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webworker123
Joined: Jun 09, 2007
# Posts: 2
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Posted: 2007-Jun-10 06:19
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I know HTML and a few web design programs, as well as I have other areas of knowledge from my own years of doing web sites for myself and family. I am thinking about getting into the web design business as a career. I am thinking though this might not be too smart. Doesn't everyone know how design web sites now days? I know my own skills and they are good, but isn't this also a cutthroat field for free lancing work? Are there really enough jobs to go around to support another web designer and his family?
Should I take some computer classes at a local college? If so like what? Do I need a degree?
How do I find out what type of income can be made doing this work free lance? Thinking I can find jobs through monster and other job sites.
Any thoughts on this to help me understand better are welcome.
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SportsGuy
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Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3600
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Posted: 2007-Jun-10 15:56
Take a stroll through www.elance.com - join for the lowest level account (still free, I think) and see what's posted there.
These days, though, I suspect just about everyone can design, or many "templated" systems exists to manage site design to a large degree.
So, why not test the waters? Take on a couple clients as a sideline. If they're happy with the work, as for testimonials and grow your portfolio. Just make sure your skills stay current and you can deliver on larger contracts.
You may well find yourself designing a large site for a large company and that'll pay well.
Keep your eyes open for agencies looking for designers, too. They will most likely want an extensive portfolio, or some dedicated college training, though.
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mj1256
Joined: Jun 05, 2006
# Posts: 918
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Posted: 2007-Jun-10 17:53
something else to consider
The way to separate yourself from the "everyone" that can design a website is through marketing and business skills.
Many designers do not have these skills and as such may create great looking websites, but without marketing and business skills, the sites fail.
Do you know about product merchandising, shopping carts, credit card processing, order handling and fullfillment, email processes, copyrights, writing, graphics, advertising, traffic building, SEO, SEM, etc
A web designer that has a working knowledge of the above and more is worth their weight in gold.
Now then, you do not need a degree, but you do need to know more than how to make a webpage. The more knowledge and in as many different fields as possible will make you a successful designer.
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Curt
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 3736
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Posted: 2007-Jun-12 14:40
One thing to remember: you will have an incredibly hard time competing for top spots in the SERPs for Webmastering no matter how much you know. Also, you now got to compete against countries using cut-throat pricing like Webmasters from India. When you must make $50/hr to run your business and Indians can do the same job for $14/hr, it tends to get hard to compete. Then you have all the people who charge low prices even in your own country who are usually newbies themselves. People think site design should be cheap. You will need to overcome that objection with potential clients.
In short: IT'S HARD.
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mj1256
Joined: Jun 05, 2006
# Posts: 918
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Posted: 2007-Jun-12 18:35
I was just discussing this this morning with a recent college grad. There is no money in building 5 page infomation sites for local businesses. How many jobs can you get a month? What is the potential client base of your area? when I was teaching school, i used to give out a book by Jim Smith, How to Start a Home Based Web Design Business. You can find it on Amazon.
It covers all of the what if, how to set up a business, contracts, get customers, etc. At least if you read the book you will know what to expect.
So, none of us can make the decision for you, but I do recommend that you do your home work, research the field, get all of the appropriate skill sets, and set reasonable expectations.
good luck
[ Message was edited by: SportsGuy 06/13/2007 04:43 am ]
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webworker123
Joined: Jun 09, 2007
# Posts: 2
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Posted: 2007-Jun-15 06:35
some great advice and ideas !
A part of me feels I am embarking into a empty waste field, and yet I also have the thought of "if others can do it, why can't I?" Of course with the correct skills.
Last question. I have been thinking that maybe I should consider opening a few web sites of my own on a business level and use them to test as well as show my skills, while I am learning and profecting more web design skills.
I have designed many sites but none for the intent of profit from the site itself.
How do I determine a good subject field to create a money making web site? I guess I need a product to sell?
Or are money making web sites a fable ?
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SportsGuy
Staff
Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3600
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Posted: 2007-Jun-15 13:45
Last question. I have been thinking that maybe I should consider opening a few web sites of my own on a business level and use them to test as well as show my skills,
That exactly what i did, and this fall I have a book being published on how to do exactly what I did. 
Just make sure if you go down this road you consider the following VERY carefully:
1 - do you LOVE what you're doing?
2 - do you have the time to invest in this?
3 - do you have the patience to wait for the return?
Loving what you're doing is particularly important if you're running your own websites. You will be in there pretty much daily updating, tweaking, adding content, etc. That's not the hard part.
The hard part is finding the time to manage it on a daily basis. if you want to generate revenue form soemthing, you need to invest significant amounts of time - hours each day in some cases.
Which leads to the patience. It takes a while for a new site to start to perform. Until it does, it'll feel like a black-hole-of-death-sucking-your-time-away-minute-by-minute...think you can handle that?
In truth, that feeling will disappear quickly when you start to see a site gaining traction online, after that it just becomes a process.
But, the point remains - never underestimate the amount of time it'll take you to really get started.
As for what to work with for an idea, I'll offer this advice:
Write what ya know.
If you already have a hobby, passion or interest, start with soemthing related to that. You'll enjoy it more and be more apt to invest time into the project. One of your first questions needs to be this:
What's my revenue model? Am I selling soemthing, or showing ads for revenue?
Either model will require traffic, so how are you goign to manage that? organic search rankings or paid advertising. Chances are paid is out as it can be very expensive for a new venture.
That leaves organic rankings to drive traffic.
So, better bone up on your search optimization skills, because the tweaks used to rank well over time (think years, not weeks) should be baked into the product as it goes live, not added after the fact if at all possible.
So, let's assume you're goign to sell ad space as the revenue model and use organic listings to drive traffic, what can you expect?
1 - build a small site with at least 100 pages (more if possible) - it's an arbitrary number, but the point is this: A site with just a few pages doesn't stand a chance for most phrases
2 - figure out where you want your ads BEFORE you design the site - grab a pen and paper and get to drawing my friend - it works well. 
3 - the mechanics - buy a domain, arrange hosting, cover all the SEO bases, build the content, build the template, go live.
4 - start the guerrilla marketing efforts - directory submissions, join related communities and become a valued, contributing member - not a quick-link-drop artist.
...and, you might want to read this article by Jennifer Laycock. She's got a great project underway to develop traffic for a new website WITHOUT using Google, Yahoo or MSN/Live - it's a great way to grow a new site, IMO.
HTH
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