As a web designer, you're no doubt familiar with the slightly helpless feeling you get when you stumble across advertisements such as "Create your own website - quickly and free of charge!". Perhaps you've also asked yourself questions like "Is my profession dying out?" or "Will I even be needed in the future?". I have dedicated myself to this topic and would like to share my findings with you today.

Review: Development of the web design

A short journey back to the beginnings of web design helps us to venture a forecast for the future. The profession of "web designer" has by no means followed a linear trajectory. Since the creation of the World Wide Web around 1991, the technological, graphical and psychological demands on the web and its users have constantly changed - and with them the demands on the profession of "web designer".

The beginnings of HTML and CSS

In the early days of the web and web design, for example, no graphic elements were added to websites. All websites were programmed in HTML, so that "web designers" and "developers" were seen as one profession. It is only since 1996 that style sheets have been integrated using CSS, making it possible to customize websites.

What started out as a tool for presenting written information has now become an important platform for digital self-marketing for many companies. Today, it is hard to imagine our professional and private lives without websites.

The demand increases with the mass

Just a few years ago, companies, agencies and the self-employed were able to stand out by having a website at all. In the meantime, websites have become the standard program for anyone who wants to offer their services or share their knowledge and experience. With this change, the role of the web designer has become increasingly important and has also been subdivided into new sectors.

What one person used to be able to do - such as uploading limited formatted texts to a web server - is now often done by an entire team. New areas have been added: including UX design, front-end and back-end development, graphic design in the digital sector and, of course, web design. Please note that the responsibilities of the individual professions depend heavily on the respective company structure.

Javascript, PHP and Co.

Due to the constant growth of the web and technological progress, it has become essential to make this technology accessible to everyone. Nowadays, almost everyone has the opportunity to make themselves visible on the web. The wealth of information has grown so enormously that we are increasingly using search engines to navigate through the internet.

In addition, other programming languages have joined the original combination of HTML and CSS: Other programming languages such as Javascript, PHP, Python & Co. should help us to give free rein to our creativity.

A few examples of what is possible in web design today:

• Embedding animations in web browsers
• Create videos, photos, changing graphics and parallax
• Making selected areas accessible for specific target groups
• Integrate third-party content (such as advertising)
• Creating complex experiences like browser games

What exactly do you do as a web designer?

What are the daily tasks in web design? Why should we care about this profession? As a web designer, you design websites and other multimedia applications. This includes the graphic design of websites and often their technical implementation. So far, so good. So where are the dangers?

The profession of "web designer" is not legally protected. In plain language, therefore, anyone can claim to be a web designer. The market is correspondingly overcrowded. It doesn't matter whether you have taught yourself your skills or taken a degree course. There is no traditional training to gain a foothold in the job of "web designer".

Calling yourself a web designer is no guarantee that the results will be of high quality. I know from experience that you have to present yourself convincingly and authentically enough to your future clients and convince them of your expertise. This is different from protected professions, where such a requirement is often given.

Furthermore, there are some hobby web designers who offer their skills for little money and thus push down the price or at least give your target group an unrealistic price idea. This can lead to misunderstandings, frustration and lost time on both sides.

Offers like these make life more difficult for the self-employed: in my opinion, it is impossible to compete on price against someone who does not have to cover their own social security contributions and is not dependent on making a profit.

There are many career changers in web design. Until a few years ago, there were few training courses and degree programs on the subject. Freelancers in particular often work from home. This has made the profession of web designer very popular, especially in recent years.

What do templates do?

Laboriously writing every line of HTML for every new website is time-consuming. As a programmer, I would keep my code snippets and reuse them - for example as my own library. The written form of the drag & drop tool, which I can use to create my own websites even as a novice.

We now differentiate between drag & drop tools such as WordPress Page Builder and WordPress Templates or WordPress Themes. Another difference here is the name Content Management System (CMS), with WordPress leading the way with its market share. It is followed by Joomla, Drupal, Magento (e-commerce), PrestaShop (e-commerce) and other, less common CMSs such as TYPO3.

As a user, I often need at least a basic understanding of programming if I want to create my website with the help of a free CMS like WordPress. Without this knowledge, basic functions are available to me. However, the freedom of design is not readily available to me. Now I can either make do with the limited version and get to grips with the programming. Or I can buy themes that I just have to fill with suitable content.

Drag & drop tools

Drag & drop tools like WordPress Page Builder, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly on the other hand, give me design freedom with little specialist knowledge - at least at first glance. Because if I want to implement very specific designs or integrate more specialized functions (such as an online store), I quickly reach my limits here. Of course, this only applies to the free versions. My website is also only displayed ad-free and without clear branding with paid accounts, which function like a subscription.

