terms of coding languages, the three you will focus on in web design are HTML, CSS, and Javascript. To put it simply: HTML creates the text and outline of the website. Think of those classic black and white websites you see with Times New Roman font.

CSS is what you use to style the site and make it appealing to potential future customers. These two alone can make a basic, attractive website.

Javascript comes in to make the website interactive. Think of social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. You scroll through posts that include pictures and videos that you can like or comment on. This is Javascript in action.

Learning these three languages and understanding how to use them is your first step in becoming a successful web designer. Make sure you continue to practice on your own time as well to get more comfortable!

Outside of coding languages, it may be a wise idea to brush up on your math skills. If you begin a college degree, math will almost always be a part of the curriculum.

If you are not attending college, there are great resources like Khan Academy that offer free learning online. Coding does have some math components involved that you will come across. The more prepared you are, the better.

Pathways of a Web Designer

As a web designer, there are many pathways you can take to begin your career. One option is interface design. Interface design is the process of building interfaces in software or other devices, focusing on the overall look or style.

Another pathway is mobile app development. In this pathway, you work together with a team to design and develop an app to use on your phones. Given the technology trends over the last few years, this would likely be a great area of focus.

You could also get into the graphic design field. Graphic design is using graphics and other art skills to deliver a message. You can also use your web design experience to work in marketing and advertising.

As a web designer, you can learn all the languages necessary to be a basic front-end developer. As a front-end developer, you do everything that is on the "client's side" including what they see first. You learn the 3 languages mentioned previously as well as JQUERY.

Front-end developers can do much more than just web design. Once you have gained enough experience, you can move into more website developer jobs. These include building applications and programs to go along with your design.

Salary for Seattle Web Designers

In Seattle, here are the current statistics. As of January 2021, the average salary for a web designer is $72,015. This is 13% above the national salary! The typical range is $58,000-$78,000. If you are a full-stack developer it increases to close to $90k.

https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/web-designer-i-salary/seattle-wa

If you are a freelance web designer, your salary can vary greatly. The average salary for freelance is $55,810. It ranges anywhere between $23k and $111k, the difference being you create your schedule.

As with most careers, the more experience and knowledge, the better you are paid. This is an advantage of the coding field; you can continue learning languages and continue to grow as a programmer! As you progress in your career, you can open up so many possibilities by enhancing your coding and language skills.

SEO and Other Topics to Consider

Search engine optimization is the process of making your website show up in search engines like Google when a keyword is looked up. The better the website, including usage of the keyword, the higher it will be on search engine websites. This can be crucial for your business, as it is uncommon for people to go back to the third or fourth pages. Also, the higher up on the search engine it is, the more people are likely to trust it.

Something else to consider when starting a career in web design is becoming a full-stack developer. Yes, this takes time to learn the languages and get the experience. In the end, it will benefit you greatly in your line of work.

Being a full-stack developer will greatly increase your functionality as a web designer. You will be able to create custom business websites using front and back-end coding that will wow your clients. On top of that, you can also have a significantly higher salary being a full-stack developer.

Branding is another useful strategy when starting your web design journey. Incorporating different styles and designs into your branding can set you apart from your competition. The more professional your work comes off, the more likely it is to attract clients and future business.

Branding can include stylesheets, specific colors associated with your brand, logos, and more. Even those jingles you get stuck in your head are branding; Something to make the client remember you by.

The last topic to consider here is marketing and online marketing. Initially, you might not think web design has a lot to do with marketing for your business. However, web design is crucial for marketing your business.

Some studies say that 75% of visitors judge your business by your website design. Things to consider when using web design to advertise your business are aesthetics, user experience, and improving your web presence.

Having a website that is pleasing to the user's eyes and easy to navigate will increase business. Using high-resolution pictures and colors that blend help creates an ambiance making the visitor want to stick around and look at more.

As far as web presence, combine web design with social media marketing to get your business on several platforms. The more people see an ad on Instagram or Facebook, the more likely they are to know about your business.

Think of a commercial or a radio jingle that gets stuck in your head. You have never sought out the product personally, but somehow the advertisement is running through your head. This is a great example of design and marketing coming together.

Finding the Right Job for You

So now you have gotten confident enough to go out and get a job in the field. Where do you start? The first place to start would be to research what type of web design you want to do. Find what area of web design interests you the most. A specialty, if you will.

The next thing you will want to do is update your resume. Having a professional, clean resume helps leave a good impression. There are also websites like LinkedIn where you can upload your resume where businesses can see it and recruit you.

Other websites you can use to look for jobs are Indeed, Glassdoor, and Ziprecruiter. For most of these, you can upload your resume once and attach it to multiple jobs.

Local Companies to Work For

Now you have your resume, experience, and looked at jobs in the area. Next, you should research some local companies that have a good reputation and align with what you are looking for. There will be a lot of companies initially when you begin your search. Having a specific pathway you would like to explore as a web designer will help narrow this down.

This will be your career so you want to take the time to research. Seattle has a lot of companies that focus on web design, digital marketing, and related fields. Here are some top companies in the area and what their main focus is:

The first Seattle Web Design company is called Visualwebz. It is a web design firm that focuses on custom WordPress websites, SEO, and User Experience. Other focuses are content creation, online marketing, logo design, and digital advertising.

Another great company is Seattle SEO Now in downtown Seattle. It focuses on increasing sales for businesses and marketing through SEO, marketing, and custom websites.

The third company is Seattle Website Developer - Seattlewebsitedeveloper.com. They are an agency whose main focus is web design and development. They specialize in responsive web design for mobile and desktop. They also provide services like SEO and Pay-per-click.

Takeaway

You've spent countless days and hours getting your education and putting in the work. Now, you deserve to see the fruits of your labor! Finding your ideal job in your field is the last piece of the puzzle. It would be wise to apply to multiple jobs, even if they are not your top pick.

Sometimes you may have trouble finding the right job. One option would be to do some freelance web design jobs to get started in the business. Build yourself a website that promotes who you are and what you can do. Making your website as a resume is a great way to showcase your talents.

how to
1

About the Creator

Seattle Web Design

Seattle Web Design and Online Marketing agency provides a range of web related services to businesses and professionals.

Visit Visualwebz.com

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.