Learning web design in 2021 is simpler and faster than ever.
That doesn’t mean it won’t take a lot of work. It just means that it’s a lot simpler than it used to be.
Every other web design blog will tell you to do things like learn coding, programming, web development and server management. That you need to take a web design course in order to learn web design properly.
Or they’ll tell you it’s too late to become a web designer and instead we should prepare to bow to our AI-powered robot overlords.
I’m not going to tell you any of that nonsense. (although the jury is still out on those robot overlords…)
Instead, I’m going to share a simple 5-step process with you. This process will get you prepped to become a web designer or even start your own web design business in no time at all.
That is, if you actually follow the process to a T.
1) Pick a web design tool
The truth is that the barrier to entry for web designers has never been easier. The web design process has been dramatically streamlined with the rise of drag-and-drop website builders.
At this point there are literally dozens of website builders available to you. For the purpose of simplicity, we’re going to limit our options to the 8 most commonly used website builders.
Keep in mind that nearly all of these website builders have a free trial version. So try them all out and figure out which one makes the most sense for you.
There are no wrong choices here. It just comes down to personal preference.
I’ve ranked these in no particular order, but I will share my personal opinion of each one as we chug along here. Let’s dig in!
Weebly
I have a soft spot in my heart for Weebly. They’re a big reason why I now have a successful web design business today.
I was right where you are now when I first started out on my web design journey. I knew nothing about web development, coding, programming, servers and all that stuff.
I didn’t even know anything about the fundamentals of web design. Things like user experience, performance optimization, graphic design and clear calls to action were foreign to me.
But I knew small business owners were desperate to get a website fast and affordably.
Weebly gave me the tools I needed to learn the basics of web design without worrying about all of the technical stuff. I used Weebly to start from zero, working my way up to dozens of clients built and hosted on their platform.
Eventually, as my knowledge, experience and skills improved, I outgrew Weebly and transitioned to WordPress + Elementor.
But if you’re a complete newb like I was, Weebly is a great place to start your web design journey. Their user interface is by far the simplest and easiest to use.
Wix
Wix is easily in the top 3 most popular website builders. They went on a commercial tear a couple of years ago, but since then have been rather silent. (probably because they were content with the tens of millions of sites they host)
With regards to their product, from the limited experience I have with it, it works just fine.
My main issue with Wix is their apparent performance issues. Many websites I’ve seen built with it don’t seem to load very quickly.
Of course, that may not be an issue with Wix itself, but rather the people who built it. Don’t blame the tool, blame the man wielding it, as they say.
Another big concern is the fact that you can’t seem to change themes once you’ve begun building the site. If you choose to change the theme, it resets everything, forcing you to rebuild from scratch. That’s a problem for me.
Squarespace
Surely you already know all about these guys. They’re everywhere.
Podcasts, YouTubers, blogs, billboards, TV, radio, in your shower… Wherever you are, Squarespace will find you.
I personally find Squarespace to have a very limited and boring aesthetic with their website templates. It actually drives me crazy.
They market themselves as the be-all, end-all of website builders for all types, but most of the examples on their website never stray far from the hipster-fashionista-Instagram-influencer vibe.
But, they do have Idris Elba in their corner so… I’M SOLD.
Shopify
If you’re doing e-commerce, Shopify are the guys for you.
They have mastered the art of selling things everywhere. And not just your website either. Shopify will help your clients sell their products on their website, blog, social media, chat bots, retail stores, and more.
Shopify easily integrates with myriads of apps and platforms, making things like shipping, payment processing and order fulfillment a breeze.
You could even argue they pioneered the entire drop-shipping business. (thanks for the drop-shipping bros in my YouTube ads, SHOPIFY)
They also have a robust partner platform with multiple channels for web designers to build their business off of.
If your main clientele will be e-commerce businesses, you simply cannot ignore Shopify.
WordPress
WordPress is the king of websites. So much so that over 30% of all websites are run on WordPress.
And for good reason.
WordPress can be whatever you want it to be. It is a fully functional CMS with an endless array of plugins to customize your website to your exact needs.
That, of course, comes with some increased complexity.
But if you can master WordPress, your opportunities for running a successful web design business will expand drastically.
You might even learn a little bit of web development along the way. (web development mainly consists of “backend” work, stuff you often don’t see visually on the “frontend” of the website)
In addition, there are a handful of CMS plugins that make building websites with WordPress easier and more fun. Let’s take a look at these options.
WordPress + Elementor
Elementor was a game-changer for WordPress designers. And the web design industry as a whole.
Never in my life have I seen a product that makes designing gorgeous websites so easy and so stinking fun. And at such a ridiculously affordable price.
If it’s not obvious yet, WordPress + Elementor is what I use to build all of my website these days.
I love Elementor with everything in my being. And the developers continue to make it better every month with new releases and updates.
They have a free version, so you have no excuse not to try it out for yourself and see what I’m talking about.
WordPress + Beaver Builder
I’ve never used Beaver Builder before, but I hear good things about it.
And what I particularly love about it is that it’s tiny. Beaver Builder is made up of 3 guys just doing something they love. I strongly identify with that.
You could argue that Beaver Builder is the OG Elementor. It was around way before, and it’s founding principles are very similar.
Elementor simply built off of Beaver Builder… and made something better.
The student becomes the master…
WordPress + Divi
Now, DIVI has been around a bit longer.
Before Beaver Builder and Elementor, Divi popularized the idea of integrating a simpler CMS on top of WordPress.
But some would argue that Divi has become a bit of a dinosaur in this day and age. Over time, it has slowly become bloated with unnecessary “features” and integrations.
However, the big players always have their fair share of detractors and haters. Divi is still one of the most popular CMS in the world, so don’t write it off too quickly.
2) Consume ALL of the content around that tool
So you’ve picked your go-to website builder. Now, it’s time to learn everything and anything about it.
Web design blogs, Web design YouTubers, web design podcasts, web design books, and much more are all available for your consumption. Much of it for free.
It’s time to lock yourself in your mom’s basement and get to nerding.
You’ll notice that I didn’t list any web design courses here…
