Is Web Design a Dying Career in 2024? (The Answer Is No)
With the rise of generative AI and the advancements of website builders, some are starting to question whether web design is a dying industry.
You can now have AI design entire websites and even write code. Or use website builders with drag-and-drop editors to create websites within minutes. Or use templates to build websites without having to do any coding.
So, is web design a dying career? The short answer is NO!
Make no mistake, web design is still very much alive and we need skilled web designers now more than ever. Here’s why.
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The Current State of Web Design
Right now, you can ask an AI tool to design specific websites and have ChatGPT code an entire website layout and, with the right prompts, it will deliver you an impressive website design within seconds.
Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify have also integrated AI into their systems, allowing anyone to build a website without any experience in web design.
These new tools and technologies certainly help create more opportunities for people and businesses to easily create their own websites. However, an important question remains unanswered – are they “good” website designs?
What most people fail to understand is web design is not about arranging some text and images on a web page layout. It’s about creating an experience for the users and taking them through a journey of discovery, be it a business, brand, or product.
While anyone can create a website these days, you still need human designers to create websites that are successful, impactful, and memorable.
Is Web Design a Good Career?
Web design is one of the most exciting industries in the world that is constantly evolving. There is always something new happening in web design that creates new opportunities in this field for both beginners and experienced designers.
Go to the Awwwards website and explore some of its featured website designs and you’ll see how diverse this industry can be. Each and every website featured there has a different design that sets those brands and businesses apart from the rest. Do you think an AI tool can do that?
A career in web design also offers many opportunities for you to pursue. In addition to crafting website layouts, you can also pick a niche to specialize in, like user experience design, interaction design, eCommerce web design, motion design, front-end or back-end development, and accessibility design.
Web design is also a career where skills are recognized globally. And it’s a career where you can make a difference. By creating great website designs, you are making the digital landscape a better place, one website at a time.
Is There a Good Demand for Web Designers?
On the list of Upwork’s top in-demand skills of 2023, front-end development ranks at number two and web design ranks at number five.
Web design is one of the most in-demand skills in freelance marketplaces. A quick search on sites like Upwork, Toptal, and Freelancer.com will show you how easy it is to find jobs as a web designer.
Since it’s fairly easy to get started in web design, there is also fierce competition in the industry. However, there is always demand for skilled web designers who specialize in their niche.
Even if you plan on joining an agency, a startup, or a company, finding a web design job is not that difficult. A simple search on LinkedIn or Indeed is often enough to find one quite easily.
How to Choose the Right Web Design Career Path
Web design is a strong career path to follow right now. But you need to pick the right path to succeed and build a lasting career as a web designer.
Trending Career Paths in Web Design
As we mentioned earlier, web design is not just about building websites. There are many niches and specializations you can follow to become an expert in different aspects of web design.
Especially when you can combine your web design skills with another niche, your value increases. For example, a web designer with front-end development skills or UX design experience has more demand than others.
Always look for those trending career paths in web design and learn new skills to accommodate your career even further.
Assess Requirements and Skill Levels
Web design is an evolving industry and today, you need more than just HTML, CSS, and Javascript knowledge to get started as a web designer.
The skill levels and requirements to qualify as a web designer often change depending on the job you’re targeting. For example, to get into eCommerce web design, you need to understand how online shopping works for different industries and how customers behave.
It’s important to have a goal of what type of web designer you want to become before getting started. It will be the key to creating a successful career as a web designer.
Checking for Industry Demand
Most niches in web design have good demand, but it’s always important to double-check to make sure the niche you picked has good demand.
You can use freelance marketplaces and job search platforms to check whether your niche has demand right now. Better yet, you should seek an opinion from an industry veteran if you can.
Look for Educational Paths
The good news is you don’t need to have a degree in computer science or expert knowledge in programming languages to get into web design. While those qualifications can be beneficial, they are not required.
You can find plenty of successful self-taught web designers who learn by following online courses and programs. Depending on the niche you’re getting into, you can also find great courses and programs to learn everything online.
Look to the Future
It’s difficult to predict the future of any industry right now. With the introduction of AI tools, many jobs have become irrelevant and we can’t know for sure what will come next. Either way, it’s always wise to look for ways to future-proof your career in web design.
5 Tips To Future-Proof Your Web Design Career
There are many things you can do to future-proof your web design career. Here are a few things you should start doing right now.
Go Beyond the Basics
Learning and adding additional skills to your resume is crucial to future-proofing your career as a web designer. Learn UX design, front-end design, and consider learning about back-end development to become an indispensable web designer.
Pick a Specialization
Be a jack of all trades but also be an expert in one or two skills at the same time. Specializing in a niche is important when you want to establish yourself as an authority in the industry.
Find Your Style
As you develop your skills and practice your craft, develop your own style as well. Every successful web designer has a unique signature style that sets them apart from millions of other designers.
Take Advantage of AI Tools
Don’t be afraid of AI tools, learn to use them to your advantage. These AI tools will make your work much simpler and easier. Find ways to add those tools to your workflow.
Add a Human Touch
It’s easy to get swept away by the advancements of AI or use pre-made templates to do things the easy way. While we encourage you to use them, you should also think about the end users and make sure to design things with humans in mind.
Should You Start a Web Design Career?
There’s never been a better time to get started in web design than right now. With the advancements of AI, developments of easy-to-use frameworks, and enhanced design software, web design is on a trajectory to becoming a profitable career path this year.
Soon, designing websites will be much easier and simpler, which will give designers more time to think and get creative with their projects. And there will always be demand for more creative and skilled web designers.