Improving your web design skills could be the way forward if you want to take your blog to the next level and possibly turn blog management into a full-time job. Not only will it help you save money in the long-term because you won’t need to hire a designer every time you need a graphic addition, but it will keep your blog looking fresh for your visitors. Another great reason to improve your web design skills is that you’ll also gain experience in creating many other web graphics such as logos, advertisements, social media icons and much more – and these are the smaller details that will help set your blog apart from the rest. If you’re looking to improve as a designer but you’re still unsure of the best way of going about it, have a look at some of the best ways you can drastically improve your web design skills below to help better your blog and improve conversions.
1. Take an Online Course
There are many online resources that could help you improve your web design skills as a whole. However, one of the best ways of advancing your design skillset is to get help from online professionals. Websites like findcourses.co.uk are designed to do just that – help your skillset grow for a fraction of the cost and to provide learners with a chance to improve their skills as and when they’d like. Of course, not all web design courses online are beneficial depending on your overall skillset, but the web design courses from the likes of findcourses.co.uk stretch from beginners all the way to advanced, so you’ll always find something you can improve on.
2. Online Tutorials
If you’re an out and out web design newbie, a good way to advance your skills is to take advantage of the thousands of tutorials online. Such tutorials will give you a hand when it comes to the basics such as what tools to use and how to navigate them. The tutorials will also help you create minor graphics which could help you improve when it comes to creating your first web design. One thing many inexperienced designers get confused with is what software they should be using and what settings are best for the layout they are creating. Luckily, there are also many articles online that will point you in the right direction.
3. Learn to Code
Another great way to improve your web layouts is to actually learn how to code, just so you can see your designs from a programmers point of view. All designs are possible to code into magnificent websites, but there are ways you can make designs much more efficient, and you’ll learn that once you start coding. Becoming more efficient in web design will give you more time to design the areas that really matter. You’ll be spending a lot of time using tools and navigating software you don’t necessarily need to, so learning how websites work from the development side is a good way to counteract this issue and improve your design skills as a whole.
4. Get Involved with the Latest Trends
Just because you’re learning to design, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t piggy back off other ideas and make them into your own. Web design is all about being creative after all, but if you like the look of a particular trend and think you can enhance it, there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t. Even some of the best web designers out there gain inspiration from other designers and trends; it makes them better and gives those more to work with when it comes to their own designs. The problem most web designers have is that they get stuck in a rut and keep coming up with the same types of designs, leaving them unexposed and inexperienced when it comes to other types of layouts and styles.
5. Gain Inspiration Online
The best way of improving your web design skills is to have a look at other professional designs to see where you can improve. There are many online inspirational sites that’ll give you the chance to connect with other designers to see what’s new. Another problem a lot of designers have is that they sometimes lose inspiration and become unmotivated to design any more – gaining inspiration online will help you stay motivated throughout your web design career. It could be something very simple that you gain inspiration from that could be the difference in taking your blog design to the next level.
6. Always Request Feedback from Friends & Family
Some of us don’t like negative feedback, but negative feedback is much more beneficial than positive. You’ll know what areas you need to improve in to make those great web designs that set average designers apart from the professionals. It’s also a great idea to work with other designers so you can exchange feedback on your work and theirs. It will help you improve in seeing what’s not quite right with their own designs to improve your own. Sometimes, diving in at the deep end and teaching other designers skills can actually help improve your own significantly.
7. Never Overlook Theory
While practical learning is the way forward if you’re still learning software and the tools that come with them, you should never overlook reading a good book written by the professionals. It will give you a good idea about how colour theory and typography works – and these are absolutely crucial ingredients to creating the most beautiful artwork as far as web design is concerned. So, while it’s great to get your head into a computer screen and start designing your first website, it’s also important you have a bit of time to get your head into some good reading material. This will also provide you with plenty of time to relax, get your head together, learn some new tips and tricks, and possibly get that much needed inspiration to help your blog flourish.
8. Always Stay Positive
No matter how badly your critics try to knock you off your perch, it’s crucial you get your head down and keep doing what you love. The worst types of criticism will help your designs flourish in the future, so it’s definitely something you shouldn’t ignore and take to heart. Many designers will probably be jealous of what you’ve already achieved in the short space of time you’ve been designing, so don’t always take it personally, otherwise, you’ll quickly lose that all-important motivation.
9. Develop Good Habits
A good designer will never cut corners when it comes to design; if they need to spend three hours doing something for such small results, they’ll do it. Don’t be the bigger handful of designers that choose not to go on because they can’t be bothered to get the results they wanted in the first place.
There are many ways you can improve your web design, but the ways above will drastically help you build websites efficiently so you can make the necessary changes and keep improving them. The best way of becoming a great designer is to work with the professionals who have been in the same situation as you. However, it’s also crucial you never overlook theory and you spend time and money on a professional course, just so you’re confident of producing web layouts on your own in the future.