If you have a passion for computer coding and technology with a strong business acumen, becoming a website development freelancer is a great way to turn your hobby into a lucrative career. Web developers build successful online businesses by coding and building functional websites, such as e-commerce, blogs or leading product sites. If you're interested in transitioning to freelance website development, it's important to know the steps and skills for success. In this article, we discuss what a freelance web developer does, the steps to becoming one and the skills to succeed in the role.
Key takeaways:
Freelance web developers turn designs into functional websites for their clients, manage their businesses and use the latest technology and software to stay competitive.
The key steps to becoming a freelance web developer include defining your niche in development, creating a business plan, identifying your target customers and creating an attractive portfolio website.
Good development skills as a freelance web developer include an understanding of coding languages, SEO optimization, strong problem-solving skills and a strong work ethic.
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What is a freelance web developer?
Before deciding to become a freelance web developer, a good understanding of what exactly these software professionals do on a daily basis is important. Developers turn designs into reality, planning and building websites for clients using software and coding tools. Website developers, especially when running their businesses, have several important duties, including the following:
They build websites for private clients
Freelance website developers attract private clients in a variety of ways and help them develop effective e-commerce, portfolio or professional websites for clients using specialized tools and coding software. This requires a solid background in the fundamentals of web design, taking into account factors such as usability, content and visibility. Often, they simultaneously work for multiple clients on short-term contracts, including initial site development.
Related: Web developer vs software developer (skills and jobs)
They manage their businesses
Like freelancers, web developers in this position are often self-employed professionals. This means that as well as attracting customers through various marketing strategies, they manage and maintain all aspects of their customer relationships. They do this by working towards client satisfaction, providing detailed status reports and mitigating problems when they arise.
Related: 6 essential developer skills and how to develop them
They use the latest technology and software
Freelance developers use the latest in website technology and software to deliver great results to their clients and stay competitive in the market. This requires developers to have a keen eye for design and the ability to use image compression techniques. They are also experts in the most basic and relevant programming tools, including HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Related: How to become a front-end developer (with salary and FAQs)
How to become a freelancer in website development
If you are interested in becoming a freelancer in website development, it is important to know exactly how to do it so that you have the best chance of success. The following are the steps you can take to start your freelance website development career:
1. Decide on your web development niche
To sell yourself to customers, make sure you understand exactly what you want to sell by deciding on your niche. In general, you may decide to focus on one of the following broad areas of development:
Front-end development: Front-end developers focus more on designing how a website looks to end users, taking into account user interface efficiency and search engine optimization (SEO) best practice.
Back-end development: Back-end developers specialize in developing the basic functions of a website. This includes server-centric systems, application programming interfaces and databases.
Full-stack development: As the name suggests, full-stack development includes both pre- and post-development of a complete website, including server-centric functionality and end-user interface.
Related: 10 most in-demand coding languages and their uses
2. Get job information
As a freelancer, it is important to attract clients by gaining enough experience to become an expert. One of the best ways to start this process is to volunteer your skills to develop websites for local businesses or friends. The following are some of the direct ways to get information:
- updates existing websites
- creating landing pages for e-commerce websites
- building a website with a content management system
- doing different projects that require different skills
- Related: How to Write an Effective Web Developer CV (Example)
3. Create a business plan
As a freelancer, you need a realistic, achievable business plan as a guide to help you reach your ultimate goals and integrate the key aspects of your business. Creating an effective plan involves developing and determining your overall business mission, vision and short and long term goals. Things to consider in this process include creating a realistic budget, estimating all possible costs and determining the projects you are willing to undertake, the amount you want to charge and your total income,
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