These requirements have in turn led to the development of new specifications. Now there are specialized WordPress developers who only deal with WordPress and PHP. And at the same time, there are self-proclaimed designers who offer low-quality websites for too much money.

What does this mean for web designers?

At first glance, it looks as if our profession will die out in the next few years. You could get the feeling that our expertise in web design will soon no longer be needed.

If anyone can put together a website and buy themes for little money - how can I as a web designer justify the fact that a website can cost me several thousand euros, depending on its scope? Do I have to adjust my prices to remain competitive?

What can we do that these tools can't?

We create websites that are fully aligned with the corporate brand. Our websites focus on those who use them and on their experience. We put ourselves in their shoes, we track their potential mistakes and prevent frustration before it arises. We keep the website up to date, manage its security and engage personally with our customers.

While a template is tailored to a wider audience, I focus on my target group. I try to create something that is tailored to them. The websites we create for our clients are unique and free of third-party branding in the footer. With my websites, my customers know exactly what is being tracked and stored. So they can create their cookie notice with a clear conscience. Our customers get what they need. Sometimes this includes the creation of a complete corporate identity, sometimes a landing page and sometimes even just some advice.

Domains, backend, responsive design

As a web designer, you are familiar with domain hosting, know how to access the backend and can find and fix errors. Very few programs offer sufficiently sophisticated use on mobile devices - which is of course insufficient in the long term with over 60 percent access from smaller screens.

What else do we pay attention to? SEO-optimized content, fast loading times, web-optimized images and videos, font pairings and font sizes, legal requirements. Why does a website's user flow appear harmonious? How much text is too much? How do we arrange information so that it is easily digestible for the reader and resonates with them?

These are all topics that we deal with on a daily basis. Topics that are initially foreign to newcomers and are not easily covered by page builders and themes.

How do I deal with it personally?

Do I adjust my prices? No. My time and knowledge have not lost their value. Nevertheless, I understand that there are customers who cannot (or do not want to) afford a website I have created. I think that's perfectly fine.

As a new company in particular, these costs are often not factored in. I even recommend that these customers use such modular tools. Those who shy away from costs are perhaps better advised to sit down for an afternoon, watch tutorials and create the website themselves. I offer my advice and explain the pros and cons. That a website created by me initially represents a lot of costs, but a subscription-style payment method can also result in higher costs in the long run. If I notice that the technical affinity is lacking, I even offer to give short introductions to these tools.

We simply have to be aware that not everyone needs a professionally created website. So we can use the ready-made tools to our advantage.

Websites are marketing tools and depending on the services I offer with my company, off-the-shelf websites are enough.

And it's not uncommon for these clients to come back to me later when they have the financial means to create a professionally customized website.

Drag and drop tools, page builder & co.

Another big topic is Do It Yourself (DIY) websites and WordPress page builders. With the programs and web applications now available, it is becoming easier and easier to create a website without programming or specialist knowledge.

At a time when almost everyone has access to the Internet, a simple company website is no longer enough to beat the competition. The internet has made a huge leap towards the user. The focus is more on reaching and engaging visitors to your website than simply displaying the most necessary information on the company website. To achieve this, it takes more than a flair for aesthetics and time to learn drag & drop tools or page builders like Elementor.

How can you stand up to it?

As with any product, the same applies to us: you can't offer the perfect product for everyone. Instead, you should be clear about what makes your service special, what sets you apart from the competition and, above all, who your target group is or is not. 

Your prices should be fair and transparent. Then you can argue them. Newcomers in particular often sell themselves short. I would strongly advise against this.

Clearly visible prices help you to weed out customers from the outset who do not belong to your target group.

Having your own professionally designed website that provides a convincing insight into your services is essential. If you realize that your own website has long been less of a priority than that of your customers, then it makes sense to hire someone for the web design who can communicate your brand for you in the best possible way.

A high-quality portfolio explains higher prices. Your potential customer will already have an idea of the type of collaboration they can expect from you.

Especially as a freelancer, you must, as mentioned above, always stay up to date. This includes continuing your education. If the majority of your clients not only need a website, but also an SEO strategy, you should consider whether it's worth expanding your expertise.

In the future, it will no longer be enough to be good in just one area. Instead, as a web designer, you should seek additional expertise. Exciting areas include SEO, WordPress development, marketing, programming, security, content, user experience and testing.

A look into the future of web designers

In an age in which almost all information is publicly accessible, this does not automatically mean that we have the time and patience to deal with it. Despite programs such as WISO or the online tool Elster, the profession of tax advisor has not died out. Quite the opposite: we still need their expert advice despite everything.

