The reason why you are seeing this page is simply because someone created it, put it online for you to be able to view. This, my friend, is what we call web design. In this article, I’ll teach you how to make money online by designing websites for people, businesses, organizations, government agencies, and for brands.
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Is Web Design Still Relevant Today?
Web design is a branch of graphic design, and is mainly about creating websites using a variety of technologies and platforms. As the world moves on to Web 3.0, it becomes imperative for more and more businesses to migrate to the internet.
There is a huge market for a profitable web design business in Nigeria. This is because the internet is becoming increasingly relevant as almost anything can be done online – from shopping, gaming, research, and entertainment.
So, how can you develop a high value skill like web design? How can you build a career by designing websites? We’ll cover everything you need to know, and what you need to start. Let’s go.
Where to Learn Web Design in Nigeria
In order to build a profitable career in website design and hosting, first of all, you need to be trained. There are several routes to this, but I’ll list out the common ways below.
One-on-one with a qualified instructor
You can hire an instructor to coach you now how to build websites. This is perhaps the best way to do it, but it may cost you more. It may take about 1-3 months, depending on how often you attend classes. The downside is you may not get a certificate of completion, unless it’s a recognized educational institution like NIIT or Aptech Nigeria website.
I’ll encourage you to take this approach if you are slow to understand concepts. That way, your instructor will patiently teach you until you understand.
Taking an online course
If you don’t find it hard to understand concepts, you can take an online course. You need internet access, a laptop or desktop PC, and internet data. There are a couple of places that you can enroll for an online course such as Udemy, Coursera, Alison, Thinkific, and others.
The advantage of taking an online course is that it’s way cheaper, it’s convenient, and you also get a certificate of completion at the end.
Taking free lessons on YouTube
You can choose this route if you don’t have money to afford a personal trainer, or enroll in schools like NIIT. However, you still need loads of internet data to be able to take the lessons. The only disadvantage here is the lack of structure and curriculum, and also no issuance of a certificate of completion.
Different routes to Learning Website Design
Web design is divided into front-end and back-end development:
Front-End Development
This is the beginner level. You learn how to create web pages with simple tools such as Adobe Dreamweaver, or CMS platforms like WordPress, Magento or Webflow. This aspect doesn’t require deep knowledge of web applications, only page design.
Back-End Development
This is an advanced level where you learn everything in the front-end aspect, then you also get to learn how to create applications using programming languages like PHP, MySQL, Python, .NET, C#, Java, and others.
Most of the interactive and dynamic websites online are simply web applications running on your browser, and can do anything from calculations, fetching and displaying data from a database, and even playing games.
The usual career route for beginners is to learn front-end development first, before attempting back-end development. Web developers, especially back-end developers, are in high demand the world over. If you perfect your skills in this game, you can even build a web application and sell it for passive income.
How to Sell Your Web Design Services in Nigeria
It is not enough to become a web design guru; you also need to learn how to market your services. Otherwise, your knowledge is just a waste if nobody is buying your services. So, how do you penetrate the market with your offer?
Develop a personal business brand
You will need to create a logo for your business, then have business cards and letterheads. With these, you can always make a professional impression with potential clients. If you can afford it, rent an office with simple office furniture. This helps to project a trustworthy reputation with clients.
Build a portfolio
First of all, you need to build a portfolio. You don’t need much, just one or two websites to start with. If you haven’t done any jobs yet, you can still apply for jobs or bid for jobs. As soon as you have done one or two jobs, you have a portfolio.
Build a website for your business
You can’t be selling a service like web design and not have a website. So, you need one. Build a website, showcase your work and make it easier for potential clients to contact you.
Pitch to businesses
You can pitch to companies and organizations without a functional website. They will likely commission you to design a website for them if you play your cards right. This is one of the best ways to get web design jobs.
Improve existing websites
You can visit websites of companies and offer to improve on what they have. If you play this the right way, you’ll likely get commissioned to revamp or even completely redesign their website.
If you do things right and remain consistent, you will be able to build a stream of consistent income from your clients who need to renew their annual website hosting/domain name renewal.
How to Buy Cheap Reseller Hosting Services
Let’s talk about hosting. This is the process of putting your work online for the whole world to see. Web hosting is being offered by scores of companies online. Some of the popular big web hosting companies include
- Hostinger
- HostGator
- HostPapa
- Siteground
- Namecheap
- Bluehost
- A2 Hosting
- InMotion Hosting
- Hostwinds
- InterServer
- Ionos
- MochaHost
- GreenGeeks
You have a variety of hosting companies to choose from, but you should ensure that every hosting package comes with cPanel and free SSL.
As a web designer, you should buy a reseller hosting package – it is more economical given the nature of your business. Almost all the providers mentioned above offer reseller hosting, and you can easily snag a deal. However, I would recommend a reseller hosting package once you start getting more clients, not at the beginning.
Concluding Thoughts on Web Design in Nigeria
Web design can be a great way to earn money online in Nigeria, especially if you combine hosting to it. What do you think? Do you have any questions on this subject? Let us know in the comment section.
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