Whether you’re just starting in web design, work for an agency but have ambitions to go solo, or wish to expand your existing business, knowing where to start is the biggest hurdle. Thankfully plenty of accessible and cost-effective (yay) ways to grow your web design business are available — no matter what stage you are at in your journey. Join us as we share five powerful ways to expand your web design business.
Set an Example With Your Website
Where bricks-and-mortar shops have window displays to showcase their wares in the best possible light, digital businesses have a website. Think of your site as a digital storefront and a means to showcase your aptitude for web design to potential clients.
Remember, your site needs to be user-friendly, and visitors need to find what they’re looking for with ease. Just as you would make a client’s website easy to navigate with a visually pleasing color scheme, and legible fonts do the same for yours. These steps will help your client find and digest important information quickly.
Engage your audience with eye-catching imagery that you’ve taken yourself, found from a stock photo site, or by utilizing online graphic design bundles. And build authority in your field with some high-quality and easy to understand onsite copy.
In short, don’t scrimp on web design best practices when it comes to your online space. Set aside time for a slight revamp or complete overhaul if needed, and check out your industry’s latest trends. Use your judgment to decide if the recommendations are in good taste, and include them within your site where appropriate.
Produce Helpful Blog Content
Getting your SEO house in order and spreading the word via social media will bring new eyes to your site. Yay! Producing helpful blog content will turn those fresh eyes into regular readers and convert them into customers. Double yay!
Think deeply about your target audience when creating your blog strategy. Are you a niche web-developer? Then consider what people in your target audience would find especially helpful. If your niche is people in creative industries, pick topics that add value to them, like sharing inspiring examples of other creatives or design software tutorials.
Add Value
Also, include posts about web design to educate your readers. Share relevant statistics to show digital beginners why they need a professional website. Here’s a useful one, as of Fall 2020, about 59 percent of the world were surfing the net, a trend set to increase. With so many folks online, can a business afford not to have a website these days?
If you’re not a fan of writing and your budget allows, hire a freelance writer specializing in blog content to help. For those who are short on time, consider quality over quantity. It’s far better to post a high-quality blog every two weeks than a low-quality one every two days.
Here’s a final top tip for your blog and website copy, get Grammarly! The free plan is well worth having, especially for instances where you need to write in different English variants like British, American, or Australian for global clients.
Gather Testimonials
It shouldn’t be too awkward for web designers with experience under their belt to gather testimonials from previous or existing clients. You can be a little more selective and approach people you know who are enthusiastic about your services and helpful enough to write a positive testimonial.
For newer web designers at the start of their journey, this may involve doing some projects at reduced prices to build your portfolio or free in exchange for a testimonial. Although politely make the terms clear so that the recipient understands future work will require payment. Getting stuck in a cycle of providing free work isn’t desirable.
Try to get a range of testimonials from clients with different requirements, varying business models, and spanning diverse industries. Unless you have a niche, then seek a variety from your preferred audience.
Use Testimonials Effectively
Share links to your Facebook or Google My Business pages and ask clients to leave testimonials directly. Or if you would prefer a little more control over what goes ‘live,’ ask for hard copies in a Google or Word doc, and then collate on your website. If people feel comfortable, ask for a photo to share along with the testimonial — it helps to put a face to a name.
You can also include testimonials in your blog content by creating case studies. In this instance, be very clear on what the project requirements were, explain how you achieved them, and as the final cherry on top, use your glowing client testimonial! As a bonus, design graphics, including positive client quotes alongside photos to share on social media and within your web content.
Join Relevant Facebook Groups
Facebook is a goldmine when it comes to securing virtual work. You can join so many groups to network with other remote workers and prospective clients seeking a web designer. To find them enter ‘virtual work’ or ‘business networking’ into your Facebook search bar and explore. You can even narrow the search down to your local area.
In general, such groups tend to be better for beginner to mid-level web designers because of the client budgets on offer. However, it’s still an avenue worth exploring for experienced designers when business is slow. Other virtual outfits might have clients that need work outside of their expertise, so it’s an excellent way to gain referrals. Remember to pay it forward and refer back when you can.
Hire a Virtual Assistant
If you have the budget and you’re serious about growing your business, hire an extra pair of hands to help sift through the everyday tasks you don’t have time to complete. Virtual assistants are available for necessary administration, and some even specialize in social media outreach and marketing to help you increase your client base. A virtual assistant can free up your time so that you can focus your energy on the thing you love most, web design. Consider drafting in a friend, or post your job requirements via virtual assistant Facebook groups.