Perhaps our profession will also develop a little more away from the practical to the advisory function. That our future customers will develop more independently with the help of our expert guidance.

Anyone who works with technology cannot afford to stand still. Just as the web design profession has constantly changed since its inception, it will have to adapt again in the future. We must constantly consider what added value we can offer compared to automated programs and continue to develop this further.

"Change" also means exciting opportunities for further development

We can specialize in different areas and focus more on the user and their experience, for example. Digital experiences are becoming increasingly individualized. Who knows, maybe in the future we will be shown websites that look different on every device and for every user? Perhaps our digital business cards will soon be holograms? VR and AR functions, which will certainly be integrated into websites in the future, can be actively shaped by us as designers. The basic idea of a website is still to display information. There are no limits to our creativity when it comes to how we communicate this information in the future - and we have an advantage over automated programs.

IT professions are also still in demand and offer a promising future as well as attractive remuneration. Not only in Germany, but worldwide. It is not for nothing that we advertise "Actively shaping our future".

Covid19 and the resulting change in needs

I published this article for the first time in 2020 - and a lot has happened since then. Let's go back to October 2019: while the digital industry in Germany is thinking about whether and how our professions could change in the coming years, we are facing one of the biggest digital challenges of recent years: Covid19. What does this mean for the web design profession? How have we grown since then? What growth is still ahead of us?

The trend towards remote work had been around for some time and was intensified by Covid. Working from home was a rarity. And suddenly became the main working model. This has put many companies to the test. But there were also aha moments: a completely remote team can also work wonderfully.

Many employees who enjoyed more free time and more family time due to the lack of commuting no longer want to miss out on the benefits. As a result, remote jobs such as web design are becoming increasingly popular.

With the change in working and living situations came completely new demands on our websites and apps. People who spend a lot of time in isolation and at home are looking for a more personal experience when using our digital products.

Companies that were previously able to sell their products in person had to act quickly and switch to digital. Catering businesses had to change their concepts and try to reach their customers digitally. Food delivery was used much more frequently. Solutions had to be found for data transfer, meetings and communication in general. To name a few construction sites.

All these rapid changes require fast, cleanly implemented and well thought-out solutions. Not only that: in the digital industry in particular, we are constantly changing, because we have to recognize changing needs and respond to them as quickly as possible. This often means that as a web designer you have to constantly educate yourself and reinvent yourself. At the same time, it means that websites and web applications have an ever shorter life cycle. This means that customers often develop into longer-lasting partnerships.

What forecasts can we make for the future?

Digitalization has led to the creation of creative professions in particular, some of which are not yet part of any traditional training in Germany and will be further developed in the future. The creative professions with a future include above all: online marketing manager, social media manager, graphic designer, content writer or copywriter, communication designer, user experience designer, web designer.

As a web designer, you still belong to a younger profession. Even if there seems to be a surplus of skilled workers, we need more and more expertise in the field of digitalization. We can assume that these professions will continue to subdivide. This means that some job titles will disappear and be replaced by more specific ones.

As a web designer, for example, you could focus on creating online stores or focus your expertise on web applications. AR and VR will continue to play a role and achieve their long-awaited breakthrough in web design.

In addition, our websites require more and more care and maintenance. Building the website is not the end of the story these days. Content needs to be adapted to new trends and technologies. Plugins and themes need to be updated and monitored for compatibility. Security vulnerabilities must be identified and rectified.

In future, our websites must be just as agile and adaptable as we are. Websites need to be relaunched at regular intervals. Be it because the technology changes or the design is no longer up to date - a job with a future.

Stay up to date

The selection of information on the topic of web design is extremely large and almost unmanageable. The websites on which you should inform yourself depend on your particular focus. I specialize in UX design and frontend. I regularly visit the following blogs and websites:

• Smashing Magazine has useful practical articles on web design and development.
• CSS-Tricks provides you with daily articles about CSS, HTML, JavaScript and everything that has to do with web design and development.
• German UPA shares a lot of information as well as workshops and discussion rounds on the topic of UX. Once a year, the association organizes a job fair.
• Awwwards offers a wide selection of award-winning websites that inspire and follow current trends.

I regularly search Instagram & Co. for pages and people that provide relevant context for me. This keeps me up to date with new tools that can make my life as a web designer easier.

A wide variety of training courses are now offered online - whether for self-learning or accompanied by a specialist. These include Udemy, Webmasters Europe, Interaction Design Foundation and many more.

You can also find more and more (location-independent) Bachelor's and Master's degree courses with a focus on media and design. Before you spend a lot of money on a course or degree program, I recommend reading experience reports and (if possible) taking a trial course.